Bourbon County, Georgia facts for kids

Bourbon County, Georgia was a county that the U.S. state of Georgia tried to create a long time ago. It existed for only a few years, from 1785 to 1788. This county was made from lands that Georgia claimed, which are now part of Mississippi. The United States government eventually made Georgia get rid of the county because other countries and Native American groups also claimed the land.

The Story of Bourbon County

How Georgia Created the County

In 1785, the governor of Georgia, George Mathews, signed a special law. This law created Bourbon County. Georgia wanted to organize this new county in an area that was east of the Mississippi River. It was also south of the Yazoo River and north of a line called the 31st parallel.

At that time, Georgia believed its western border reached all the way to the Mississippi River. This belief came from an agreement made in 1763. The new Bourbon County included parts of the Natchez area. However, the country of Spain also said this land belonged to them. Bourbon County officially started on February 7, 1785.

Problems with Spain and Native Americans

A man named Thomas Green tried to set up and organize Bourbon County. But Spanish officials stopped him. They didn't want Georgia to take over the land because Spain claimed it too.

Georgia appointed leaders and judges for the new county. However, the United States government stepped in. They put pressure on Georgia to change its mind. The government wanted to avoid arguments with Spain.

So, on February 1, 1788, the Georgia General Assembly (Georgia's law-making group) canceled the law that created Bourbon County. The U.S. government also worried about the land claims of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Native American tribes. These tribes had lived on and claimed the land for a long time before Georgia tried to create the county.

Where the Name Came From

People believed that Bourbon County was named after the House of Bourbon. This was a very old and powerful royal family in Europe.