Tippah County is a very diverse place, and once encompassed a much larger area than it does today. Although it was not organized until 1836, people lived in the area long before then. Trappers and traders with the Chickasaw Indians were seen frequently during the late 1820’s and early 1830’s. One early trapper, James Adair, wrote a book about his travels, which likely included what is now Tippah County. Settlers began pouring in from Tennessee to the north and from the east soon after the land had been opened for settling.

Due to its central geographic location, Ripley was laid out and proclaimed the county seat by 1837. A pioneer settlement flourished and Ripley was like the hub of a wheel, which had roads going out in all directions.

By the 1850’s, the pioneer roughness had worn off and the town was beginning to show many of the luxuries of other opulent societies of that time. Several large houses were built on Jackson Street, just west of the town square and the town had a population of 464.

The War Between the States changed Tippah County and it would never be the same again. Tippah County supplied some of the soldiers for the first battles of the war. The Second Mississippi, Company B, included the first soldiers to leave from his area. They fought in Virginia and were at the Battle of Manassas. Many Tippah Countians never saw home again.

Although Tippah County was never a particularly rich county, it was in a strategically strong geographic position, being only 30 miles away from the crossroads at Corinth and 50 miles from Shiloh. Plus, the many roads spoking out in different directions offered quick getaway routes if needed.

The Union soldier was no stranger to Tippah County during the Civil War, and they committed many atrocities. Several were said to have attacked a woman of prominence in the town and jerked the earrings off her. Crops were confiscated, cattle stolen, homes burned. Part of the Ripley Square was burned, an act, which took many years to overcome. Once the war was over, former soldiers began drifting back into the area to a ruined economy. It would be years before Tippah County prospered again. To add insult to injury, a reconstructionist government divided Tippah County in 1870 for political reasons. Therefore, much of what was Tippah County is now Benton County. Portions of the county were also chopped off to form new counties. Prentiss, Alcorn, Benton and Union now have areas that were once Tippah County.

In 1873, a former Civil War General, Mark Perrin Lowrey, founded Blue Mountain College for Women. This institution still exists and many of the campus buildings date to the late 1800s. Tippah County enjoyed prosperous times from 1880 to World War I.

Colonel W.C. Faulkner, great-grandfather of award-winning author William Faulkner, was a colorful character. Lawyer, legislator, politician, businessman and farmer, he always seemed to have his hand in one venture or another. He wrote White Rose of Memphis, and Rapid Ramblings, which is about a tour of Europe. He is generally credited for building the railroad through Tippah County. The “colonel” died after he was shot on the Ripley Square in 1889. His home was located where the Ripley Post Office now sits. The Faulkner’s left Ripley after the colonel was killed, thus depriving Tippah County the right to call itself the birthplace of author William Faulkner, although Faulkner did live in Ripley for several months while still an infant.

Around 1900, a New York millionaire, Paul J. Rainey began purchasing large tracts of land in the Cotton Plant area, where he cultivated a large farm, built a lavish home and entertained the social set of the day. Exotic animals were often housed at the Rainey estate and there always seemed to be a party going on there. The train actually made a stop at his mansion, which was located just east of the tracts in Cotton Plant. A hotel in New Albany, called the Rainey Hotel, was built to house the overflow guests at the estate. Rainey died mysteriously aboard ship in 1925 when he was off on a big game hunt to Africa. He was buried at sea.

The depression era brought hard years for Tippah Countians, but they made do as most of the country since there was plenty of food to be grown here. Improvements, which began in those days, have continued to this day.

It is not a widely known fact that author John Grisham also lived in Tippah County once, as did William Faulkner. Both authors have written books that many people believe to be based on events and places right here in Tippah County. Many famous people, past and present, have strong connections to Tippah County.