The Free State mentality: Something in the water?
*First appeared in the March 5, 2014 edition of the Laurel Chronicle
Growing up in Jones County, one becomes accustomed to references to the “Free State.” In fact, I always found the idea of a “Free State of Jones” rather appealing, indicative of a people fiercely independent yet bound by a strong sense of community.
Others might dismiss this notion as a naïve view of our rocky history or simply a face-value acceptance of overblown folklore. But, just maybe there’s something to this idea that Jones Countians suffer from some sort of predisposition to make waves – whether better or worse.
But first: What is the Free State?
That itself is a source of controversy. Legend has it that an “armed band of Confederate deserters battled Confederate cavalry in the Piney Woods region of Jones County, Mississippi. Calling themselves the Knight Company after their captain, Newton Knight, they set up headquarters in the swamps of the Leaf River, where…they declared the Free State of Jones.”
According to some accounts, Newt (I never heard him called “Newton” growing up) Knight was a complex figure who refused to fight a rich-man’s war. Some accounts say his insurrection was based solely on civil rights and an opposition to slavery; others say he was a coward who deserted his Confederate soldiers. Some say he simply didn’t want to fight over cotton.
Whether he actually tried to establish an independent state, and for what purpose, remains a point of contention.
In fact, the most recent work on this issue provided the New York Times with a bit of fodder in its book review of “The State of Jones” by Washington Post reporter and Harvard historian John Stauffer. Jenkins and Stauffer apparently ruffled the feathers of another author, Victoria Bynum (a Texas State history professor and author of “The Free State of Jones”), who claimed the duo’s latest take was “a good read but inaccurate and unjustifiably politicized.”
“There’s the rub,” explained the New York Times. “Jenkins and Stauffer create a lively narrative, but is it factual – or fictionalized?”
(My favorite component of the Times review was its highlighting of Bynum’s critique of the new book...in a heated online forum exchange. The internet wins again!)
In the 21st century, Jones Countians continue the historical trend of making waves. Take, for example, Rep. Omeria Scott’s legislative proposal that would have required merchants who sell ammunition to keep detailed records open for public inspection at any time. These records include names, home addresses, driver’s license numbers, and even social security numbers.
The amendment failed, but not without first causing backlash from folks in Jackson and elsewhere.
Well-known writer Bobby Harrison of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal has Jones County roots (near the Shady Grove area, I think). He’s a genuinely nice guy but often irks conservatives with columns that tend to favor more left-leaning policies.
Rickey Cole (I’ve written about him in this space before) is executive director of the Mississippi Democrats, a group that continues to raise the political stakes. While I’m sure Rickey is a fine fellow, his public statements and emails indicate an aggressive spirit.
“Sixty-seven years is long enough” proclaimed Rickey in one email to supporters, urging supporters to elect a Mississippi Democrat to the U.S. Senate. He has called Gov. Phil Bryant “aloof” in an email titled “Outrageous Incompetence.” You get the idea.
Even Jones County native and state senator Chris McDaniel has raised more than a few eyebrows by waging a primary challenge against incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Thad Cochran…despite telling crowds in October that Cochran is a man he “grew up” admiring and respecting.
I’m not sure about the legitimacy of the Free State tale, but I do know this: People from Jones County have a provocative spirit. Maybe we inherit Free State mentalities from our parents, or maybe it’s just something in the Bogue Homa waters.