Tommy Greene
Contributor
The business of the county was conducted at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, a widow, whose home was near San Pedro until 1832. In that year, San Pedro was designated the county seat of Madison County and a courthouse was built.The courthouse of San Pedro was Madison County's frst courthouse. The courthouse was a one room log building, with a fireplace on the south end. In this building, the sheriff, the clerk of the circuit court, and the the judge (the only officers of the county at that time) conducted the affairs of their respective offices. It was located where the New Oakland Church is today, and a monument marks the location.
After the county seat was moved from San Pedro to New Town in 1838, a new courthouse was built.
Adoniram Vann moved there with his family and constructed the frst framed courthouse in the county. The site of this courthouse was northeast of the current courthouse, on the northeast corner of US 90 and Shelby St.
The new county seat was first called New Town. In 1839, a post office was established at the Madison County Court House, and mail was addressed to that name, or "Madison C.H." New Town became known as
Madison County Court House, but was later shortened to Madison.
This story was taken from the history book, Madison County from the Beginning.