Photograph taken near Caseyville
Before Lincoln County was formed this section was a part of Copiah County, and in connection with the neighboring section of Jefferson County was called New Scotland because it had been settled by Scotch Presbyterians.
In 1825, Daniel McLaurin, with his wife, Mary McLaurin came from South Carolina, settled in this section and reared a large family. The McLaurins were originally from Islay, Scotland, and were Highland Scotch Presbyterians. They emigrated from Scotland to South Carolina in 1782 or 1783.
Daniel and his family group settled one mile south of the present site of Caseyville. When the McLaurins arrived there was an Indian camp near by. The Indians finally moved away, but every fall, "Old Cedar", a member of the band, came back and spent the winter with the McLaurins. He finally came one fall so thin and weak that he was taken sick and died there. Cedar Creek, that crosses the Brookhaven-Union Church Highway not far from Caseyville, was named for him.
The McLaurin descendants married into the families of the Buies, Blues, Grandberrys and McMillians, and other prominent families of the community. The Buies, closely allied with the McLaurins, were also Presbyterians and orginally came from Scotland. In 1822 Neil Buie entered a homestead of 160 acres, and in 1825 twenty five acres more.
Other old settlers in the vicinity were the Magees, Godbolds, Bakers, Millsaps, Watsons, Browns, Gilchrists, McNeils, McDougals, McMillians, Wooleys, Thames, Stantons, Andings, Applewhites, Tarvers, Garkins, Childs, Thompsons, Hookers, Decells, McRees, Grandberrys, and Watkins.
