Marks, Mississippi
| Marks, Mississippi | |
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| City | |
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 Location of Marks, Mississippi |
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 Marks, Mississippi
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| Coordinates: 34°15′18″N 90°16′22″W / 34.25500°N 90.27278°WCoordinates: 34°15′18″N 90°16′22″W / 34.25500°N 90.27278°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Quitman |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.0 sq mi (2.7 km2) |
| • Land | 1.0 sq mi (2.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 161 ft (49 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,551 |
| • Density | 1,509.9/sq mi (583.0/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 38646 |
| Area code(s) | 662 |
| FIPS code | 28-45240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0673138 |
Marks is a city in Quitman County, Mississippi. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,551. It is the county seat of Quitman County. Marks was named for Leopold Marks, a Jewish immigrant trader of the late 19th century whose market became one of the earliest centers of business in the area.{Jews of Early Mississippi, published by University Press of Mississippi, page 77}
Marks is located at 34°15′18″N 90°16′22″W / 34.25500°N 90.27278°W (34.254918, -90.272784).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), all land.
Marks is notable for being the starting point of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Poor People's Campaign in 1968.
The town of Marks was named after Leopold Marks (1851-1910) who left Germany to avoid conscription by the German army. He landed in New York in 1868. He knew no English and arrived with only $0.27 in his pockets.
Nonetheless, Marks was Quitman County's first representative to the state legislature and served in that capacity for eight years. In 1875 he married; his wife, Pauline, was born in 1852 but her year of death is unknown.
Leopold Marks realized the potential of the Coldwater River region and the dense forests and the fertile banks of Cassidy's Bayou when he bought a small trading boat and peddled goods up and down the river area. He opened his store and began to buy land at $0.40 per acre. He also peddled jewelry across the county until he reached Friars Point.
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