Dubbs was founded in 1873 and first known as Slab town. Slab town drew it’s name because the buildings were made of slabs from the nearby saw mills. The new name came from the hickory tree. Children in the community called the twin nuts produced by the hickory trees dubbs, so the people decided to name their town Dubbs. Dubbs was never an incorporated community.
A post office was started at Dubbs. On April 21, 1880, N.H. Bradley was made the first post master. He and his brother James ran a store and farmed. N.H. Bradley is listed as post master at Dubbs on July 1, 1881 and July 1, 1883. William M. Sheckels was made post master July 8, 1886. He is listed as post master at Dubbs on July 1, 1887 as well. James A. Salmon became post master on January 10, 1888. He was listed on the U.S. register of Civil, Military, and Naval service as post master at Dubbs on July 1, 1889 and July 1, 1891. Losing B. Collier too over the post office on March 25, 1893. Edward W. Woodson became post master on April 28, 1896 and held that position until his death on March 2, 1906. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Tunica. Woodson had been post master at Clayton on July 1, 1891. Edward Woodson owned and operated a store at Dubbs. By the 1930s, Dubbs no longer had a post office and mail came from the neighboring community of Maud.
Dubbs on the 1900 U.S. Census had several businesses surrounding the post office and store owned by Edward W. Woodson. Tuna Williams had a store and A.W. Ferrell was listed as a clerk. J.J. Black was running a saloon. Stephen Ayer and D.W. Roalls were listed as blacksmiths. Glide Weston was a spoke maker. J.W.M. Kelley and Lee Demaree were listed as tinker men. M.J. Williams did laundry. Everyone elise on the page were listed as farmers or farm laborers.
According to the WPA Project Dubbs had a Methodist church, a cotton gin, several stores, and a grammar school in the late 1930s. The population was about 150.
Today there is one brick church. It is probable that the congregation of the church described below built this brick church later. It has changed denominations today though.
Description 1 of Dubbs Methodist Church:
“At Dubbs there is a small white frame Methodist Church. The main part of the building is about 25 years old, but in recent years a Sunday school has been added. The front of the building has been remodeled. There is a large auditorium with raised rostrum at the entrance end.”
Description 2 of Dubbs Methodist Church:
“At the little inland town of Dubbs we have another very active Methodist church. This is a frame building that was put up around 1908 or 1909. Several changes have been made since the original building was erected. Sunday school rooms have been added and repair work is kept up on the building each year. It is a very comfortable and roomy building. Rev. W.R. Gaudelock, the present pastor lives in the parsonage at Dubbs. The church membership owns both the church and parsonage. The later is a well built nicely arranged modern six room cottage. They have a church membership of 160 or 175 members and a Sunday school membership of 75 to 80, well organized and functioning nicely. They have a real live-wire Epworth League of 25 or more members doing splendid work under the leadership of Mrs. S.J. Strickland. This charge is what is called a station, having a resident pastor, with services every Sunday, both morning and evening. While none of the older pioneer members of this little church now live in Dubbs, they do have many outstanding Christian workers long the younger members, who are largely due the credit for this successfully functioning church.”
There are two old store building located at Dubbs. Both are closed. My grandfather once told me a story about two men having a shoot out in front of these buildings.
Description of the rest of the town of Dubbs:
“The Dubbs Consolidated grammar school is a white frame building of white clapboard. There are 5 modernly equipped class rooms, a small stage, and two toilet rooms. The building is heated by gas and is very comfortable. There is a large grassy campus, with full playground equipment. ”
“The Dubbs community house is heated by gas and lighted with electricity. It has a sister community house in Dundee. Both look the same with some differences. There is a large living room with a fully equipped kitchen. It serves as a cafeteria during the 9 months of school being furnished with tables and chairs. Built of cypress, the wood is stained on the outside, but left natural on the inside. The building cost $1,350.000.”
“The S.A. Arnold Gin is located at Dubbs and is owned and operated by S.A. Arnold, Sheriff of Tunica County.”
Two homes are discussed near Dubbs in the WPA record.
“Mr. George Perry’s home is located a mile east of Dubbs on his plantation. While it is in the country, it has all the modern conveniences. It is of colonial architecture. ”
“A very handsome residence is what is known as the Rose home located a few miles from Dubbs, on the property now owned by J.P. Norfleet. It is a two story, brick building and is a handsome country place, built on a ridge which makes it most attractive.”
1940 U.S. Census Dubbs Area Heads of Household (There are others probably, but I focused on the page where there were people not employed in agriculture alone.). The county barn was located just east of Dubbs so there are several people employed by that.
- 297 Leake, R.L. attendant. service station
- 298 Griffin, W.W. mechanic. plantation
- 299 Leake, W.L. physician. own office
- 300 Strickland, S.J. book keeper. cotton plantation
- 301 Sanders, W.C. merchant. general store
- 302 Melton, Doyle. farmer. cotton farm
- 303 Jennings, Minnie. sewing. WPA sewing room
- 304 Francis, Wheeler V. merchant. general merchandise
- 305 Gordon, Ernest. farmer. cotton farm
- 306 Newsom, Columbus. farmer. cotton farm
- 307 Garner, C.G. foreman. county road work
- 308 Easley, Nicholas. tractor driver. county road work
- 309 Watson, Joe. driver grader. county road work
- 310 Arnold, J.C. farm laborer. cotton farm
- 311 Watson, Jim C. farmer. cotton farm
Map of Tunica County, 1911
My Delta World 
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