Pike County was created by act of Dec. 9, 1822, from Monroe County and originally contained part of what later became Spalding, Upson, and Lamar Counties. It was named for Zebulon Montgomery Pike (1779-1813), who in 1805 led an expedition to trace the Mississippi River to its source, later explored the interior of Louisiana, and, after being made a Brig. Gen. in 1813, was killed at Toronto, Canada, while commanding American forces there. The first officers of Pike County, commissioned Feb. 25, 1823, were Willis Whatley, sheriff; John H. Broadnax, Clk. Sup. Ct.; William Myrick, Clk. Inf. Ct.; Joel Moore, coroner; and James Lowery, surveyor, was commissioned Jan. 9, 1824.