Paulding is an unincorporated community in and one of the two county seats of Jasper County, Mississippi. It is the only unincorporated county seat in Mississippi. Settled in 1833, it was named by United States settlers in honor of Revolutionary War hero John Paulding. After its citizens refused to contribute to a new railroad, the community was bypassed in favor of Bay Springs, Mississippi, which was designated a railroad stop to the west and the second county seat. It attracted more development and industry.As of the 2010 census, Paulding had a population of 838. Bay Springs' population was more than twice that, at 1,768.Paulding was settled by European Americans in 1833, during the period of Indian Removal in the Southeast. The new settlers named the community for John Paulding, a local citizen who had aided in the capture of the British spy, Major Andre during the Revolutionary War.