Newton County, Mississippi

Last updated

Newton County
A&V Railroad Depot.JPG
Map of Mississippi highlighting Newton County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi in United States.svg
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°25′N89°07′W / 32.41°N 89.12°W / 32.41; -89.12
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Mississippi.svg  Mississippi
Founded1836
Seat Decatur
Largest city Newton
Area
  Total580 sq mi (1,500 km2)
  Land578 sq mi (1,500 km2)
  Water1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
  Total21,291
  Density37/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd
Website www.newtoncountyms.net

Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,291. [1] Its county seat is Decatur. [2]

Contents

History

The land that would become Newton County was purchased from the Choctaw under the terms of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. Newton County was split off from the southern part of Neshoba County and organized on February 26, 1836. [3] The county is named for scientist Isaac Newton. [4] [5]

The Battle of Newton's Station was fought in the county on April 24, 1863, during Grierson's Raid of the American Civil War. Union troops pulled up railroad tracks and burned the depot at Newton's Station. [6]

In February 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman crossed the county, burning the county seat at Decatur and was nearly captured during the Meridian Campaign. Sherman stopped during the return trip from Meridian and slept at Boler's Inn in the town of Union. [7]

On October 8, 1908, a black sharecropper named Shep Jones had a disagreement with his white employer, leading to the employer's death[ weasel words ]. While searching for Jones, a white mob destroyed property owned by black people[ vague ], burned their church and meeting lodge, threatened black families[ vague ], and hanged Jones' father-in-law and two other black men. Many black people fled Newton County. No arrests or restitution occurred. [8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 580 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 578 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.3%) is water. [9]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1840 2,527
1850 4,46576.7%
1860 9,661116.4%
1870 10,0674.2%
1880 13,43633.5%
1890 16,62523.7%
1900 19,70818.5%
1910 23,08517.1%
1920 20,727−10.2%
1930 22,91010.5%
1940 24,2495.8%
1950 22,681−6.5%
1960 19,517−14.0%
1970 18,983−2.7%
1980 19,9445.1%
1990 20,2911.7%
2000 21,8387.6%
2010 21,720−0.5%
2020 21,291−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12]
1990-2000 [13] 2010-2013 [14]

2020 census

Newton County Racial Composition [15]
RaceNum.Perc.
White 12,79660.1%
Black or African American 6,44730.28%
Native American 1,1695.49%
Asian 770.36%
Other/Mixed 4732.22%
Hispanic or Latino 3291.55%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 21,291 people, 8,037 households, and 5,697 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census [16] of 2000, there were 21,838 people, 8,221 households, and 6,001 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 9,259 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 65.01% white, 30.37% black or African American, 3.68% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 0.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,221 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.20% under the age of 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,735, and the median income for a family was $34,606. Males had a median income of $27,820 versus $20,757 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,008. About 16.40% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.30% of those under age 18 and 21.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Politics

United States presidential election results for Newton County, Mississippi [17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.%No.%No.%
2020 6,99768.71%3,07530.20%1111.09%
2016 6,54869.38%2,75629.20%1341.42%
2012 6,39465.40%3,31933.95%640.65%
2008 6,57966.76%3,21832.65%580.59%
2004 6,16572.63%2,28026.86%430.51%
2000 5,54071.59%2,14727.75%510.66%
1996 4,22361.30%2,16331.40%5037.30%
1992 5,12865.69%2,14627.49%5326.82%
1988 5,65870.70%2,33229.14%130.16%
1984 5,91173.23%2,12726.35%340.42%
1980 4,31754.36%3,45543.51%1692.13%
1976 3,81357.00%2,74140.97%1362.03%
1972 5,58588.05%5979.41%1612.54%
1968 5427.85%79911.58%5,56180.57%
1964 4,73595.21%2384.79%00.00%
1960 50815.05%91227.01%1,95657.94%
1956 36011.52%2,35975.46%40713.02%
1952 85125.70%2,46074.30%00.00%
1948 391.47%1696.38%2,44292.15%
1944 562.18%2,51697.82%00.00%
1940 411.61%2,49598.27%30.12%
1936 391.46%2,62498.42%30.11%
1932 562.41%2,25397.11%110.47%
1928 36815.07%2,07484.93%00.00%
1924 723.95%1,65790.94%935.10%
1920 1087.73%1,20886.41%825.87%
1916 191.34%1,34194.70%563.95%
1912 60.47%1,19794.62%624.90%

Education

School districts include: [18]

Conehatta Elementary School of the Choctaw Tribal School System is in the community. [19]

See also

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Union is a town in Neshoba and Newton counties, Mississippi. The population was 1,988 at the 2010 census.

References

  1. "Census - Geography Profile: Newton County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties . Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. r2WPadmin. "Newton County". Mississippi Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 15, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. Rowland, Dunbar (1907). Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. Vol. 2. Southern Historical Publishing Association. p. 339.
  5. "Newton County Mississippi". Newton County. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  6. "Grierson's Raid Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  7. "Boler's Inn Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  8. "Descendants of Lynching Victims Dedicate Historical Marker in Hickory, Mississippi". Equal Justice Initiative. August 19, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  9. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  14. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 9, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  15. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  18. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Newton County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2022. - Text list
  19. "Home". Conehatta Elementary School. Retrieved August 6, 2022. 851 Tushka Drive Conehatta, MS 39057

Further reading

32°25′N89°07′W / 32.41°N 89.12°W / 32.41; -89.12