Smelser, Wisconsin

This article is about a town in Wisconsin. For Sociologist of the same name, see Neil Smelser.

Town of Smelser
Town
Town hall
Location of the Town of Smelser
Coordinates: 42°38′24″N90°29′28″W / 42.64000°N 90.49111°W / 42.64000; -90.49111
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Grant
Area
• Total	35.1 sq mi (90.9 km2)
• Land	35.1 sq mi (90.9 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation [1]	925 ft (282 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	756
• Density	21.5/sq mi (8.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	608
FIPS code	55-74450 [2]
GNIS feature ID	1584169 [1]
Website	http://www.townofsmelser.com/

The Town ^[3] of Smelser is located in southeastern Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 756 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Bigpatch, Elmo, Georgetown, and Saint Rose are located in the town.

History of the name

The town was also known as Smeltzer or Smeltzer's Grove (the latter being technically the name of the post office in the town); this name appears, for instance in the original Wisconsin Constitution and the first edition of the Wisconsin Blue Book, ^[4] and will occasionally be found in official use at least as late as 1870. ^[5] Butterfield's 1881 History of Grant County describes early settler J. M. Smelser as "a native of Bourbon Co., Kentucky." ^[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.1 square miles (90.9 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census ^[2] of 2000, there were 756 people, 268 households, and 218 families residing in the town. The population density was 21.5 people per square mile (8.3/km²). There were 276 housing units at an average density of 7.9 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.34% White, 0.13% African American, and 0.53% from two or more races.

There were 268 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.8% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.3% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.12.

The population was 27.8% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,429, and the median income for a family was $44,125. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $20,682 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,652. About 5.5% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

• William Brandon, state legislator
• George Cabanis, state legislator
• George Slack, state legislator

References

1. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "Towns" in Wisconsin perform most of the same functions as townships in many other states. see 'Wisconsin Blue Book 2022,' Town, pp 354-355
4. Manual for the use of the assembly, of the state of Wisconsin, for the year 1853 Madison: Brown and Carpenter, Printers, 1853; pp. 39, 60, 70
5. The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin; Comprising Jefferson's Manual, Rules, Forms and Laws, for the Regulation of Business; also, lists and tables for reference Ninth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Rublee, State Printers, Journal Block, 1870; p. 362
6. Butterfield, Consul Willshire. History of Grant County, Wisconsin: An account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories, churches, schools and societies; its war record, biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin, statistics of the state, and an abstract of its laws and constitution and of the constitution of the United States Chicago : Western Historical Co., 1881; p. 1017