Clarke County, Mississippi
County in Mississippi, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clarke County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,615.[2] Its county seat is Quitman.[3] Clarke County is named for Joshua G. Clarke,[4] the first Mississippi state chancellor and judge.
Clarke County, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
Clarke County Courthouse and Confederate Monument in Quitman | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
| Coordinates: 32°02′N 88°41′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | December 23, 1833[1] |
| Seat | Quitman |
| Largest city | Quitman |
| Area | |
• Total | 694 sq mi (1,800 km2) |
| • Land | 692 sq mi (1,790 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 15,615 |
• Estimate (2025) | 15,102  |
| • Density | 22.6/sq mi (8.71/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | https://clarkecountyms.gov/ |
The county is part of the Meridian, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Before Europeans first arrived, the Choctaw Indians inhabited the land that would later be known as the Clarke County, Mississippi. Clarke County is only a portion of what was known as Okla Hannali or Six Town District of the Choctaws. Okla Hannali or Six Towns District existed at the time of the Dancing Rabbit Treaty in 1830.[5]
David Gage, who came to the area in about 1820, was a Presbyterian minister. Traveling with him was Moses Jewel and Miss Skinner, who were both teachers. He settled at a place called Eewennans in the Choctaw Nation. David Gage, Moses Jewel, and Miss Skinner came to the territory for the purpose of educating the Indians some domestic habits.[6]
At the beginning of 1832, settlers began to appear in what was known as the “New Purchase”. One of the first families to arrive was Jehu and Sarah Pagaus Evans, who arrived in February 1832, and settled east of Buckatunna Swamp. By the fall of 1832, the “New Purchase” began to fill up quickly with arrivals. Among the early settlers were George Evans, Richard Wagster, Henry Hailes, Alex Hailes, Michael McCarty, James Bankston, Calvin M. Ludlow, John Williford, William Williford, James Risher, J. A. Fontain, John Gunn, Robert Fleming, John Fleming, Hiram Fleming, Norman Martin, Stephen Grice, Thomas F. Hicks, Alex McLendon, Roland B. Crosby, Cameron Grayson, Jesse C. Mott, David Neely, David B. Thompson, Dabney Edwards, Jacob Slack, John Johnston, Alex Trotter, Richard N. Hough, Robert McLaughlin, L. D. Phillips, Samuel Lee, Jesse Sumrall, Jeremiah Crane, Howell Sumrall, William Goleman, Thomas Goleman, Samuel K. Lewis and Thomas Watts.[7]
The county was founded in 1833. Quitman, named for General John A. Quitman.[4][7]
After the organization of Clarke County, the first school was built close to the old Tennessee Trace. Mr. Hennessy was the teacher and he came from Kinsale, Ireland. Religious services were held in the pioneer families’ home and on days of good weather, outside. The first actual church built was Cedar Creek Church, a Methodist church, and Elim Baptist Church followed in the 1840s.
In the Spring of 1834, Joel Nail, a quadroon Indian, began moving the Choctaw Indians to Muskalresha, an old town in Neshoba County, Mississippi. These journeys continued through 1838 for all that would go. Some of the Choctaw Indians returned to their homes in Clarke County after arriving at Muskalresha.[6]
In the 1830s there were no postal routes in Clarke County. However, there was a stagecoach line from Columbus, Mississippi to Winchester, Wayne County, Mississippi. The settlers of Clarke County would have to travel to Winchester, 25 miles away to receive their mail.[6]
Ten black people were lynched in Clarke County, as documented in The Hanging Bridge by Jason Morgan Ward.[8]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 694 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 692 square miles (1,790 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.3%) is water.[9] The Chickasawhay River flows north to south through the eastern portion of the county; it eventually meets the Pascagoula River.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Lauderdale County (north)
- Choctaw County, Alabama (east)
- Wayne County (south)
- Jasper County (west)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 2,986 | — | |
| 1850 | 5,477 | 83.4% | |
| 1860 | 10,771 | 96.7% | |
| 1870 | 7,505 | −30.3% | |
| 1880 | 15,021 | 100.1% | |
| 1890 | 15,826 | 5.4% | |
| 1900 | 17,741 | 12.1% | |
| 1910 | 21,630 | 21.9% | |
| 1920 | 17,927 | −17.1% | |
| 1930 | 19,679 | 9.8% | |
| 1940 | 20,596 | 4.7% | |
| 1950 | 19,362 | −6.0% | |
| 1960 | 16,493 | −14.8% | |
| 1970 | 15,049 | −8.8% | |
| 1980 | 16,945 | 12.6% | |
| 1990 | 17,313 | 2.2% | |
| 2000 | 17,955 | 3.7% | |
| 2010 | 16,732 | −6.8% | |
| 2020 | 15,615 | −6.7% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 15,102 | [10] | −3.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2013[15] | |||
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[16] | Pop 1990[17] | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 10,962 | 11,271 | 11,518 | 10,674 | 9,950 | 64.69% | 65.10% | 64.15% | 63.79% | 63.72% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,833 | 5,963 | 6,220 | 5,749 | 5,103 | 34.42% | 34.44% | 34.64% | 34.36% | 32.68% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 27 | 6 | 17 | 59 | 16 | 0.16% | 0.03% | 0.09% | 0.35% | 0.10% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 14 | 7 | 19 | 29 | 8 | 0.08% | 0.04% | 0.11% | 0.17% | 0.05% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [21] | x [22] | 1 | 1 | 6 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 24 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.15% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [23] | x [24] | 53 | 82 | 376 | x | x | 0.30% | 0.49% | 2.41% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 107 | 64 | 120 | 132 | 132 | 0.63% | 0.37% | 0.67% | 0.79% | 0.85% |
| Total | 16,945 | 17,313 | 17,955 | 16,732 | 15,615 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 15,615. The median age was 42.5 years. 23.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.0 males age 18 and over.[25][26]
The racial makeup of the county was 64.0% White, 32.8% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 0.8% of the population.[26]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[27]
There were 6,448 households in the county, of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.3% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[25]
There were 7,575 housing units, of which 14.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.0% were owner-occupied and 21.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.[25]
Ancestry/Ethnicity
As of 2017 the largest self-identified ancestry groups/ethnic groups in Clarke County, Mississippi were:[28][29]
| Largest ancestries (2017) | Percent |
|---|---|
| English | 22.37% |
| "American" | 10.6% |
| Irish | 7.04% |
| German | 2.65% |
| Dutch | 1.4% |
| Scots-Irish | 1.3% |
| Scottish | 1.1% |
| French (except Basque) | 0.6% |
Communities
Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 17 | 2.29% | 638 | 85.87% | 88 | 11.84% |
| 1916 | 49 | 4.19% | 1,092 | 93.33% | 29 | 2.48% |
| 1920 | 47 | 5.35% | 807 | 91.91% | 24 | 2.73% |
| 1924 | 87 | 6.24% | 1,306 | 93.62% | 2 | 0.14% |
| 1928 | 563 | 33.23% | 1,131 | 66.77% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 53 | 3.44% | 1,482 | 96.11% | 7 | 0.45% |
| 1936 | 31 | 1.46% | 2,089 | 98.40% | 3 | 0.14% |
| 1940 | 42 | 2.40% | 1,711 | 97.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 95 | 5.31% | 1,694 | 94.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 17 | 0.88% | 144 | 7.47% | 1,767 | 91.65% |
| 1952 | 754 | 27.38% | 2,000 | 72.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 500 | 20.77% | 1,763 | 73.24% | 144 | 5.98% |
| 1960 | 586 | 17.71% | 1,244 | 37.61% | 1,478 | 44.68% |
| 1964 | 3,591 | 93.42% | 253 | 6.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 298 | 5.53% | 878 | 16.29% | 4,214 | 78.18% |
| 1972 | 4,561 | 81.56% | 954 | 17.06% | 77 | 1.38% |
| 1976 | 2,935 | 48.96% | 2,816 | 46.97% | 244 | 4.07% |
| 1980 | 3,303 | 49.14% | 3,303 | 49.14% | 115 | 1.71% |
| 1984 | 4,551 | 66.61% | 2,262 | 33.11% | 19 | 0.28% |
| 1988 | 4,522 | 63.71% | 2,576 | 36.29% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1992 | 4,207 | 60.67% | 2,259 | 32.58% | 468 | 6.75% |
| 1996 | 3,470 | 56.04% | 2,337 | 37.74% | 385 | 6.22% |
| 2000 | 4,503 | 65.08% | 2,368 | 34.22% | 48 | 0.69% |
| 2004 | 5,068 | 67.53% | 2,402 | 32.01% | 35 | 0.47% |
| 2008 | 5,229 | 62.27% | 3,121 | 37.17% | 47 | 0.56% |
| 2012 | 5,049 | 61.18% | 3,111 | 37.70% | 93 | 1.13% |
| 2016 | 5,137 | 65.94% | 2,585 | 33.18% | 69 | 0.89% |
| 2020 | 5,417 | 64.97% | 2,838 | 34.04% | 83 | 1.00% |
| 2024 | 5,093 | 67.27% | 2,430 | 32.10% | 48 | 0.63% |
Education
There are two school districts in the county: Quitman School District and Enterprise School District.[32]
The county is in the zone for Jones College.[33]