Lewis County, Missouri

Coordinates: 40°05′N 91°44′W / 40.09°N 91.73°W / 40.09; -91.73
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Lewis County
Lewis County Courthouse in Monticello
Lewis County Courthouse in Monticello
Map of Missouri highlighting Lewis County
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Map of the United States highlighting Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°05′N 91°44′W / 40.09°N 91.73°W / 40.09; -91.73
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedJanuary 2, 1833
Named forMeriwether Lewis
SeatMonticello
Largest cityCanton
Area
 • Total511 sq mi (1,320 km2)
 • Land505 sq mi (1,310 km2)
 • Water5.8 sq mi (15 km2)  1.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,032
 • Density20/sq mi (7.6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district6th
Websitelewiscountymo.org
The Lewis County, Missouri courthouse in Monticello as it appeared in the mid-1870s.

Lewis County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,032.[1] Its county seat is Monticello.[2] The county was organized January 2, 1833 and named for Meriwether Lewis, the explorer and Governor of the Louisiana Territory.[3]

Lewis County is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 511 square miles (1,320 km2), of which 505 square miles (1,310 km2) is land and 5.8 square miles (15 km2) (1.1%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties[edit]

Major highways[edit]

Transit[edit]

Railroads[edit]

History[edit]

Lewis County, located in the northeastern part of Missouri, across the Mississippi River from Illinois. It was established in 1833 and named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The county was largely settled by farmers from Virginia and Kentucky. They brought slaves and were attracted to the fertile land and easy river transportation. The economy was based on subsistence agriculture, timber harvesting, and lead mining. In addition. Canton supplied riverboats on the Mississippi. During the Civil War, the county became the base for rival pro-Confederate and pro-Union sympathizers; there was some violence but the Unionists prevailed.[5]

After the Civil War, the slaves were emancipated and the county's economy shifted towards commercial agriculture, with the production of corn, wheat and timber that were shipped through Canton, a port on the Mississippi River. In the late 19th and early 20th century, farm youth moved into small towns, particularly in the western part of the county. Mark Twain lived in the county briefly and was inspired by the natural beauty of the river region for his writing.[6]

Today, Lewis County is all rural, with a few small towns under 2500 population, and Canton at 2800. The economy us built on soybeans, corn and timber, as well as higher education. Canton is the home of Culver–Stockton College. The National Register of Historic Places celebrates 12 historic locations in the county.

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18406,040
18506,5788.9%
186012,28686.8%
187015,11423.0%
188015,9255.4%
189015,9350.1%
190016,7245.0%
191015,514−7.2%
192013,465−13.2%
193012,093−10.2%
194011,490−5.0%
195010,733−6.6%
196010,9842.3%
197010,9930.1%
198010,901−0.8%
199010,233−6.1%
200010,4942.6%
201010,211−2.7%
202010,032−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2015[11]

As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 10,211 people, 3,956 households, and 2,709 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 95.92% White, 2.53% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Approximately 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.9% were of German, 18.3% American, 11.2% English and 10.8% Irish ancestry.

The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 12.90% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older and 51% of female population. The median age was 36 years.

Median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $35,740. Males had a median income of $27,778 versus $19,679 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,746. 16.10% of the population and 10.70% of families were below the poverty line.

2020 Census[edit]

Lewis County Racial Composition[13]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 9,315 92.9%
Black or African American (NH) 185 1.84%
Native American (NH) 30 0.3%
Asian (NH) 22 0.22%
Pacific Islander (NH) 0 0%
Other/Mixed (NH) 315 3.14%
Hispanic or Latino 165 1.64%

Education[edit]

Public schools[edit]

Private schools[edit]

Post-secondary[edit]

Public libraries[edit]

  • Canton Public Library[14]
  • Labelle Branch Library[15]
  • Lagrange Branch Library[16]

Communities[edit]

Cities and towns[edit]

Unincorporated communities[edit]

Politics[edit]

Local[edit]

Lewis County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Tammy Logsdon Republican
Circuit Clerk Jan E. Geisendorfer Democratic
County Clerk
  • Chris Flanagan
Democratic
Collector Denise Goodwin Democratic
Commissioner
(Presiding)
Wayne Murphy, Jr. Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)
Deanne Whiston Republican
Commissioner
(District 2)
Travis Fleer Republican
Coroner Larry Arnold Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney Jules V. (Jake) DeCoster Democratic
Public Administrator Luke Barton Republican
Recorder Amy Parrish Democratic
Sheriff David T. Parrish Democratic
Surveyor Carson W. Lay Republican
Treasurer Bonnie Roberson Republican

Chris Flanagan was appointed to the position of County Clerk by Governor Jay Nixon. The office had previously been held by Regina Dredge.

State[edit]

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 79.64% 3,638 19.26% 880 1.10% 50
2016 63.53% 2,815 33.65% 1,491 2.82% 125
2012 48.24% 2,046 49.54% 2,101 2.22% 94
2008 56.79% 2,533 41.05% 1,831 2.16% 96
2004 67.03% 3,084 31.32% 1,441 1.65% 76
2000 50.03% 2,224 48.46% 2,154 1.51% 67
1996 22.77% 948 75.23% 3,132 1.99% 83

All of Lewis County is included in Missouri's 4th District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is represented by Craig Redmon (R-Canton).

Missouri House of Representatives — District 4 — Lewis County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Craig Redmon 3.998 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 4 — Lewis County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Craig Redmon 2,450 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 4 — Lewis County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Craig Redmon 3,869 100.00%

All of Lewis County is a part of Missouri's 18th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Brian Munzlinger (R-Williamstown).

Missouri Senate — District 18 — Lewis County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Brian Munzlinger 2,363 100.00%

Federal[edit]

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Lewis County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Roy Blunt 2,732 61.84% +14.89
Democratic Jason Kander 1,472 33.32% -16.25
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 98 2.22% -1.26
Green Johnathan McFarland 60 1.36% +1.36
Constitution Fred Ryman 56 1.27% +1.27
U.S. Senate — Missouri — Lewis County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Todd Akin 1,982 46.95%
Democratic Claire McCaskill 2,093 49.57%
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 147 3.48%

All of Lewis County is included in Missouri's 6th Congressional District and is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 6th Congressional District — Lewis County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 3,270 75.82% +4.72
Democratic David M. Blackwell 899 20.84% -5.49
Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil 88 2.04% -0.53
Green Mike Diel 56 1.30% +1.30
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 6th Congressional District — Lewis County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 1,822 71.10% +7.09
Democratic Bill Hedge 697 26.33% -7.28
Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil 68 2.57% +0.20
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 6th Congressional District — Lewis County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 2,588 64.01%
Democratic Kyle Yarber 1,359 33.61%
Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil 96 2.37%
United States presidential election results for Lewis County, Missouri[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 3,553 76.92% 984 21.30% 82 1.78%
2016 3,344 74.64% 934 20.85% 202 4.51%
2012 2,677 62.56% 1,508 35.24% 94 2.20%
2008 2,594 57.62% 1,837 40.80% 71 1.58%
2004 2,862 61.63% 1,754 37.77% 28 0.60%
2000 2,388 53.26% 2,023 45.12% 73 1.63%
1996 1,453 34.79% 2,050 49.09% 673 16.12%
1992 1,461 32.03% 2,196 48.14% 905 19.84%
1988 1,803 42.20% 2,460 57.57% 10 0.23%
1984 2,438 55.22% 1,977 44.78% 0 0.00%
1980 2,350 49.07% 2,314 48.32% 125 2.61%
1976 1,983 44.10% 2,486 55.28% 28 0.62%
1972 2,738 61.76% 1,695 38.24% 0 0.00%
1968 2,038 43.90% 2,067 44.53% 537 11.57%
1964 1,239 27.41% 3,281 72.59% 0 0.00%
1960 2,560 48.43% 2,726 51.57% 0 0.00%
1956 2,301 45.75% 2,728 54.25% 0 0.00%
1952 2,416 45.41% 2,896 54.44% 8 0.15%
1948 1,564 33.06% 3,155 66.69% 12 0.25%
1944 1,988 40.72% 2,883 59.05% 11 0.23%
1940 2,428 40.86% 3,484 58.63% 30 0.50%
1936 1,994 33.78% 3,859 65.37% 50 0.85%
1932 1,341 26.07% 3,746 72.84% 56 1.09%
1928 2,741 48.55% 2,882 51.04% 23 0.41%
1924 2,416 39.48% 3,481 56.88% 223 3.64%
1920 2,810 43.87% 3,542 55.30% 53 0.83%
1916 1,429 37.28% 2,357 61.49% 47 1.23%
1912 1,004 26.72% 2,340 62.27% 414 11.02%
1908 1,473 36.89% 2,439 61.08% 81 2.03%
1904 1,467 39.08% 2,202 58.66% 85 2.26%
1900 1,442 35.07% 2,583 62.82% 87 2.12%
1896 1,581 37.28% 2,624 61.87% 36 0.85%
1892 1,322 35.49% 2,220 59.60% 183 4.91%
1888 1,412 38.13% 2,268 61.25% 23 0.62%

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)[edit]

Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 619, than any candidate from either party in Lewis County during the 2008 presidential primary.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 185.
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  5. ^ George R. Lee, “Slavery and Emancipation in Lewis County, Missouri,” Missouri Historical Review 65#3 (April 1971), p. 294-313.
  6. ^ Lewis County Historical and Genealogical Society, Lewis County, Missouri: a Bicentennial History (2016).
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  10. ^ "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 16, 2014.
  11. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lewis County, Missouri".
  14. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Canton Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  15. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Labelle Branch Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  16. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Lagrange Branch Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

External links[edit]

40°05′N 91°44′W / 40.09°N 91.73°W / 40.09; -91.73