Jefferson County, Illinois

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Jefferson County

| state = Illinois

| seal =

| founded = 1819

| seat wl = Mount Vernon

| largest city wl= Mount Vernon

| area_total_sq_mi = 584

| area_land_sq_mi = 571

| area_water_sq_mi = 13

| area percentage = 2.2

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 37113

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 36320 {{loss}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Central

| footnotes =

| web = http://www.jeffersoncountyillinois.com/

| ex image = Jefferson County Courthouse in Mount Vernon.jpg

| ex image cap = Jefferson County Courthouse in Mount Vernon

| district = 12th

| named for = Thomas Jefferson }}

Jefferson County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 37,113.{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17081.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 6, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606171722/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17081.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}} The county seat is Mount Vernon.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }} Jefferson County contains the Mount Vernon, Illinois micropolitan area. It is located in the southern portion known locally as "Little Egypt". The western border of the county adjoins the Greater St. Louis consolidated metropolitan statistical area, the Metro-East region, and the St. Louis commuter region and market and viewing area.

History

The first settler in Jefferson County is believed to have been Andrew Moore. In 1810, he settled near the southeast corner of the county, near where the Goshen Road emerges from the forest of Hamilton County into what is now known as Moore's Prairie. Moore arrived from the Goshen Settlement, near Edwardsville. His migration was therefore retrograde, from the west toward the interior of the State.

In 1814, Andrew Moore departed with his eight-year-old son for Jordan's settlement, a journey from which he never returned. A skull that was believed to have been Moore's was found several years later about two miles from his cabin. Jordan's Settlement, also called Jordan's Fort, was southeast of modern Thompsonville, Illinois, about twenty miles south of Moore's cabin. This episode occurred during the War of 1812 when many of the Indian tribes were allied with the British.

In 1816, Carter Wilkey, Daniel Crenshaw and Robert Cook settled in Moore's Prairie. Daniel Crenshaw moved into Moore's cabin. This settlement is believed to be the first permanent settlement in the county.

Jefferson County was organized in 1819, out of parts of White, Edwards and Franklin Counties. It was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, principal draftsman of the Northwest Ordinance, among other things.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n167 168]}} The baseline along the northern border of the County crosses the Third Principal Meridian at the northwest corner of the county.

File:Jefferson County Illinois 1819.png|Jefferson County between the time of its creation and 1821

File:Jefferson County Illinois 1821.png|Jefferson County between 1821 and 1823

File:Jefferson County Illinois 1823.png|Jefferson County in 1823, reduced to its current size

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|584|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|571|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|13|sqmi}} (2.2%) is water.

=Climate and weather=

{{climate chart

|Mount Vernon, Illinois

|19|37|2.45

|23|43|2.69

|33|54|3.98

|43|65|4.44

|53|75|4.58

|62|84|3.61

|66|88|3.57

|64|86|3.27

|56|79|3.11

|43|68|2.92

|34|54|4.37

|24|42|3.20

|float=right

|units=imperial

|clear=both

|source=The Weather Channel{{cite web

|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0815

|title=Monthly Averages for Mount Vernon, Illinois

|access-date=January 27, 2011

|publisher=The Weather Channel

|archive-date=October 23, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023152622/http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0815

|url-status=live

}}}}

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Vernon have ranged from a low of {{convert|19|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|88|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-21|°F}} was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of {{convert|114|°F}} was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|2.45|in}} in January to {{convert|4.58|in}} in May.

=Major highways=

=Transit=

=Adjacent counties=

Marion County – north
Wayne County – northeast
Hamilton County – southeast
Franklin County – south
Perry County – southwest
Washington County – west

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1820= 691

|1830= 2555

|1840= 5762

|1850= 8109

|1860= 12965

|1870= 17864

|1880= 20686

|1890= 22590

|1900= 28133

|1910= 29111

|1920= 28480

|1930= 31034

|1940= 34375

|1950= 35892

|1960= 32315

|1970= 31446

|1980= 36552

|1990= 37020

|2000= 40045

|2010= 38827

|2020= 37113

|estyear=2023

|estimate=36320

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 2, 2024|archive-date=April 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407074341/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|url-status=live}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-date=April 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|url-status=live}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=live}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/il190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-date=April 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424084443/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/il190090.txt|url-status=live}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 6, 2014}} 2010–2013

}}

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 38,827 people, 15,365 households, and 10,140 families residing in the county.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17081

|title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data

|access-date=July 11, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213031938/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17081

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}} The population density was {{convert|68.0|PD/sqmi}}. There were 16,954 housing units at an average density of {{convert|29.7|/sqmi}}.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17081

|access-date=July 11, 2015

|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212201809/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17081

|archive-date=February 12, 2020

|url-status=dead

}} The racial makeup of the county was 88.4% white, 8.4% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 24.3% were German, 15.8% were Irish, 13.6% were English, and 10.2% were American.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17081

|title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

|access-date=July 11, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213020548/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17081

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

Of the 15,365 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.0% were non-families, and 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 40.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,161 and the median income for a family was $51,262. Males had a median income of $41,193 versus $29,645 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,370. About 12.4% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17081

|title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

|access-date=July 11, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021554/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17081

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

Agencies

In 2015 the county police department announced that the words "In God We Trust" will be on police squad cars."[http://www.kfvs12.com/story/29683669/in-god-we-trust-to-be-placed-on-jefferson-co-il-squad-cars 'In God We Trust' to be placed on Jefferson Co., IL squad cars]" ([http://web.archive.org/web/20150801181841/http://www.kfvs12.com/story/29683669/in-god-we-trust-to-be-placed-on-jefferson-co-il-squad-cars Archive]). KFVS. August 1, 2015. Retrieved on August 2, 2015.

Jeff Bullard is the current Sheriff of Jefferson County.

Politics

Jefferson is politically a fairly typical “anti-Yankee” Southern Illinois county. Opposition to the “Yankee” Republican Party and that party's Civil War meant that Jefferson County voted solidly Democratic until Theodore Roosevelt carried the county in his 1904 landslide. It was to again vote Republican in the greater landslides of 1920 and 1928, but otherwise was firmly Democratic until World War II.

Following the New Deal, Jefferson became something of a bellwether county, voting for every winning presidential candidate between 1928 and 2004 except in the Catholicism-influenced 1960 election, and that of 1988 which was heavily influenced by a major Midwestern drought. Disagreement with the Democratic Party's liberal views on social issues since the 1990s has caused a powerful swing to the GOP in the past quarter-century:Cohn, Nate; [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/upshot/southern-whites-loyalty-to-gop-nearing-that-of-blacks-to-democrats.html ‘Demographic Shift: Southern Whites’ Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats’] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910131648/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/upshot/southern-whites-loyalty-to-gop-nearing-that-of-blacks-to-democrats.html |date=September 10, 2017 }}, The New York Times, April 24, 2014 as is typical of the Upland South, Barack Obama in 2012 and Hillary Clinton did far worse than any previous Democrat.

{{PresHead|place=Jefferson County, Illinois|source={{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=November 6, 2018|archive-date=March 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|url-status=live}}}}

Communities

=Cities=

=Villages=

=Census-designated place=

Opdyke

=Other unincorporated communities=

=Townships=

Jefferson County is divided into sixteen townships:

Education

School districts include:{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17081_jefferson/DC20SD_C17081.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722213030/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17081_jefferson/DC20SD_C17081.pdf |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS – SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Jefferson County, IL|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=July 22, 2022}} – [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17081_jefferson/DC20SD_C17081_SD2MS.txt Text list]

K-12: