Newton County, Indiana#References

The original Newton County was formed by statute on February 7, 1835, and was a roughly square area some 30 miles on a side, encompassing what is now the northern half of the county, the northern half of Jasper County, and a large section to the north. The northern border was cut back to the Kankakee River on February 1, 1836, with all land north of the Kankakee River going to Lake and Porter counties. The county was abolished and combined with Jasper County in 1839. On December 8, 1859, the county was re-created and the borders were redrawn to essentially their current state.

Newton County is named after Sgt. John Newton, who served under Gen. Francis Marion (the "Swamp Fox") in the American Revolutionary War. It is adjacent to Jasper County, which was named after Sgt. William Jasper, whose story is similar. At least four other states, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas, have adjacent Jasper and Newton Counties, as though these two were remembered as a pair.{{sfn|De Witt|Tuttle|1875|p=581}}

Upon its re-creation, Newton County was the last of Indiana's 92 counties to be organized.

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of {{convert|403.44|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|401.76|sqmi}} (or 99.58%) is land and {{convert|1.68|sqmi}} (or 0.42%) is water.

Beaver Lake, once Indiana's largest lake before being drained, existed in what is now Newton County.{{sfn|Dobberstein|2020|p=122}}

J.C. Murphy Lake is at the center of Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area.

Newton County is the site of the Kentland crater, a probable meteorite impact crater located between Kentland and Goodland.

• 20px Interstate 65
• 20px U.S. Route 24
• 20px U.S. Route 41
• 20px U.S. Route 52
• 20px State Road 10
• 20px State Road 14
• 20px State Road 16
• 20px State Road 55
• 20px State Road 71
• 20px State Road 114

• CSX Transportation
• Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway

• Lake County (north)
• Jasper County (east)
• Benton County (south/ET Border)
• Iroquois County, Illinois (west)
• Kankakee County, Illinois (northwest)

The municipalities in Newton County, and their populations as of the 2010 Census, are:

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Brook – 997
• Goodland – 1,043
• Kentland – 1,748
• Morocco – 1,129
• Mount Ayr – 122

}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Lake Village – 765
• Roselawn – 4,131

}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Ade
• Beaver City
• Effner
• Enos
• Foresman
• Sumava Resorts
• Thayer

}}

The 10 townships of Newton County, with their housing units as of the 2010 Census, are:

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Beaver
• Colfax
• Grant
• Iroquois
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Lake
• Lincoln
• McClellan
• Washington

}}

{{climate chart

|Kentland, Indiana

|14|31|1.76

|18|36|1.60

|29|48|2.77

|38|61|3.37

|50|73|4.05

|60|82|4.51

|63|85|4.03

|60|83|3.67

|53|78|3.25

|41|65|2.84

|31|49|3.20

|20|36|2.43

|float=right

|units=imperial

|clear=both

|source=The Weather Channel{{cite web

|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIN0320

|title=Monthly Averages for Kentland, Indiana

|access-date=January 27, 2011

|publisher=The Weather Channel

}}}}

In recent years, average temperatures in Kentland have ranged from a low of {{convert|14|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|85|°F}} in July, with a record low of {{convert|-25|°F}} recorded in January 1985 and a record high of {{convert|104|°F}} recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.60|in}} in February to {{convert|4.51|in}} in June.

{{see also|Government of Indiana}}

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms and are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.{{cite web

|author=Indiana Code

|author-link=Indiana Code

|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html

|title=Title 36, Article 2, Section 3

|access-date=September 16, 2008

|publisher=Government of Indiana}}{{cite web

|author=Indiana Code

|author-link=Indiana Code

|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf

|title=Title 2, Article 10, Section 2

|access-date=September 16, 2008

|publisher=Government of Indiana}}

The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue and managing day-to-day functions of the county government.

The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.

Each of the townships has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties. The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.{{cite web

|url=http://unitedtownships.org/?page_id=95

|title=Government

|publisher=United Township Association of Indiana

|access-date=January 6, 2011

}}

Newton County is part of Indiana's 4th congressional district. It is part of Indiana Senate district 6{{cite web

|url=http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/3006.htm

|title=Indiana Senate Districts

|publisher=State of Indiana

|access-date=July 14, 2011

}} and Indiana House of Representatives districts 15 and 19.{{cite web

|url=http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/3005.htm

|title=Indiana House Districts

|publisher=State of Indiana

|access-date=July 14, 2011

}}

{{PresHead|place=Newton County, Indiana|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=May 18, 2018}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|5,131|1,370|100|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,942|1,509|158|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,077|1,404|379|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,291|2,212|169|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,301|2,625|128|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,757|2,032|59|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,250|2,101|159|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,075|1,897|838|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,295|1,757|1,292|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,274|1,744|17|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,560|1,596|38|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,850|1,649|264|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1976|Republican|3,204|2,236|43|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,771|1,252|5|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,145|1,453|495|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,780|2,547|13|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,517|1,870|14|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,890|1,316|16|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,159|1,373|29|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1948|Republican|3,312|1,483|50|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,398|1,583|23|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,536|2,116|22|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1936|Republican|2,937|2,430|41|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,380|2,654|68|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,053|1,649|33|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,705|1,523|253|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,129|1,664|68|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,377|1,278|239|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|892|965|757|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,645|1,190|78|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,803|951|144|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,715|1,165|105|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,545|1,204|28|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1892|Republican|1,191|879|199|Indiana}}

{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|1,283|860|82|Indiana}}

{{US Census population

|1860= 2360

|1870= 5829

|1880= 8167

|1890= 8803

|1900= 10448

|1910= 10504

|1920= 10144

|1930= 9841

|1940= 10775

|1950= 11006

|1960= 11502

|1970= 11606

|1980= 14844

|1990= 13551

|2000= 14566

|2010= 14244

|2020= 13830

|estyear=2023

|estimate=13960

|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}}

|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 10, 2014}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 10, 2014}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/in190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 10, 2014}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 10, 2014}} 2010{{cite web|url = http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18111.html|title = Newton County QuickFacts|access-date=September 25, 2011

|publisher= United States Census Bureau

|url-status= dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110607084756/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18111.html

|archive-date = June 7, 2011}}

}}

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,244 people, 5,503 households, and 3,945 families residing in the county.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18111

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

|access-date=July 10, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021035/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18111

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}} The population density was {{convert|35.5|PD/sqmi}}. There were 6,030 housing units at an average density of {{convert|15.0|/sqmi}}.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18111

|access-date=July 10, 2015

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

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212204544/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18111

|archive-date=February 12, 2020

|url-status=dead

}} The racial makeup of the county was 96.2% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.8% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 30.4% were German, 16.9% were Irish, 11.0% were English, 8.1% were Polish, 7.6% were Dutch, and 6.5% were American.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0400000US18%7c0500000US18111

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

|access-date=July 10, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214003635/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0400000US18%7C0500000US18111

|archive-date=February 14, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

Of the 5,503 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.3% were non-families, and 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 42.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $60,242. Males had a median income of $45,389 versus $29,891 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,055. About 4.8% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0400000US18%7c0500000US18111

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

|access-date=July 10, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214002835/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0400000US18%7C0500000US18111

|archive-date=February 14, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

Public schools in Newton County are administered by two districts:

• North Newton School Corporation{{Cite web|url=https://www.nn.k12.in.us/|title=North Newton School Corporation – Our mission is for North Newton graduates to be productive and responsible citizens capable of solving problems and communicating effectively}}
• South Newton School Corporation{{Cite web|url=https://www.newton.k12.in.us/|title=South Newton School Corporation|website=www.newton.k12.in.us}}

High Schools and Middle Schools

• North Newton Junior-Senior High School{{cite web | url=http://www.edline.net/pages/North_Newton_Jr-Sr_High_School | title=School Website, CMS & Communications Platform | Finalsite }}
• South Newton High School[https://www.southnewton.com/o/snhs South Newton High School]
• South Newton Middle School[https://www.southnewton.com/o/snms South Newton Middle School]

Elementary Schools

• Lake Village Elementary School{{cite web | url=http://www.edline.net/pages/Lake_Village_Elementary_School | title=School Website, CMS & Communications Platform | Finalsite }}
• Lincoln Elementary School{{cite web | url=http://www.edline.net/pages/LincolnElementary_School | title=School Website, CMS & Communications Platform | Finalsite | work=Edline }}
• Morocco Elementary School{{cite web | url=http://www.edline.net/pages/Morocco_Elementary_School | title=School Website, CMS & Communications Platform | Finalsite }}
• South Newton Elementary School[https://www.southnewton.com/o/snes South Newton Elementary School]

{{Portal|Indiana}}

{{Commons category|Newton County, Indiana}}

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Newton County, Indiana

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book|author1-last=De Witt|author1-first=Clinton Goodrich|author2-first=Charles Richard|author2-last=Tuttle|publisher=R. S. Peale & Co.|year=1875|location=Indiana|title=An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana}} ({{Internet Archive|id=anillustratedhi02tuttgoog|name=An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana}})
• {{cite journal|author1-last=Dobberstein|author1-first=Michael|date=2020|title=The Selling of Beaver Lake, 1853–1889: How the Largest Lake in Indiana Disappeared|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/813869/pdf |journal=Indiana Magazine of History|volume=116|issue=2|pages=122–149|doi=10.2979/indimagahist.116.2.02|via=Academic Search Complete|url-access=subscription}}

{{refend}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book

| last = George Pence and Nellie C. Armstrong

| year = 1933

| title = Indiana Boundaries: Territory, State, and County

| publisher = Indiana Historical Society

}}

• {{cite book|title=Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana|year=1899|location=Chicago|publisher=The Lewis Publishing Company|oclc=3790650|ref={{harvid|TLPC|1899}}}} ({{HathiTrust Catalog|id=008652160|title=Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana}})
• {{cite book|author1-last=Darroch|author1-first=William|author2-first=Lewis H.|author2-last=Hamilton|title=A Standard History of Jasper And Newton Counties, Indiana|location=Chicago|publisher=The Lewis Publishing. Co.|year=1916|oclc=3212154}} ({{HathiTrust Catalog|id=100520512|title=A Standard History of Jasper And Newton Counties, Indiana}} {{Internet Archive|id=standardhistoryo01hami|name=volume 1}} {{Internet Archive|id=standardhistoryo02hami|name=volume 2}})

{{refend}}

• {{Official website|http://www.newtoncounty.in.gov/|Newton County official website}}

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Newton County, Indiana

|North = Lake County

|Northeast =

|East = Jasper County

|Southeast =

|South = Benton County

|Southwest =

|West = Iroquois County, Illinois

|Northwest = Kankakee County, Illinois

}}

{{Newton County, Indiana}}

{{Chicagoland}}

{{Indiana}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Indiana counties

Category:1859 establishments in Indiana

Category:Chicago metropolitan area

Category:Northwest Indiana

Category:Populated places established in 1859