Jersey County, Illinois

Jersey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,985.[1] The county seat is Jerseyville.[2]

Jersey County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°05′N 90°22′W
Country United States
State Illinois
FoundedFebruary 28, 1839
Named forNew Jersey
SeatJerseyville
Largest cityJerseyville
Area
 • Total377 sq mi (980 km2)
 • Land369 sq mi (960 km2)
 • Water7.9 sq mi (20 km2)  2.1%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total22,985
 • Estimate 
(2018)
21,847
 • Density61/sq mi (24/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewww.jerseycounty-il.us

Jersey County is included in the St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Jersey County lies just northeast of where the great Mississippi and Illinois rivers meet. It is the former home of the Kickapoo, Menomini, Potawatomi, and Illiniwek Confederation American Indians. The first European explorers to visit the area, Father Marquette and Louis Jolliet, arrived in 1673,[3] where they encountered the fearsome painting of the Piasa bird. The present day Pere Marquette State Park, located near Grafton, is named in Father Marquette's honor, and a monument to him is located at the park.

Jersey County was founded on February 28, 1839, and was formed out of Greene County. The county was named for the state of New Jersey,[4] from which many of the early settlers emigrated - which was itself named for the Channel Island of Jersey in Great Britain. The area quickly evolved into several small agricultural communities. As the area soon began to flourish, a county government was established and a courthouse was built in Jerseyville, the county seat. The Jersey County Courthouse was designed by architect Henry Elliott who also designed the courthouses in nearby Greene County, Edgar County, Illinois, DeWitt County, Illinois (later demolished in 1987) and Pike County, Illinois. The cornerstone for the courthouse was laid on July 4, 1893. The Romanesque Revival style courthouse is a magnificent architectural structure of limestone quarried from the nearby town of Grafton, Illinois.

  • Jersey County at the time of its creation in 1839

Recent history

Today, while the county maintains its agricultural base, it is also within commuting distance of jobs and industry in St. Louis, Missouri and the surrounding area. A large portion of the population works outside of Jersey County and benefits from being "Near the crowd, but not in it.", the official slogan of the Jersey County Business Association's advertising campaign. The bordering rivers play an important part in Jersey County's economy by supporting agricultural producers and agribusiness, and by creating a strong tourist market. Education, manufacturing, and retail are also among the county's largest industries.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 377 square miles (980 km2), of which 369 square miles (960 km2) is land and 7.9 square miles (20 km2) (2.1%) is water.[5] Jersey County is bordered by three bodies of water: the Mississippi River to the south, the Illinois River to the west, and Macoupin Creek to the northwest.

Climate
Jerseyville, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
1.9
 
 
35
17
 
 
2
 
 
41
22
 
 
3.5
 
 
53
32
 
 
4.1
 
 
64
42
 
 
4
 
 
74
52
 
 
3.7
 
 
83
61
 
 
3.5
 
 
88
66
 
 
2.9
 
 
86
63
 
 
3.2
 
 
79
55
 
 
2.9
 
 
68
43
 
 
3.8
 
 
53
34
 
 
2.8
 
 
40
23
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[6]

Typically, the county's climate reflects most Midwest areas, located in the transitional zone between the humid continental climate type and the humid subtropical climate type (Köppen Dfa and Cfa, respectively), with neither large mountains nor large bodies of water to moderate its temperature. Spring is the wettest season and produces severe weather ranging from tornadoes to snow or ice storms. Summers are hot and humid, and the humidity often makes the heat index rise to temperatures feeling well above 100 °F (38 °C). Fall is mild with lower humidity and can produce intermittent bouts of heavy rainfall with the first snow flurries usually forming in late November. Winters can be cold at times with periodic light snow and temperatures below freezing.

In recent years, average temperatures in Jerseyville have ranged from a low of 17 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31 °C) in July. The record low temperature of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and the record high temperature of 112 °F (44 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranges from 1.92 inches (49 mm) in January to 4.14 inches (105 mm) in April.[6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

State protected areas

National protected areas

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18404,535—
18507,35462.2%
186012,05163.9%
187015,05424.9%
188015,5423.2%
189014,810−4.7%
190014,612−1.3%
191013,954−4.5%
192012,682−9.1%
193012,556−1.0%
194013,6368.6%
195015,26411.9%
196017,02311.5%
197018,4928.6%
198020,53811.1%
199020,5390.0%
200021,6685.5%
201022,9856.1%
2018 (est.)21,847[7]−5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1]
2000 census age pyramid for Jersey County

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 22,985 people, 8,828 households, and 6,228 families residing in the county.[12] The population density was 62.2 inhabitants per square mile (24.0/km2). There were 9,848 housing units at an average density of 26.7 per square mile (10.3/km2).[5] The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.[12] In terms of ancestry, 42.8% were German, 14.7% were Irish, 10.6% were English, and 8.6% were American.[13]

Of the 8,828 households, 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.5% were non-families, and 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 40.5 years.[12]

The median income for a household in the county was $53,470 and the median income for a family was $64,773. Males had a median income of $48,750 versus $31,789 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,368. About 5.6% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.[14]

Communities
Incorporated communities in Jersey County

Cities

Villages

Town

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Jersey County is divided into eleven townships:

Education

Unified school districts

High schools

Colleges and universities

Government

Local
Jersey County, Illinois
Elected countywide officials
County Board Chairman Donald R. Little Democratic
County Board Majority 6-6 Democratic
Circuit Clerk Charles E. Huebener Democratic
County Clerk Pam Warford Republican
Coroner Larry J. Alexander Republican
Sheriff Mike Ringhausen Republican
State’s Attorney Benjamin L. Goetten Democratic
Regional Superintendent Michelle Mueller Democratic
Treasurer Gilbert "Gib" Ashlock Republican

The Democratic Party holds five of eight countywide elected positions as of 2017 as well as a seven to five majority on the county board.[15]

Jersey County is part of Regional Office of Education #40 which includes neighboring Macoupin, Calhoun and Greene counties. The office operates a facility in Jerseyville.

State

Jersey County is divided into two legislative districts in the Illinois House of Representatives:

  • District 100 - Currently represented by C. D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) and consists of the majority of the county and includes the cities of Jerseyville and Grafton.
  • District 111 - Currently represented by Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) and consists of the southern portion of the county and includes the village of Elsah.

The county is also divided into two legislative districts in the Illinois Senate:

  • District 50 - Currently represented by Steve McClure (R-Springfield) and consists of the majority of the county and includes the cities of Jerseyville and Grafton.
  • District 56 - Currently represented by Monica Bristow (D-Alton) and consists of the southern portion of the county and includes the village of Elsah.

Federal

Jersey County's federal political history is fairly typical of “anti-Yankee” Southern Illinois counties. It voted solidly Democratic until Warren G. Harding carried the county in his record 1920 landslide. It voted Republican again in Herbert Hoover’s landslide of 1920 and 1928, but otherwise was firmly Democratic until World War II, when opposition to US involvement turned the county to Wendell Willkie and then Thomas E. Dewey. Between 1948 and 2004, Jersey County became something of a bellwether county, voting for every winning Presidential candidate 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 back to the Republicans in the past quarter-century.[16] As is typical of the Upland South, Barack Obama in 2012 and Hillary Clinton in 2016 did far worse than any previous Democrat.

Jersey County is included in Illinois's 13th congressional district and is currently represented by Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Political Culture
Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 73.0% 8,712 24.8% 2,961 2.2% 264
2016 70.5% 7,748 24.4% 2,679 5.1% 564
2012 60.4% 6,039 36.7% 3,667 3.0% 295
2008 50.2% 5,329 47.5% 5,042 2.3% 244
2004 53.6% 5,435 45.4% 4,597 1.0% 105
2000 49.9% 4,699 46.3% 4,355 3.8% 359
1996 36.6% 3,211 48.8% 4,275 14.6% 1,280
1992 29.1% 2,933 47.1% 4,749 23.9% 2,411
1988 49.6% 4,343 50.0% 4,376 0.4% 33
1984 57.6% 5,146 42.1% 3,762 0.3% 26
1980 58.6% 5,266 37.0% 3,324 4.4% 395
1976 47.6% 4,273 51.5% 4,625 1.0% 85
1972 60.7% 5,164 39.0% 3,317 0.3% 26
1968 46.8% 3,806 41.2% 3,350 12.0% 974
1964 43.6% 3,041 56.4% 3,936
1960 50.9% 4,247 49.0% 4,087 0.1% 9
1956 55.2% 4,220 44.7% 3,415 0.1% 5
1952 54.0% 4,031 45.9% 3,424 0.1% 6
1948 49.2% 3,021 50.4% 3,092 0.4% 26
1944 54.7% 3,546 44.9% 2,910 0.5% 30
1940 51.4% 3,958 48.0% 3,692 0.6% 44
1936 42.8% 3,023 56.0% 3,955 1.2% 83
1932 35.5% 2,157 62.7% 3,807 1.7% 105
1928 54.6% 2,993 45.1% 2,473 0.3% 14
1924 44.4% 2,460 49.2% 2,723 6.4% 353
1920 57.9% 2,873 40.3% 1,999 1.8% 90
1916 45.3% 2,644 52.3% 3,052 2.3% 135
1912 29.3% 838 55.1% 1,573 15.6% 446
1908 43.2% 1,460 53.8% 1,818 3.1% 104
1904 45.3% 1,531 50.7% 1,713 4.0% 136
1900 40.1% 1,496 57.5% 2,145 2.5% 92
1896 40.2% 1,641 58.3% 2,377 1.5% 62
1892 37.4% 1,314 57.2% 2,011 5.4% 191

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Jersey County description & history Archived November 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, retrieved August 24, 2007
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 169.
  5. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  6. "Monthly Averages for Jerseyville, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  12. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  13. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  14. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  15. State of Illinois County Officers (PDF). Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Board of Elections. January 19, 2017. p. 42.
  16. Cohn, Nate; ‘Demographic Shift: Southern Whites’ Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats’, New York Times, April 24, 2014
  17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 7, 2018.

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