Monroe County, Missouri

Monroe County is a county in northeast Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,840.[1] Its county seat is Paris.[2] It is the birthplace of Mark Twain.

Monroe County
U.S. county
The Monroe County Courthouse in Paris
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°30′N 92°00′W
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedJanuary 6, 1831
Named forJames Monroe
SeatParis
Largest cityMonroe City
Area
 • Total670 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Land648 sq mi (1,680 km2)
 • Water23 sq mi (60 km2)  3.4%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total8,840
 • Estimate 
(2018)
8,664
 • Density13/sq mi (5.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district6th
Websitewww.monroecountymo.org

History

The county was organized January 6, 1831[3] and named for James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States.[4]

Monroe County was one of several along the Missouri River settled by migrants from the Upper South, especially Kentucky and Tennessee. They brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. They also brought characteristic antebellum architecture and culture. The county was at the heart of what was called Little Dixie.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 670 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 648 square miles (1,680 km2) is land and 23 square miles (60 km2) (3.4%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18409,505—
185010,54110.9%
186014,78540.3%
187017,14916.0%
188019,07111.2%
189020,7909.0%
190019,716−5.2%
191018,304−7.2%
192016,414−10.3%
193013,466−18.0%
194013,195−2.0%
195011,314−14.3%
196010,688−5.5%
19709,542−10.7%
19809,7161.8%
19909,104−6.3%
20009,3112.3%
20108,840−5.1%
2018 (est.)8,664[7]−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 8,840 people, 3,656 households, and 2,566 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 inhabitants per square mile (5.4/km2). There were 4,565 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (2.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.66% White, 3.83% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Approximately 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.7% were of German, 23.2% American, 14.2% English and 11.8% Irish ancestry.

There were 3,656 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.90% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,871, and the median income for a family was $36,895. Males had a median income of $26,534 versus $20,440 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,695. About 8.30% of families and 11.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Local

The Democratic Party used to control politics at the local, state and federal levels in Monroe County. Democrats still hold a small majority of the elected positions in the county; however, starting in 2006, in federal and state elections, Republican candidates have won more contested races in the November general elections than Democrats in Monroe County.

Monroe County voters have selected Republican candidates over Democrats in 12 straight general election races for U.S. congress (1998-2020), the last eight U.S. Senate races (2000-2018 ), six continuous presidential contests (2000-2020), four of five gubernatorial elections, four of six state senate races. Three straight state auditor races (2010-2018). In 2014, for the first time in history, a GOP candidate for the state house of representatives, Jim Hansen, defeated a Democrat in a contested general election. In 2016, for the first time in history, Ron Staggs, a Republican, was elected to a county office when he defeated a Democratic opponent for western commissioner. In 2018 two Republicans were elected to county offices: Talley Kendrick, the first Republican to run unopposed in a general election won as prosecuting attorney, and Lori Decker won a contested election for recorder. In the 2020 general election, four Republicans were elected to county office.

In the 2008 general election, notwithstanding the secretary of state's race, for the first time in history, Monroe Countians gave a plurality to every Republican candidate for federal and state offices, on the ballot, that had a Democrat opponent. Four years later, in the 2012 election, Republican candidates won six of eight state-wide state and federal races, and one was lost by five votes out of more than 4,000 cast. In November 2016, 2018, 2020 every Republican for federal and state office, on the county ballot, defeated their Democratic opponent.

In the April 2016 presidential primary, Republicans outvoted Democrats more than 3-to-1, 1,600 votes in the GOP primary compared to 495 in the Democratic, and more Republican votes than Democratic were cast in the 2020 presidential primary. In 2016's August primary, Republicans out voted Democrats 895 to 698; in the 2018 August primary, Republicans out voted Democrats 1,621 votes to 851. In both the 2020 presidential primary and the August primary Republicans outvoted Democrats two-to-one.

Monroe County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Melinda James Republican
Circuit Clerk Heather D. Wheeler Democratic
County Clerk Christine Buie Democratic
Collector Chrissy Graupman Democratic
Commissioner
(Presiding)		 Michael Minor Democratic
Commissioner
(District 1)		 Mike Whelan Democratic
Commissioner
(District 2)		 Marilyn Morgan O'Bannon Republican
Coroner James K. Reinhard Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney Talley Kendrick Republican
Public Administrator Jessica Chase Republican
Recorder Lori Decker Republican
Sheriff J. Joe Collston Republican
Surveyor Zach Cooper Democratic
Treasurer Shelia Jurgesmyer Democratic

State
Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 64.44% 2,659 33.13% 1,367 2.42% 100
2012 48.55% 1,948 48.68% 1,953 2.77% 111
2008 56.97% 2,459 41.94% 1,810 1.09% 47
2004 60.00% 2,576 38.90% 1,670 1.10% 47
2000 44.08% 1,801 54.19% 2,214 1.73% 71
1996 27.51% 1,053 70.72% 2,707 1.78% 68

Monroe County is divided into two representative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, both represented by Republicans.

Missouri House of Representatives — District 5 — Monroe County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Lindell F. Shumake 782 74.33% +5.35
Democratic O. C. Latta 270 25.67% -5.35
Missouri House of Representatives — District 5 — Monroe County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Lindell F. Shumake 367 68.98% +27.93
Democratic C. Leroy Deichman 165 31.02% -27.93
Missouri House of Representatives — District 5 — Monroe County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Lindell F. Shumake 429 41.05%
Democratic Tom Shively 616 58.95%
  • District 40 – Jim Hansen (R-Frankford). Consists of the communities of Florida, Holliday, Madison, Paris, Santa Fe, and Stoutsville.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Monroe County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Hansen 2,598 100.00% +27.01
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Monroe County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Hansen 1,208 72.99% +36.82
Democratic Lowell Jackson 447 27.01% -36.82
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Monroe County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Hansen 1,080 36.17%
Democratic Paul Quinn 1,906 63.83%

Monroe County is a part of Missouri's 10th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Jeanie Riddle (R-Fulton).

Missouri Senate — District 10 — Monroe County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeanie Riddle 1,599 71.55%
Democratic Ed Schieffer 620 28.45%

Federal
U.S. Senate — Missouri — Monroe County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Roy Blunt 2,584 62.89% +15.00
Democratic Jason Kander 1,330 32.39% -14.77
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 105 2.55% -2.40
Green Johnathan McFarland 48 1.69% +1.69
Constitution Fred Ryman 42 1.02% +1.02
U.S. Senate — Missouri — Monroe County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Todd Akin 1,917 47.89%
Democratic Claire McCaskill 1,888 47.16%
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 198 4.95%

Monroe 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 — Monroe County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 2,955 74.15% +0.82
Democratic David M. Blackwell 899 22.56% -1.81
Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil 94 2.36% +0.06
Green Mike Diel 37 0.93% +0.93
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 6th Congressional District — Monroe County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 1,592 73.33% +10.41
Democratic Bill Hedge 529 24.37% -10.38
Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil 50 2.30% +0.02
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 6th Congressional District — Monroe County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 2,410 62.92%
Democratic Kyle Yarber 1,331 34.75%
Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil 89 2.32%

Political culture

Monroe County was one of only two jurisdictions in Missouri to be carried by Democrat George McGovern in the 1972 presidential election against incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon, the other being the city of St. Louis. Monroe County was first carried by a Republican in 1976 by John Danforth in the U.S. Senate race. In 1984, Ronald Reagan became the first Republican candidate for president to win the county. Since 2000, the county has voted Republican in federal and state elections.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 77.6% 3,477 20.9% 936 1.6% 70
2016 76.0% 3,159 20.5% 853 3.5% 144
2012 63.2% 2,564 34.5% 1,398 2.3% 95
2008 58.7% 2,533 39.5% 1,703 1.8% 78
2004 61.1% 2,632 38.2% 1,647 0.7% 28
2000 53.1% 2,175 45.4% 1,860 1.4% 59
1996 34.8% 1,333 50.6% 1,938 14.6% 560
1992 27.5% 1,153 49.2% 2,060 23.3% 974
1988 38.4% 1,542 61.3% 2,461 0.3% 11
1984 52.1% 2,163 47.9% 1,992
1980 44.5% 2,026 53.7% 2,445 1.8% 84
1976 34.1% 1,585 65.4% 3,039 0.6% 26
1972 48.2% 2,141 51.8% 2,299
1968 29.1% 1,349 59.8% 2,776 11.1% 516
1964 18.5% 928 81.6% 4,103
1960 27.5% 1,519 72.5% 4,011
1956 23.2% 1,331 76.8% 4,412
1952 23.8% 1,488 76.1% 4,760 0.2% 11
1948 14.5% 809 85.4% 4,769 0.1% 7
1944 18.0% 1,098 81.9% 5,000 0.1% 8
1940 16.6% 1,200 83.2% 6,018 0.2% 13
1936 12.8% 939 86.9% 6,376 0.3% 25
1932 21.5% 1,714 77.9% 6,210 0.6% 44
1928 21.7% 1,378 78.0% 4,957 0.3% 19
1924 16.5% 1,141 81.0% 5,597 2.5% 172
1920 18.4% 1,406 80.4% 6,136 1.2% 93
1916 16.2% 742 81.6% 3,738 2.2% 101
1912 13.0% 583 80.2% 3,586 6.7% 301
1908 18.6% 871 80.6% 3,772 0.8% 38
1904 18.2% 790 80.2% 3,487 1.7% 72
1900 16.3% 795 82.4% 4,016 1.4% 66
1896 16.9% 892 82.7% 4,379 0.4% 23
1892 16.6% 787 81.3% 3,863 2.1% 100
1888 20.1% 983 79.2% 3,873 0.8% 37

Missouri presidential preference primary (2016)

In the April 2016 presidential primary, Republicans out voted Democrats more than 3-to-1, 1,600 votes in the GOP primary compared to 495 in the Democrat. In 2016's August primary, Republicans outvoted Democrats 895 to 698.

Monroe County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain221 (27.59%)
Mike Huckabee300 (37.45%)
Mitt Romney231 (28.84%)
Ron Paul32 (4.00%)
Monroe County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Clinton590 (52.73%)
Barack Obama444 (39.68%)
John Edwards (withdrawn)68 (6.08%)
Uncommitted9 (0.80%)

Education

Public schools

Private schools

Public libraries
  • Monroe City Public Library[14]

Cities and towns

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Smiley, W. L. (1876). An illustrated historical atlas of Monroe County, Missouri, 1876. Philadelphia: Edwards Brothers. p. 8. Archived from the original on 2016-03-12. Retrieved 2014-11-25.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 212.
  5. The Story of Little Dixie, Missouri, Missouri Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans Archived 2012-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 3 June 2008
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  14. Breeding, Marshall. "Monroe City Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  15. "Mark Twain Birthplace State Historical Site". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  16. "Arkansas Governor Xenophon Overton Pindall". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  17. "North Dakota Governor Eli C. D. Shortridge". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 29, 2012.

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