Ripley, West Virginia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ripley is a city in Jackson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,263 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jackson CountyGR6.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Location of Ripley, West Virginia

Ripley is located at 38°49′16″N, 81°42′51″W (38.821078, -81.714264)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.0 km² (3.1 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 3,263 people, 1,423 households, and 893 families residing in the city. The population density was 407.7/km² (1,056.3/mi²). There were 1,543 housing units at an average density of 192.8/km² (499.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.22% White, 0.06% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.

There were 1,423 households out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 79.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,861, and the median income for a family was $37,027. Males had a median income of $29,531 versus $20,881 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,451. About 12.1% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Notable native

[edit] Trivia

  • Ripley is known to have the "Biggest SmallTown Fourth of July Celebration" in the nation
  • Is the location of the last public hanging in West Virginia on December 16,1897
  • On Independence Day, 2002, Current President George W. Bush gave a public speech, giving the town some recognition in the national news.

[edit] External links

Jackson County was formed from parts of Mason, Wood, and Kanawha counties. A petition to form a new county was presented to the General Assembly of Virginia on December 18, 1830, but the request was not granted until March 31, 1831. The new county was named Jackson in honor of Andrew Jackson, president of the United States.

On December 19, 1832, a charter was granted and Ripley was designated as the county seat. Jacob and Ann Staates Starcher donated eight acres of land on which Ripley now stands. The public buildings were to be built on two acres of this land. The remaining six acres were to be laid out in lots and sold for the benefits of the town. Trustees governed the town until 1852 when voters elected a council and mayor.

Located in the western part of the state, Ripley is said to be named after Harry Ripley, a circuit riding Methodist minister, who with a wedding license in his pocket, drowned in Mill Creek in 1830.

On December 16, 1897 the last public hanging in West Virginia was executed in Ripley. John F. Morgan was hung for the murder of Mrs. Chloe Greene and her two children on November 3, 1897. Morgan was hung before an immense crowd of spectators from Jackson and surrounding counties.

A bill was introduced in the next session of the Legislature to abolish public hangings, which was enacted into a law. Morgan was the last man in the state to be publicly hanged after a trial by jury.

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