Elbert County, Georgia

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Elbert County, Georgia
Elbert County courthouse in Elberton, Georgia
Map of Georgia highlighting Elbert County
Location in the state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location in the U.S.
Founded 1790
Seat Elberton
Largest city Elberton
Area
 • Total 374.54 sq mi (970 km2)
 • Land 368.76 sq mi (955 km2)
 • Water 5.78 sq mi (15 km2), 1.54%
Population
 • (2010) 20,166
 • Density 56/sq mi (21/km²)
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.elbertco.net

Elbert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was established on December 10, 1790 and was named for Samuel Elbert.[1][2] As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,166.[3] The county seat is Elberton.[4]

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 374.54 square miles (970.1 km2), of which 368.76 square miles (955.1 km2) (or 98.46%) is land and 5.78 square miles (15.0 km2) (or 1.54%) is water.[5]

Major highways

State routes

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
180010,094
—
181012,15620.4%
182011,788−3.0%
183012,3544.8%
184011,125−9.9%
185012,95916.5%
186010,433−19.5%
18709,249−11.3%
188012,95740.1%
189015,37618.7%
190019,72928.3%
191024,12522.3%
192023,905−0.9%
193018,485−22.7%
194019,6186.1%
195018,585−5.3%
196017,835−4.0%
197017,262−3.2%
198018,7588.7%
199018,9491.0%
200020,5118.2%
201020,166−1.7%
Est. 201219,684−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
2012 Estimate[7]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 20,511 people, 8,004 households, and 5,770 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile (21/km²). There were 9,136 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 66.94% White, 30.85% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. 2.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,004 households out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.90% were married couples living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,724, and the median income for a family was $34,276. Males had a median income of $27,221 versus $19,737 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,535. About 14.60% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.50% of those under age 18 and 17.20% of those age 65 or over.

Famous residents

Though a rural county, Elbert County has been home to many legends. Included in these are Revolutionary War heroine Nancy Hart, who resided in southern Elbert County, and the Rev. Daniel Tucker, a popular minister and ferry operator, who may have been the inspiration for the song "Old Dan Tucker". The county was also home to Corra Harris, author of "A Circuit Rider's Wife," a book that later inspired the popular movie "I'd Climb the Highest Mountain." Stephen Heard, deceased, was Governor of Georgia from 1780-1781. Hon. Joseph Rucker Lamar, deceased, who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1910–1916, was born in Elbert County. Statesman and Judge Young L.G. Harris, deceased, for whom Young Harris College is named, was born in Elbert County. Former U.S. Secretary of War and 1824 U.S. Presidential candidate William Harris Crawford, as well as famed American explorer Meriwether Lewis during his youth; his family owned lands along the Broad River in The Broad River Valley located in Wilkes (now Oglethorpe) County which borders Elbert County. Clark Gaines, NFL record holder and former Executive Director of the NFL Players Association, was raised in Elbert County and played football for Elbert County Comprehensive High School. Blues guitarist Baby Tate was born in Elbert County. Recording artists Modern Skirts, popular on the college music circuit, include two members from Elbert County, JoJo Glidewell and Jay Gulley.

Judiciary and government

Elbert County is part of the Northern Judicial Circuit of Georgia, which also includes the counties of Hart, Franklin, Madison, and Oglethorpe. Superior Court Judges for the Circuit are Hon. John H. Bailey of Elbert County, Hon. Jeffery S. Malcom of Hart County, and Hon. Thomas L. Hodges of Elbert County. The District Attorney for the Northern Judicial Circuit is Hon. Parks White and the Public Defender for the circuit is Joel Shiver of Franklin County. Elbert County also has a State Court (jurisdictionally similar to the "District Courts" of other states), and the Elbert County State Court is served by Hon. Richard Campbell, Judge, and Hon. Gary Aston, Solicitor-General. Hon. Lanie Simmons is the Chief Judge of the Elbert County Magistrate Court, and Hon. Susan Sexton is the Judge of the Elbert County Probate Court.

Elbert County's governing authority, the Elbert County Board of Commissioners, has five Commissioners elected in districts, a Chairperson elected County-wide, and an appointed County Administrator. Current members of the Board of Commissioners are Tommy Lyon - Chairman, Horace Harper - Vice-Chairman, Kenneth Ashworth, Frank Eaves, Freddie Jones, and Harold Reynolds. The current County Administrator is Bob Thomas. County officials include Hon. Barry Haston, Sheriff, Hon. Chuck Almond, Coroner, County Clerk Judy Vaughn, County Attorney Bill Daughtry, Hon. Susan Sexton, Election Superintendent, Chief Registrar Charlotte Ward, Hon. Pat Anderson, Clerk of Courts, Hon. Lorrie Higginbotham, Tax Commissioner, Board of Assessors Members Jim Purcell, Edwin Shive, and Horace Baker, and Chief Appraiser Kevin Cameron.

Civic organizations

Elbert County has many active civic organizations including, but not limited to, the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce, Elbert County Historical Society, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Pilot Club, Elbert Theatre Foundation (part of the Georgia Council for the Arts), NAACP, Boys and Girls Club, Elbert Civic League (part of the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs), and Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, many local churches have very active missions programs, and many trade organizations, such as the Elbert Granite Association, are active. Elbert attorney Robert M. Heard, deceased, served as President of the State Bar of Georgia. Elberton has produced two past international presidents of Pilot Club International, attorney (now judge) Cindy Weaver from 2005–06, and Pat Jarvis from 2009–2010, and two past Governors of the Georgia District of Kiwanis International, Bob Lambertson and the Hon. William F. Grant, deceased. John Stephen Jenkins, an Elbert County resident and attorney, served as District Governor for Rotary International District 6910, 2000-2001. Elbert County resident John Clarke has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia NAACP, and has also been awarded the prestigious Justice Robert Benham Public Service Award. Elbert County resident and Historical Society member Joyce Davis has published a number of books on the history and architecture of Elbert County.

Historical and cultural sites

Historical and cultural sites in Elbert County include the Nancy Hart cabin, the Dan Tucker gravesite, the Stephen Heard Cemetery, the Petersburg Township site, Vans Creek Church, the Elbert County Courthouse, the Elberton Seaboard-Airline Depot, the Rock Gym, the Granite Bowl, the Elberton Granite Museum and Exhibit, the Richard B. Russell Dam, the Elbert Theatre, the Georgia Guidestones, Richard B. Russell State Park, and Bobby Brown State Park.

Cities and towns

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 116. 
  3. ↑ United States Census Bureau. "2010 Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 9 March 2012. 
  4. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  5. ↑ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Census.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2013. 
  8. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
 Hart County Anderson County, South Carolina
Madison County Abbeville County, South Carolina
   Elbert County, Georgia  
Oglethorpe County Wilkes County McCormick County, South Carolina
Municipalities and communities of Elbert County, Georgia, United States
Cities
CDP
  • Dewy Rose
Atlanta (capital)
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Coordinates: 34°07′N 82°50′W / 34.11°N 82.84°W / 34.11; -82.84

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