Lincoln County, Missouri

Not to be confused with Lincoln, Missouri.
Lincoln County, Missouri
Lincoln County Courthouse in Troy
Map of Missouri highlighting Lincoln County
Location in the state of Missouri
Map of the United States highlighting Missouri
Missouri's location in the U.S.
Founded December 14, 1818
Named for Benjamin Lincoln
Seat Troy
Largest city Troy
Area
 • Total 640 sq mi (1,658 km2)
 • Land 627 sq mi (1,624 km2)
 • Water 14 sq mi (36 km2), 2.2%
Population
 • (2010) 52,566
 • Density 84/sq mi (32/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.lcmo.us
An old barn in rural Lincoln County

Lincoln County is a county located in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,566.[1] Its county seat is Troy.[2] The county was founded December 14, 1818, and named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln of the American Revolutionary War.[3]

Lincoln County is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

According to Goodspeed's History of Lincoln County, Missouri (1888), Lincoln County was named by Major Christopher Clark, the first permanent white settler, when he addressed the Territorial Legislature saying, "I was born, sir, in Link-Horn County, N.C., I lived for many years in Link-Horn County in old Kain-tuck. I wish to die in Link-Horn County, in Missouri; and I move, therefore, that the blank in the bill be filled with the name Link-Horn." The motion was carried unanimously and the clerk, not adopting the frontier parlance of the Major, wrote "Lincoln" in the blank space of the bill. Others say it was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Notable residents

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 627 square miles (1,620 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (2.2%) is water.[4] The county's eastern border with Illinois is formed by the Mississippi River.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18201,662—
18304,059144.2%
18407,44983.5%
18509,42126.5%
186014,21050.8%
187015,96012.3%
188017,4269.2%
189018,3465.3%
190018,3520.0%
191017,003−7.4%
192015,956−6.2%
193013,929−12.7%
194014,3953.3%
195013,478−6.4%
196014,7839.7%
197018,04122.0%
198022,19323.0%
199028,89230.2%
200038,94434.8%
201052,56635.0%
Est. 201454,2493.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 38,944 people, 13,851 households, and 10,554 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 people per square mile (24/km²). There were 15,511 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.13% White, 1.74% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Approximately 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.7% were of German, 17.0% American, 10.9% Irish and 7.4% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 13,851 households out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.80% were non-families. 19.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the county the population was spread out with 30.00% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,592, and the median income for a family was $47,747. Males had a median income of $35,564 versus $23,270 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,149. About 6.20% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.60% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools

Private schools

Politics

Local

The Democratic Party mostly controls politics at the local level in Lincoln County. Democrats hold all but six of the elected positions in the county.

Lincoln County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Kevin L. Bishop Republican
Circuit Clerk Grace Sinclair Democratic
County Clerk Rick Wilcockson Republican
Collector Jerry Fox Democratic
Commissioner
(Presiding)		 Daniel H. Colbert Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)		 Jim Mayes Democratic
Commissioner
(District 2)		 Matt Bass Republican
Coroner Robert L. Shramek, Sr. Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney Leah Askey Democratic
Public Administrator Betty Cox Democratic
Recorder Dottie D. Crenshaw Democratic
Sheriff John Cottle Republican
Surveyor Donald “Tec” Parr Democratic
Treasurer Krysti Henke Republican

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 45.43% 10,589 52.33% 12,197 2.23% 521
2004 53.75% 10,626 44.64% 8,824 1.61% 318
2000 52.12% 8,282 44.26% 7,034 3.62% 575
1996 43.69% 5,507 53.93% 6,797 2.38% 300

Lincoln County is divided into two legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives with split representation.

Missouri House of Representatives – District 10 - Lincoln County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John D. Houghton 679 50.15
Democratic Linda Witte 614 45.35
Constitution Josh Allum 61 4.50
Missouri House of Representatives – District 11 - Lincoln County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Ed Schieffer 8,259 55.86
Republican Mike Clynch 6,527 44.14

All of Lincoln County is a part of Missouri’s 2nd District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville.

Missouri Senate - District 2 - Lincoln County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Scott T. Rupp 10,932 68.44
Democratic Don Crozier 5,041 31.52

Federal

All of Lincoln County is included in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District and is currently represented by W. Todd Akin (R-Town & Country) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District - Lincoln County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican W. Todd Akin 10,787 66.95
Democratic Arthur Lieber 4,594 28.51
Libertarian Steve Mosbacher 732 4.54

Political culture

Past Presidential Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 54.72% 12,924 43.33% 10,234 1.95% 461
2004 57.04% 11,316 42.18% 8,368 0.78% 155
2000 53.72% 8,549 43.74% 6,961 2.53% 403
1996 38.83% 4,897 44.75 5,644 16.41% 2,070

Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008)

Lincoln County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain 1,412 (30.82%)
Mike Huckabee 1,484 (32.39%)
Mitt Romney 1,400 (30.55%)
Ron Paul 216 (4.71%)
Lincoln County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Rodham Clinton 3,490 (61.35%)
Barack Obama 1,963 (34.51%)
John Edwards (withdrawn) 190 (3.34%)

Communities

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 185–186.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

Further reading

External links

 Pike County
Montgomery County Calhoun County, Illinois
   Lincoln County, Missouri  
Warren County St. Charles County

Coordinates: 39°04′N 90°58′W / 39.06°N 90.96°W