Mingo County, West Virginia

Mingo County, West Virginia
Map of West Virginia highlighting Mingo County
Location in the U.S. state of West Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting West Virginia
West Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded January 30, 1895
Named for Mingo people
Seat Williamson
Largest city Williamson
Area
 • Total 424 sq mi (1,098 km2)
 • Land 423 sq mi (1,096 km2)
 • Water 0.9 sq mi (2 km2), 0.2%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 25,292
 • Density 61/sq mi (24/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.mingocountywv.com

Mingo County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 26,839.[1] Its county seat is Williamson.[2] Created in 1895,[3] Mingo is West Virginia's newest county, named for the historic Iroquoian Mingo people.[4]

History

Mingo County is the newest county in the state, formed by an act of the state legislature in 1895 from parts of Logan County. Its founding was related to a legal protest by a moonshiner, who claimed that the Logan County Court that had found him guilty did not have jurisdiction over his case, because his still was actually located in Lincoln County. A land survey was taken and discovered that the defendant was correct. The charges were then refiled in Lincoln County court. Although the moonshiner was ultimately found guilty of his crime, the state legislature was made aware of the situation and determined that Logan County was too large for the expeditious administration of justice and decided to create a new county, called Mingo. The county was named in honor of the Mingo Indians.[4]

The attempt to unionize coal miners in the county in the 1920s led to the Battle of Blair Mountain in neighboring Logan County.

Politically, Mingo County is well known for its opposition to former President Barack Obama. In 2008, Obama netted only 8 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, one of his worst performances. In 2012, despite Obama being the presumptive nominee, Democrats in Mingo County voted for Keith Russell Judd, a convicted felon who was the only other candidate on the ballot, over Obama.[5]

In 2014, Mingo County native Jeremy T.K. Farley published "The Ghosts of Mingo County," based on the real life story of Timmy Barker, is a history book of what he described as "the bloodiest county in America." The book was met with mixed reviews; some residents stated that publication portrayed the county as being too lawless, while others believed the book accurately told the county's history.[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 424 square miles (1,100 km2), of which 423 square miles (1,100 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.2%) is water.[7]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
190011,359—
191019,43171.1%
192026,38435.8%
193038,31945.2%
194040,8026.5%
195047,40916.2%
196039,742−16.2%
197032,780−17.5%
198037,33613.9%
199033,739−9.6%
200028,253−16.3%
201026,839−5.0%
Est. 201624,647[8]−8.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010–2015[1]

2000 census

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 28,253 people, 11,303 households, and 8,217 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 people per square mile (26/km²). There were 12,898 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.39% White, 2.34% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 0.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 11,303 households out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.20% were married couples living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 25.00% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $21,347, and the median income for a family was $26,581. Males had a median income of $31,660 versus $18,038 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,445. About 25.90% of families and 29.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.90% of those under age 18 and 18.60% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 26,839 people, 11,125 households, and 7,707 families residing in the county.[14] The population density was 63.4 inhabitants per square mile (24.5/km2). There were 12,699 housing units at an average density of 30.0 per square mile (11.6/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 97.1% white, 1.8% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.0% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.4% of the population.[14] In terms of ancestry, 12.6% were Irish, 11.9% were American, 7.0% were German, and 6.9% were English.[16]

Of the 11,125 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.7% were non-families, and 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 40.9 years.[14]

The median income for a household in the county was $32,902 and the median income for a family was $40,199. Males had a median income of $46,917 versus $27,168 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,629. About 16.9% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.1% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.[17]

Politics

The youngest of West Virginia’s fifty-five counties, Mingo was created entirely from powerfully secessionist Logan County.[18] Consequently, for the hundred and ten years following its creation, Mingo County was powerfully Democratic, voting for Walter Mondale – who went within 3,819 votes of losing all fifty states – by a two-to-one margin in 1984, and voting Republican only for William Howard Taft in 1908, Herbert Hoover in 1928 due to powerful anti-Catholic sentiment against Al Smith, and Richard Nixon against the left-wing George McGovern in 1972. Like all of West Virginia, since 2000 a combination of declining unionization[19] and differences with the Democratic Party’s liberal views on social issues[20] has produced a dramatic swing to the Republican Party. In 2016, indeed, this historically powerfully Democratic county voted only eight percentage points less Republican than historically Unionist and rock-ribbed GOP Grant County did.

Presidential Elections Results[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 83.2% 7,911 14.4% 1,370 2.4% 231
2012 69.9% 6,191 27.4% 2,428 2.7% 236
2008 55.0% 4,587 43.0% 3,582 2.0% 169
2004 43.3% 4,612 56.2% 5,983 0.6% 60
2000 38.5% 3,866 60.2% 6,049 1.3% 128
1996 20.5% 2,229 69.7% 7,584 9.8% 1,062
1992 23.8% 2,584 67.5% 7,342 8.7% 947
1988 28.0% 2,896 71.8% 7,429 0.2% 25
1984 33.6% 4,275 66.3% 8,434 0.1% 17
1980 28.0% 3,716 70.2% 9,328 1.8% 236
1976 25.8% 3,010 74.2% 8,655
1972 57.3% 7,484 42.7% 5,585
1968 28.9% 3,988 62.9% 8,677 8.2% 1,133
1964 20.5% 3,154 79.6% 12,266
1960 30.3% 4,903 69.7% 11,259
1956 44.2% 7,916 55.9% 10,014
1952 34.8% 6,852 65.2% 12,856
1948 32.0% 4,896 67.8% 10,362 0.2% 34
1944 33.0% 4,711 67.0% 9,550
1940 33.2% 5,776 66.8% 11,619
1936 33.8% 5,771 66.1% 11,278 0.1% 15
1932 47.3% 7,801 52.5% 8,657 0.3% 43
1928 50.3% 6,904 49.5% 6,801 0.2% 27
1924 42.1% 4,656 48.0% 5,313 10.0% 1,101
1920 44.6% 3,972 55.4% 4,934
1916 47.3% 2,223 52.5% 2,472 0.2% 10
1912 36.0% 1,569 42.1% 1,832 21.9% 956

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Magisterial Districts

Historical Magisterial Districts

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  4. 1 2 "West Virginia Counties". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on January 1, 1970. Retrieved February 24, 2014. (WV County Etymology)
  5. ↑ Mathesian, Charles. How the felon won. The Politico. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  6. ↑ Wytheville Enterprise Wythe County official pens history of coalfields struggle.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  13. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  14. 1 2 3 "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  15. ↑ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  16. ↑ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  17. ↑ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  18. ↑ Hinkle, Harlan H.; Grayback Mountaineers: The Confederate Face of Western Virginia, pp. 189-190, 194 ISBN 0595268404
  19. ↑ Schwartzman, Gabe; ‘How Central Appalachia Went Right’; Daily Yonder, January 13, 2015
  20. ↑ Cohn, Nate; ‘Demographic Shift: Southern Whites’ Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats’, New York Times, April 24, 2014
  21. ↑ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS

Coordinates: 37°44′N 82°08′W / 37.73°N 82.14°W / 37.73; -82.14

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