Monroe County, Missouri

Monroe County is a county in northeast Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,666.[1] Its county seat is Paris.[2] It is the birthplace of Mark Twain.

Monroe County
County
The Monroe County Courthouse in Paris
The Monroe County Courthouse in Paris
Map of Missouri highlighting Monroe County
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Map of the United States highlighting 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
 (2020)
 • Total8,666
 • Density13/sq mi (5.0/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.Note%±
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%
20208,666−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2015[11]

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.

2020 Census
Monroe County Racial Composition[13]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 7,902 91.2%
Black or African American (NH) 177 2.04%
Native American (NH) 32 0.36%
Asian (NH) 31 0.36%
Pacific Islander (NH) 1 0.01%
Other/Mixed (NH) 364 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 159 1.83%

Government and politics

Local

The Democratic Party used to dominate politics at the local, state and federal levels in Monroe County. However, like the rest of the state, the county has swung heavily towards the Republican Party in recent years, with Republicans now controlling 10 of the 13 elected positions in the county.

The GOP began to make gains in the county in 2006 at the state and federal level, and has gained ground in almost every election since.

Monroe County voters have selected Republican candidates over Democrats in 13 consecutive U.S. House elections (1998 through 2022), the last nine U.S. Senate elections (2000 through 2022), six continuous presidential contests (2000 through 2020), four of five gubernatorial elections (2004 through 2020), five of six state Senate races, and the last four state auditor races (2010 through 2022). In 2014, for the first time in history, Republican Jim Hansen defeated a Democrat to represent the county in the state House of Representatives. 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 2022, Curt Wheeler beat a Democrat and an Independent, to become the county's first Republican presiding commissioner.

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 Democratic 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, 2022 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 Republican
County Clerk Beth Whelan Republican
Collector Chrissy Graupman Republican
Commissioner
(Presiding)		 Curt Wheeler Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)		 Mike Whelan Democratic
Commissioner
(District 2)		 Marilyn Morgan O'Bannon Republican
Coroner James K. Reinhard Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney Nicole Volkert Republican
Public Administrator Jessica Chase Republican
Recorder Lori Decker Republican
Sheriff Joe Collston Republican
Treasurer Shelia Jurgesmyer Democratic

State
Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 78.23% 3,472 20.28% 900 1.49% 66
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

During the 19th century and most of the 20th century Democrats controlled Monroe County. The 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, and now Republicans control two-thirds of elected county positions.

United States presidential election results for Monroe County, Missouri[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 3,477 77.56% 936 20.88% 70 1.56%
2016 3,159 76.01% 853 20.52% 144 3.46%
2012 2,564 63.20% 1,398 34.46% 95 2.34%
2008 2,533 58.72% 1,703 39.48% 78 1.81%
2004 2,632 61.11% 1,647 38.24% 28 0.65%
2000 2,175 53.13% 1,860 45.43% 59 1.44%
1996 1,333 34.80% 1,938 50.59% 560 14.62%
1992 1,153 27.54% 2,060 49.20% 974 23.26%
1988 1,542 38.42% 2,461 61.31% 11 0.27%
1984 2,163 52.06% 1,992 47.94% 0 0.00%
1980 2,026 44.48% 2,445 53.68% 84 1.84%
1976 1,585 34.09% 3,039 65.35% 26 0.56%
1972 2,141 48.22% 2,299 51.78% 0 0.00%
1968 1,349 29.07% 2,776 59.81% 516 11.12%
1964 928 18.45% 4,103 81.55% 0 0.00%
1960 1,519 27.47% 4,011 72.53% 0 0.00%
1956 1,331 23.18% 4,412 76.82% 0 0.00%
1952 1,488 23.77% 4,760 76.05% 11 0.18%
1948 809 14.49% 4,769 85.39% 7 0.13%
1944 1,098 17.98% 5,000 81.89% 8 0.13%
1940 1,200 16.60% 6,018 83.23% 13 0.18%
1936 939 12.79% 6,376 86.87% 25 0.34%
1932 714 10.25% 6,210 89.12% 44 0.63%
1928 1,378 21.69% 4,957 78.01% 19 0.30%
1924 1,141 16.51% 5,597 81.00% 172 2.49%
1920 1,406 18.42% 6,136 80.37% 93 1.22%
1916 742 16.20% 3,738 81.60% 101 2.20%
1912 583 13.04% 3,586 80.22% 301 6.73%
1908 871 18.61% 3,772 80.58% 38 0.81%
1904 790 18.17% 3,487 80.18% 72 1.66%
1900 795 16.30% 4,016 82.35% 66 1.35%
1896 892 16.85% 4,379 82.72% 23 0.43%
1892 787 16.57% 3,863 81.33% 100 2.11%
1888 983 20.09% 3,873 79.15% 37 0.76%

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)
Main articles: 2008 Missouri Democratic presidential primary and 2008 Missouri Republican presidential primary

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.

Education

Public schools

Private schools

Public libraries
  • Monroe City Public Library[15]

Communities

Cities and Towns

Unincorporated Communities

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Smiley, W. L. (1876). An illustrated historical atlas of Monroe County, Missouri, 1876. Philadelphia: Edwards Brothers. p. 8. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  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. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  11. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Monroe County, Missouri".
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  15. Breeding, Marshall. "Monroe City Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  16. "Mark Twain Birthplace State Historical Site". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  17. "Arkansas Governor Xenophon Overton Pindall". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  18. "North Dakota Governor Eli C. D. Shortridge". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 29, 2012.

39.50°N 92.00°W / 39.50; -92.00

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