Decatur County, Tennessee

History

This county is named after naval hero Stephen Decatur Jr., who gained national recognition in the First Barbary War, the Second Barbary War, and the War of 1812 by his leadership and achievements at sea. The county was created in November 1845 from the part of Perry County west of the Tennessee River in response to a petition by citizens on the west side of the river.

Like several other counties west of the Tennessee River, Decatur County was substantially pro-Union during the Civil War, contrary to the generally pro-Confederate sympathies of West and Middle Tennessee. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Decatur County voted to remain in the Union by a margin of 550 to 310, being one of only eight counties in West or Middle Tennessee to support the Union. Earlier on February 9, 1861, Decatur County voters had voted against holding a secession convention by a margin of 514 to 251.

In 2015, the Decatur County clerk of court and the entire staff of that office resigned, to express conscientious objection to the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which would oblige the office to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.{{cite news |access-date = July 9, 2015

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 345 sqmi, of which 334 sqmi is land and 11 sqmi (3.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Benton County (north)
• Perry County (east)
• Wayne County (southeast)
• Hardin County (south)
• Henderson County (west)
• Carroll County (northwest)

National protected area

• Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (part)

State protected area

• Carroll Cabin Barrens State Natural Area
• Cypress Pond Refuge

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, the county had a population of 11,435, 4,894 households, and 3,059 families residing in the county.

The median age was 47.6 years. 20.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.1 males age 18 and over.

There were 4,894 households in the county, of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.5% were married-couple households, 20.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 6,557 housing units, of which 25.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.7% were owner-occupied and 23.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.0%.

Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.13% of the population.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,731 people, 4,908 households, and 3,415 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 /mi2.

There were 6,448 housing units at an average density of 19 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 94.12% White, 3.47% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,908 households, out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 26.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,741, and the median income for a family was $34,919. Males had a median income of $25,945 versus $20,155 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,285. About 13.80% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 22.20% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Parsons

Towns

• Decaturville (county seat)
• Scotts Hill (partial)

Unincorporated communities

• Bath Springs
• Bible Hill
• Dunbar
• Holladay (partial)
• Hopewell
• Lick Skillet
• Perryville
• Sugar Tree

Politics

Decatur County – like all of rural Tennessee – is a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry this county was Al Gore in 2000, and even before the collapse of traditional rural Democratic support after Bill Clinton the county had a sizeable Unionist population that caused it to vote Republican several times during the “System of 1896”.

References

References

1. Teresa Biddle-Douglass, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=365 Decatur County]," ''Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture''. Retrieved: June 26, 2013.
2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. "Tennessee Secession Referendum, 1861". Vote Archive.
5. (March 21, 1861). "Tennessee Vote on Secession Convention, 1861". [[The Fayetteville Observer.
6. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates".
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
10. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
11. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
12. "Explore Census Data".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
16. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".