Lincoln County, Missouri

History

According to Goodspeed's History of Lincoln County, Missouri (1888), Lincoln County was named by Major Christopher Clark, the first permanent white settler in an address to the Territorial Legislature. He said, "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 Revolution.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 sqmi, of which 627 sqmi is land and 14 sqmi (2.2%) is water. The county's eastern border with Illinois is formed by the Mississippi River.

Adjacent counties

• Pike County (north)
• Calhoun County, Illinois (east)
• St. Charles County (southeast)
• Warren County (southwest)
• Montgomery County (west)

Major highways

• [[Image:US 61.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 61
• [[Image:MO-47.svg|20px]] Route 47
• [[Image:MO-79.svg|20px]] Route 79
• [[Image:MO-147.svg|20px]] Route 147

Transit

• Burlington Trailways
• OATS Transit

Railroads

• BNSF Railway

Demographics

| align-fn = center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 59,574. The median age was 37.4 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.8 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 89.8% White, 1.8% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.0% from some other race, and 6.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.6% of the population.

28.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 72.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 21,812 households in the county, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 19.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 23,366 housing units, of which 6.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.9% were owner-occupied and 22.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,944 people, 13,851 households, and 10,554 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 PD/sqmi. There were 15,511 housing units at an average density of 25 /mi2. 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.

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

School districts include:

• Silex R-I School District – Silex
  • Silex Elementary School (K-06)
  • Silex High School (07-12)
• Elsberry R-II School District – Elsberry
  • Clarence Cannon Elementary School (PK-04)
  • Ida Cannon Middle School (05-08)
  • Elsberry High School (09-12)
• Lincoln County R-III School District – Troy
  • Early Childhood Education Center (Pre-K & PAT)
  • Boone Elementary School (K-05)
  • Claude Brown Elementary School (K-05)
  • Cuivre Park Elementary School (K-05)
  • Hawk Point Elementary School (K-05)
  • Lincoln Elementary School (K-05)
  • Main Street Elementary School (K-05)
  • William R. Cappel Elementary School (K-05)
  • Troy Middle School (06-08)
  • Troy South Middle School (06-08)
  • Ninth Grade Center (09)
  • Troy Buchanan High School (10-12)
  • New Horizons High School (10-12)
• Winfield R-IV School District – Winfield
  • Winfield Elementary School (PK-02)
  • Winfield Intermediate School (03-05)
  • Winfield Middle School (06-08)
  • Winfield High School (09-12)
• Wright City R-II School District - Wright City
  • Additionally, the Wright City R-II serves southern portions of Lincoln County.
• Pike County R-III School District
• Warren County R-III School District

Private schools

• First Baptist Christian Academy - Troy (K-08) - Baptist
• Immaculate Conception School – Old Monroe (K-08) – Roman Catholic
• NorthRoad Academy - Moscow Mills (K-08) - Baptist
• Sacred Heart School – Troy (K-08) – Roman Catholic
• St. Alphonsus School – Silex (PK-08) – Roman Catholic
• Troy Holiness School – Troy (K-12) – Methodist

Public libraries

• Powell Memorial Library

Communities

Cities and villages

• Cave
• Chain of Rocks
• Elsberry
• Foley
• Fountain N' Lakes
• Hawk Point
• Moscow Mills
• Old Monroe
• Silex
• Troy (county seat)
• Truxton
• Whiteside
• Winfield

Unincorporated communities

• Apex
• Argentville
• Auburn
• Brevator
• Briscoe
• Brussells
• Cap au Gris
• Chantilly
• Corso
• Dameron
• Davis
• Ethlyn
• Fairview
• Famous
• Louisville
• Mackville
• Millwood
• New Hope
• Okete
• Olney
• South Troy

Politics

Local

The Republican Party mostly controls politics at the local level in Lincoln County. Republicans hold all but four of the elected positions in the county.

State

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

• District 40 — Chad Perkins (R-Bowling Green). Consists of the northernmost section of the county.

• District 41 — Doyle Justus (R-Troy). Consists of most of the county and includes the communities of Cave, Foley Troy, Truxton, and Whiteside.

• District 64 — Tony Lovasco (R- O'Fallon) Includes the southeast corner of the county and the communities of Chain of Rocks, Fountain N' Lakes, Moscow Mills, Old Monroe, and Winfield.

All of Lincoln County is a part of Missouri's 10th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Jeanie Riddle (R-Fulton).

Federal

All of Lincoln County is included in Missouri's 3rd Congressional District and is currently represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

References

References

1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
2. Eaton, David Wolfe. (1916). "How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named". The State Historical Society of Missouri.
3. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
4. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
5. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
6. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
7. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
8. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Explore Census Data".
10. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
11. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
12. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
13. "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Missouri- Table 16 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980".
14. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Missouri: Table 5 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
15. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lincoln County, Missouri".
16. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lincoln County, Missouri".
17. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lincoln County, Missouri".
18. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
19. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
20. not an option in the 1980 Census
21. not an option in the 1990 Census
22. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
23. Geography Division. (January 12, 2021). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lincoln County, MO". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
24. Breeding, Marshall. "Powell Memorial Library". Libraries.org.
25. "Elected Officials Lincoln County MO".
26. "2022 General Election Results".
27. "2018 General Election Results".
28. "2020 General Election Results".
29. (November 14, 2016). "Lincoln County - General Election - November 8, 2016". Lincoln County Clerk.
30. (November 6, 2012). "Lincoln County, Missouri Official Results". Lincoln County Clerk.
31. (November 12, 2018). "Lincoln County, Missouri Official Results General Election". Lincoln County Clerk.
32. (November 4, 2014). "Lincoln County, Missouri Official Results General Election". Lincoln County Clerk.
33. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".