Jefferson County, Oklahoma

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Not to be confused with Jefferson, Oklahoma.
Jefferson County, Oklahoma
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Jefferson County
Location in the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Map of the United States highlighting Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location in the U.S.
Founded 1907
Named for Thomas Jefferson
Seat Waurika
Largest city Waurika
Area
 • Total 774 sq mi (2,005 km2)
 • Land 759 sq mi (1,966 km2)
 • Water 15 sq mi (39 km2), 2.0%
Population (est.)
 • (2013) 6,432
 • Density 8.5/sq mi (3/km²)
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.jeffcoinfo.org

Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 6,472.[1] Its county seat is Waurika.[2] The county was created at statehood and named in honor of President Thomas Jefferson.[3]

History

In the 1750s, the Taovaya Indians, a Wichita tribe, established twin villages along the Red River, in Jefferson County and across the river near present-day Spanish Fort, Texas. The village became “a lively emporium where Comanches brought Apache slaves, horses and mules to trade for French packs of powder, balls, knives, and textiles and for Taovaya-grown maize, melons, pumpkins, squash, and tobacco.”[4]

In 1759, in response to the destruction of the San Saba Mission, the Spanish led an expedition against the Taovaya and their allies and attacked the twin villages. The Indians defeated the Spanish army. (See Battle of the Twin Villages) The Taovaya villages were abandoned before 1841 as the Taovaya had been decimated by smallpox and encroachment by other Indians and Anglo-Americans.[5]

In the 1830s, the Choctaw tribe acquired more than two-thirds of the land now covered by Jefferson County, and the closely related Chickasaw tribe began to relocate there. In 1855, the two tribes formally divided and this area became part of the Chickasaw Nation. The western part of the present county became part of the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Reservation, created by the 1867 Medicine Lodge Treaty. That area was opened to settlement by non-Indians by the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Opening in 1901.[3]

After the Civil War, the Chisholm Trail, which passed through this area, was heavily used to drive cattle from Texas to markets in Kansas. In 1892, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway laid tracks along the trail route. The Enid and Anadarko Railway, sold to the Rock Island in 1903, built a line from Lawton to Waurika. The Wichita Falls and Oklahoma Railroad built the last railroad in the county in 1923, from Texas to Waurika. It went out of business in 1942.[3] A railway line was built from Ardmore to Ringling.

Statehood in 1907 brought about the demise of the Chickasaw government and creation of Jefferson County. At that time the southeast corner of the county extended to Mud Creek including the communities of Belleville and Courtney. In 1924 the southeast corner of the county was realigned to its current boundary. The Oklahoma Constitutional Convention named Ryan as the county seat. An election for the seat was held in 1908 between Ryan, Sugden and Waurika, but none of the towns won a majority. Another election was held in 1912, resulting in Waurika being named as the county seat.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 774 square miles (2,000 km2), of which 759 square miles (1,970 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (2.0%) is water.[6] The county drains into the Red River via Beaver and Mud creeks. Waurika Lake was created in 1971 by damming Beaver Creek in northwestern Jefferson County.[3]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1910 17,430 —
1920 17,664 1.3%
1930 17,392 −1.5%
1940 15,107 −13.1%
1950 11,122 −26.4%
1960 8,192 −26.3%
1970 7,125 −13.0%
1980 8,183 14.8%
1990 7,010 −14.3%
2000 6,818 −2.7%
2010 6,472 −5.1%
Est. 2014 6,292 [7] −2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1]
Age pyramid for Jefferson County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 6,818 people, 2,716 households, and 1,863 families residing in the county. The population density was 9 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 3,373 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.14% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 5.24% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.86% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. 7.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,716 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 28.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 20.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $23,674, and the median income for a family was $30,563. Males had a median income of $25,195 versus $16,589 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,899. About 16.30% of families and 19.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.30% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of January 15, 2012[13]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
  Democratic 2,637 74.03%
  Republican 633 17.77%
  Unaffiliated 292 8.20%
Total 3,562 100%
Presidential election results[14]
Year Republican Democrat
2008 67.24% 1,652 32.76% 805
2004 59.39% 1,546 40.61% 1,057
2000 50.91% 1,320 48.01% 1,245

Communities

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See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Larry O'Dell, "Jefferson County," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, 2009. Accessed February 25, 2015.
  4. ↑ Elam, Earl Henry, “Anglo-American Relations with the Wichita Indians in Texas, 1822–1859.” Master’s Thesis, Texas Technological College, 1967, 11
  5. ↑ "Spanish Fort TX", Texas State Historical Association, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hns64, accessed 10 Jan 2013
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ http://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/reg_0112.pdf
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

 Stephens County Carter County
Cotton County Love County
  Jefferson County  
Clay County, Texas Montague County, Texas

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