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Jones County, Mississippi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jones County, Mississippi | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Mississippi |
|
 Mississippi's location in the USA |
|
| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1826 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Laurel and Ellisville |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,812 km² (700 mi²) 1,797 km² (694 mi²) 15 km² (6 mi²), 0.84% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
64,958 36/km² |
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is part of the Laurel, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 64,958. Its county seats are Laurel and Ellisville6.
Contents |
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,812 km² (700 mi²). 1,797 km² (694 mi²) of it is land and 15 km² (6 mi²) of it (0.84%) is water.
Interstate 59
U.S. Highway 11
U.S. Highway 84
Mississippi Highway 15
Mississippi Highway 28
Mississippi Highway 29
- Jasper County (north)
- Wayne County (east)
- Perry County (southeast)
- Forrest County (southwest)
- Covington County (west)
- Smith County (northwest)
Jones County was established in 1826 and was named for John Paul Jones. There are other counties named Jones, but it appears that this is the only one named for John Paul Jones. Ellisville, the county seat, was named for Powhatan Ellis, a member of the Mississippi Legislature who claimed to be a direct descendant of Pocahontas. During the economic hard times in the 1830s and 1840s, there was an exodus of population from South Mississippi, principally to Texas, and the slogan "GTT" ("Gone to Texas") came into currency. The situation was especially acute in Jones County, which became so depopulated that it acquired the derisive nickname "The Free State of Jones". During the American Civil War, Jones County and neighboring counties, especially Covington County to its west, became a haven for Confederate deserters. A group of deserters led by Newt Knight engaged in sporadic battles with State and Confederate units sent to arrest them for desertion. The notoriety of Newt Knight's "rebellion" led to the fabrication of elaborate stories alleging Jones County's "secession" from the Confederacy and the establishment of an entity called "The Free State of Jones". There was no such "State", but the legend gained strength from the fact that Jones County already had been widely known as "The Free State of Jones". After the War, the Mississippi Legislature punished Jones County's disloyalty to the "Cause" by changing its name to Davis (for Jefferson Davis) and the name of its county seat to Leesburg (for Robert E. Lee). The Reconstruction Constitution of 1869 repealed these acts and restored the names of Jones County and Ellisville. The county was divided into judicial districts in 1906, with seats of justice at Ellisville (First District) and Laurel (Second District). As to the derivation of the nickname "Free State of Jones", see, e.g., "Flush Times, Depression, War, and Compromise", by John Edmond Gonzales, in A History of Mississippi (McLemore, ed.), Vol. I, p 295 (Jackson, 1973), citing Mississippi: A History, by John K. Bettersworth, p 185.
As of the census² of 2000, there were 64,958 people, 24,275 households, and 17,550 families residing in the county. The population density was 36/km² (94/mi²). There were 26,921 housing units at an average density of 15/km² (39/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.11% White, 26.34% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. 1.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 24,275 households out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 15.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 10.50% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,786, and the median income for a family was $34,465. Males had a median income of $28,273 versus $19,405 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,820. About 14.30% of families and 19.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.00% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over.
Jones County has one of the best county school disticts in the state of Mississippi. It has several level five schools. The highest rating for Mississippi schools.
Charles W. Pickering: Retired Federal District Judge. Leontyne Price: Operatic soprano
- Jones County Courthouse Pictures
- Interactive Oil Well Map - Jones County, Mississippi Mississippi Oil Journal