Jefferson County, Ohio

Jefferson County, Ohio
Location in the state of Ohio
Ohio's location in the U.S.
Founded	July 29, 1797[1]
Named for	Thomas Jefferson
Seat	Steubenville
Largest city	Steubenville
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	411 sq mi (1,064 km²) 410 sq mi (1,061 km²) 1 sq mi (3 km²), 0.31%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	73,894 180/sq mi (70/km²)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	www.jeffersoncountyoh.com

Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 69,709. [1] Its county seat is Steubenville^[2] and is named for Thomas Jefferson, who was at the time Vice President.^[3]

Jefferson County is part of the Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Jefferson County was named for Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, Secretary of State, and Vice President of the United States at the time of the County’s creation. It was organized on July 29, 1797 by proclamation of Governor Arthur St. Clair, six years before Ohio was granted statehood.

In 1786, the United States built Fort Steuben to protect the government surveyors mapping the land west of the Ohio River. When the surveyors completed their task a few years later, the fort was abandoned. In the meantime, settlers had built homes around the fort; they named their settlement La Belle. When the County was created in 1797, La Belle was selected as the County seat. The town was subsequently renamed Steubenville, in honor of the abandoned fort.

During the first half of the nineteenth century, Jefferson County attracted a number of pioneers who were looking for a better life in the newly developing lands west of the Ohio River. Included in those brave souls were a large number of American Revolution war veterans, as well as several groups of Quakers. For example, the villages of Mt. Pleasant and Smithfield were founded by Quakers, which became early centers for abolitionist activity.

During the first half of the nineteenth century, Steubenville was primarily a port town, and the rest of the county was small villages and farms. However, in 1856, Frazier, Kilgore and Company erected a rolling mill (the forerunner of steel mills) and the Steubenville Coal and Mining Company sank a coal shaft, resulting in Jefferson County becoming one of the leading centers of the new Industrial Revolution.

Jefferson County is a virtual treasure trove for history and genealogy researchers. It has over seventy pioneer cemeteries, the oldest Quaker meeting house west of the Ohio River, well preserved sites on the Underground Railroad, and the old Fort Steuben has been completely rebuilt as a public historic site and museum. Several of the towns and villages have formed historical societies, dedicated to preserving local history.

Click here to visit the Jefferson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society's Website^[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 411 square miles (1,064.5 km²).410 square miles (1,061.9 km²) is land and 1 square mile (2.6 km²) (0.31%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Columbiana County (north)
• Hancock County, West Virginia (northeast)
• Brooke County, West Virginia (east)
• Ohio County, West Virginia (southeast)
• Belmont County (south)
• Harrison County (southwest)
• Carroll County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 73,894 people, 30,417 households, and 20,592 families residing in the county. The population density was 180 people per square mile (70/km²). There were 33,291 housing units at an average density of 81 per square mile (31/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.49% White, 5.68% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 96.5% spoke English, 1.1% Spanish and 1.0% Italian as their first language.

There were 30,417 households out of which 26.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.88.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	8,766		—
1810	17,260		96.9%
1820	18,531		7.4%
1830	22,489		21.4%
1840	25,030		11.3%
1850	29,133		16.4%
1860	26,115		−10.4%
1870	29,188		11.8%
1880	33,018		13.1%
1890	39,415		19.4%
1900	44,357		12.5%
1910	65,423		47.5%
1920	77,580		18.6%
1930	88,307		13.8%
1940	98,129		11.1%
1950	96,495		−1.7%
1960	99,201		2.8%
1970	96,193		−3.0%
1980	91,564		−4.8%
1990	80,298		−12.3%
2000	73,894		−8.0%
Est. 2007	68,730		−7.0%

In the county, the population was spread out with 21.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,853, and the median income for a family was $38,807. Males had a median income of $35,785 versus $20,375 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,476. About 11.40% of families and 15.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.30% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Main article: Ohio county government

The Jefferson County Courthouse.

Commissioners: Thomas Graham, Ph.D, Dave Maple, and Adam Scurti
Prosecutor: Thomas Straus
Sheriff: Fred Abdalla
Auditor: Patrick J. Marshall
Treasurer: Raymond M. Agresta
Engineer: James Branagan
Judges of the Court of Common Pleas: Hon. Joseph J. Bruzzese Jr, Hon. David E. Henderson
Probate Court: Hon. Samuel W. Kerr
Clerk of Courts: John A. Corrigan
Health Commissioner: Frank J. Petrola, M.D.
Director, Board of Elections: Diane M. Gribble
Director, Job and Family Services: Nicholas Balakos
Director, Progress Alliance: Ed Looman

Communities

Map of Jefferson County, Ohio with Municipal and Township Labels

Cities

• Steubenville
• Toronto

Villages

Adena Amsterdam Bergholz Bloomingdale Dillonvale

Empire Irondale Mingo Junction Mount Pleasant

New Alexandria Rayland Richmond Smithfield

Stratton Tiltonsville Wintersville Yorkville

Townships

Brush Creek Cross Creek Island Creek Knox

Mount Pleasant Ross Salem Saline

Smithfield Springfield Steubenville

Warren Wayne Wells

Unincorporated communities

Brilliant East Springfield Greentown Hammondsville

Hopewell New Somerset Piney Fork

Rush Run Weems Wolf Run

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Ohio

References

1. ^ "Ohio County Profiles: Jefferson County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Jefferson.pdf. Retrieved 2007-04-28. 
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
3. ^ "Jefferson County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. http://www.osuedc.org/profiles/profile_entrance.php?fips=39081&sid=0. Retrieved 2007-04-28. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ Jefferson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• County website

Coordinates: 40°23′N 80°46′W / 40.38°N 80.76°W / 40.38; -80.76