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St. Francois County, Missouri (view source)
Revision as of 17:37, August 21, 2020
, 17:37, August 21, 2020Added to page
Settlement of the area only accelerated after the [[Louisiana Purchase]] of 1803, after which the flow of American arrivals dramatically increased. Throughout this period, it was a part of the Ste. Genevieve administrative district, and continued to be when that district was reorganized into [[Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri|Ste. Genevieve County]] in 1812; however, there was already a demand for it to have its own separate government. Immediately after Missouri received statehood, commissioners were chosen to carve a new county from parts of Jefferson, Ste. Genevieve, and Washington Counties (into which the region had already been divided). The new county was titled St. Francois, and officially formed on December 19, 1821. Citizens of Murphy Settlement donated land for the county seat, which was soon renamed Farmington. At its first census (1830), St. Francois County had a population of 2,366.<ref>Robert Sidney Douglass, ''History of Southeast Missouri'' (1912), p. 247.</ref>
Settlement of the area only accelerated after the [[Louisiana Purchase]] of 1803, after which the flow of American arrivals dramatically increased. Throughout this period, it was a part of the Ste. Genevieve administrative district, and continued to be when that district was reorganized into [[Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri|Ste. Genevieve County]] in 1812; however, there was already a demand for it to have its own separate government. Immediately after Missouri received statehood, commissioners were chosen to carve a new county from parts of Jefferson, Ste. Genevieve, and Washington Counties (into which the region had already been divided). The new county was titled St. Francois, and officially formed on December 19, 1821. Citizens of Murphy Settlement donated land for the county seat, which was soon renamed Farmington. At its first census (1830), St. Francois County had a population of 2,366.<ref>Robert Sidney Douglass, ''History of Southeast Missouri'' (1912), p. 247.</ref>
In the following decades, the county grew rapidly, due in large part to the mining opportunities it provided. Though lead continued to be the most heavily-mined resource, by the 1850s iron ore was being tapped in large quantities around Iron Mountain in the far southwest. The opening of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain railroad in 1858, providing direct traffic with the growing city of [[St. Louis]], promised to spur additional growth; however, the outbreak of the [[Civil War]] a few years later caused a serious setback in the county’s progress. The railroad and many mines were repeatedly targeted by [[Confederate]] raiders, while local bands of [[guerrillas]] caused a great deal of disruption and hardship. One of these partisan fighters, a St. Francois County native by the name of Sam Hildebrand who fought for the South, became something of a local legend, continuing his activities well after the war until his death in 1872.
After the Civil War, the county’s recovery was spurred once again by the mines, as multiple companies were organized for a more intensive excavation of the area’s mineral deposits. Though iron ore and significant amounts of [[zinc]], [[copper]], and [[nickel]] were extracted as well, the mining of lead was far and away the most important, giving the region its name--the “Lead Belt.” Though a few minor operations were carried on in neighboring counties, the Lead Belt at that time was overwhelmingly centered on St. Francois County; between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries, a majority of the nation’s lead production came from this one district. Such cities as Farmington, Bonne Terre, Desloge, and Leadwood became large and prosperous as a result, and extensive underground complexes were developed to tap the lead deposits.
By the 1930s, nearly all mining operations had been taken over by the St. Joseph Lead Company. Production in St. Francois County was beginning to decline by this point, leading the company to shift the bulk of its activity further west. The local mines were gradually shut down from the 1950s onward; the last, at Flat River, ceased production in 1972.<ref>https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2008/5140/pdf/Chapter1.pdf</ref> Their closure resulted in a period of economic uncertainty for the county; however, it has sought to recover some of the lost ground through education and tourism, with many of the abandoned mines having been converted into parks and artificial lakes.
Today, St. Francois County remains a populous and dynamic area. Its most recent significant change came in 1994, when Flat River and three other nearby communities merged to form the city of Park Hills.
==Geography==
==Geography==
There are several small-to-moderate rivers that drain the county. Most of the southern half is drained by the St. Francis River, which originates just to the southwest in Iron County; most of the northern half is in the watershed of the Big River, a tributary of the Meramec farther northwest.
There are several small-to-moderate rivers that drain the county. Most of the southern half is drained by the St. Francis River, which originates just to the southwest in Iron County; most of the northern half is in the watershed of the Big River, a tributary of the Meramec farther northwest.
The major highway in the county is U.S. Route 67, which enters from Jefferson County to the north and passes through or near the communities of Bonne Terre, Park Hills, and Farmington before continuing south into Madison County. Other important roads include Missouri State Highways 8 and 47, both of which enter from the west and terminate at Desloge and Bonne Terre respectively.
==Demographics==
At the 2010 census, St. Francois County had a total population of 65,359, with 23,981 households and 15,944 families, a significant increase from its 2000 population of 55,692.<ref>http://www.usboundary.com/Areas/County/Missouri/St.%20Francois%20County/121188#Data</ref> The population density was 144.6 per square mile. There were 28,458 housing units, or about 63.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was about 93.61% White, 4.25% African-American, 0.38% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.05% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.19% from some other race, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.19% of the population.
The median age in the county was 38.2 years. 22.04% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.40% was between the ages of 18 and 24, 27.54% was between the ages of 25 and 44, 26.70% was between the ages of 45 and 64, and 14.31% was 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 53.2% male, 46.8% female.<ref>http://censusviewer.com/county/MO/St.%20Francois</ref>
As of 2018, the median household income in the county was $45,774, and the median family income was $57,497. Males had a median income of $42,941 versus $31,422 for females. The unemployment rate was 5.7%. The per capita income was $22,575. About 16.3% of the population was below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under the age of 18 and 7.6% of those 65 years old or older.<ref>https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0400000US29_0500000US29187&d=ACS%205-Year%20Estimates%20Data%20Profiles&tid=ACSDP5Y2018.DP03</ref>
==Communities==
==Communities==
* [[Terre du Lac, Missouri|Terre du Lac]]
* [[Terre du Lac, Missouri|Terre du Lac]]
* [[Wortham, Missouri|Wortham]]
* [[Wortham, Missouri|Wortham]]
==Government==
Local government in St. Francois County is provided by the elected officials. At present, these positions are dominated by the [[Republican]] party, to which a majority of the officials belong.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Countywide official !! Name !! Party
|-
| Assessor || Dan Ward || Democratic
|-
| Circuit Clerk || Vicki J. Weible || Democratic
|-
| County Clerk || Kevin Engler || Republican
|-
| Collector || Pamela J. Williams || Democratic
|-
| Commissioner (presiding) || Harold Gallaher || Republican
|-
| Commissioner (District 1) || Gay Wilkinson || Republican
|-
| Commissioner (District 2) || Patrick Mullins || Democratic
|-
| Coroner || Jason J. Coplin || Republican
|-
| Prosecuting Attorney || Melissa L. Gilliam || Republican
|-
| Public Administrator || Gary Matheny || Republican
|-
| Recorder || Jay Graf || Republican
|-
| Sheriff || Daniel R. Bullock || Republican
|-
| Treasurer || Kerry Glore || Democratic
|}
At the state level, St. Francois County is part of three separate legislative districts for the Missouri House of Representatives. Much of the northern half of the county, including a portion of Park Hills, is part of the 115th District, which also includes parts of Jefferson and Ste. Genevieve Counties. It is currently represented by Elaine Gannon (R-DeSoto), who was elected to her fourth and final term in November 2018 without opposition.
The southeastern part of the county, including part of Farmington, belongs to the 116th District, which also includes parts of Perry and Ste. Genevieve Counties. It is currently represented by Dale Wright (R-Farmington), who was elected to his first term in November 2018, defeating Democrat Bill Kraemer.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage
|-
| Dale Wright || Republican || 9,531 || 64.014%
|-
| Bill Kraemer || Democratic || 5,354 || 35.959%
|}
Wright significantly overperformed within St. Francois County, winning by a margin of 4,374 votes to 1,855 for Kraemer.
The central and western parts of the county, including most of the other communities, form the 117th District. It is currently represented by Mike Henderson (R-Bonne Terre), who was elected to a second term in November 2018, defeating Democrat Kayla Chick.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage
|-
| Mike Henderson || Republican || 8,169 || 72.056%
|-
| Kayla Chick || Democratic || 3,168 || 27.944%
|}
In the Missouri State Senate, St. Francois County is part of the 3rd District, which also includes Iron, Reynolds, Ste. Genevieve, and Washington Counties, and part of Jefferson County. It was most recently represented by Gary Romine (R-Farmington), who was re-elected in November 2016, defeating [[Green Party]] candidate Edward Weissler.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage
|-
| Gary Romine || Republican || 54,414 || 81.253%
|-
| Edward R. Weissler || Green || 12,555 || 18.747%
|}
Romine roughly matched his margin of victory in St. Francois County, winning 18,992 votes to 4,229 for Weissler. Romine resigned his seat in January 2020 to serve on the Missouri State Tax Commission; the seat remains vacant pending the November 2020 general election.
At the federal level, St. Francois County is part of Missouri's 8th Congressional District, which includes most of southeast and south-central Missouri. It is represented by Jason Smith (R-Salem), who won re-election in November 2018, defeating Democrat Kathy Ellis.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage
|-
| Jason Smith || Republican || 194,042 || 73.39%
|-
| Kathy Ellis || Democratic || 66,151 || 25.019%
|-
| Jonathan Shell || Libertarian || 4,206 || 1.591%
|}
Smith somewhat underperformed his average margin in St. Francois County, winning 65.211% of the vote.<ref>https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/s_default</ref>
'''Political Culture'''
As the above numbers indicate, St. Francois County is at present a fairly reliably Republican county, although historically this has not always been the case. The tendency of the unionized mine workers to vote [[Democratic]], balanced against the rural GOP supporters, made it something of a “swing” county for much of the 20th century. While casting its votes for [[Ronald Reagan]] in the 1980 and 1984 elections, it strongly supported [[Bill Clinton]] in 1992 and 1996. Since then, however, it has steadily trended Republican, as blue-collar workers became alienated by the Democratic Party’s social radicalism. In 2016, [[Donald Trump]] carried the county with 70.64% of the vote.<ref>https://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/CountyResults.aspx</ref>
Like much of southern Missouri, St. Francois County can be included within the [[Bible Belt]], combining social [[conservatism]] with economic [[populism]]--though the latter is more pronounced than in other areas, on account of the mining culture’s legacy. In 2004, it voted overwhelmingly in favor of Constitutional Amendment 2, which recognized marriage as between a man and a woman only--the measure passed in St. Francois County with 79.03% support. In 2006, while the state narrowly passed an amendment to fund embryonic stem-cell research, the county narrowly defeated the measure with 50.53% voting against. At the same time, it often supports economic measures that appear to favor the working and middle class, more frequently than much of the region. In the November 2018 election, the county supported a proposed increase in the state minimum wage, with 56.96% voting in favor (it passed the state at large). These results mark St. Francois County as an independent but right-leaning county.
==References==
==References==