Howard County, Missouri

Howard County
County
The Howard County Courthouse in Fayette
Nickname:  Mother of Counties
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°08′N 92°42′W / 39.14°N 92.7°W / 39.14; -92.7
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	January 23, 1816
Named for	Benjamin Howard
Seat	Fayette
Largest city	Fayette
Area
• Total	472 sq mi (1,220 km2)
• Land	464 sq mi (1,200 km2)
• Water	7.7 sq mi (20 km2)  1.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,151
• Density	22/sq mi (8.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th

Howard County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri, with its southern border formed by the Missouri River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,151.^[1] Its county seat is Fayette.^[2]

The county was organized January 23, 1816, a year after the end of the War of 1812 (1812-1815), and named for Benjamin Howard (1760-1814, served 1809-1813), only two years after his death. He was an officer in the United States Army, and was appointed by fourth President James Madison as the first Governor of the newky reorganized Missouri Territory (1812-1821), with its new capital city in nearby St. Louis, bustling driver port city on the Mississippi River and near the confluence with the Ohio River flowing from the northeast and the closer Missouri River streaming rom the northwest. Governor Howard oversaw the new federal territory when it was separated from the previous larger Louisiana Territory of 1804-1812, which encompassed the huge uncharted recent Louisiana Purchase of 1803, west of the Mississippi towards the distant Rocky Mountains, when sold to the United States by the Emperor Napoleon I / Napoleon Bonaparte of France (the First French Empire) for a paltry $15 million dollars. The subsequent Missouri Territory was formed nine years later since the land bargain, and the previous short-lived Louisiana Territory's southern portion along the lower Mississippi River and with the former territorial capital at the major prosperous river port city of New Orleans near the Gulf of Mexico coast, was approved by the United States Congress and President Madison to be separated and formed to be admitted to the federal Union as the new 18th State of Louisiana in 1812.

This was just prior to the outbreak of the War of 1812 (1812-1815), renewed conflict with the British (and former English) again of the united Kingdom. Territorial Governor Howard was instrumental and involved in this history, although he died in the midst of the war's last year, and before the British Army and Royal Navy attack in the famous crucial Battle of New Orleans in January 1815, the last battle of the warm a month after a peace treaty was signed in December 1814, in far-off Europe.^[3] Settled originally by migrants from the Upper South, it is part of the region historically known as Little Dixie. It is part of the Columbia, Missouri, metropolitan area.

Located on the north bank of the Missouri River, Howard County was settled primarily from the Upper Southern states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. The migrants brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them, and cultivated hemp and tobacco, crops of Middle Tennessee. Howard was one of several counties settled mainly by Southerners along the Missouri River in the center of the state. Because of this, this area became known as Little Dixie, and Howard County was at its heart.^[4] Following the 1848 revolutions in the German nations, many German immigrants also came to this region, developing farms.

Due to the reliance on slave labor, by 1860 African-American slaves composed at least 25 percent of the county's population.^[5] Given their backgrounds and cultural affiliations, many Howard County residents supported the Confederacy during the Civil War. Ethnic German immigrants and descendants tended to support the Union.

After the end of Reconstruction, whites enforced Jim Crow laws and racial segregation in the county to maintain white supremacy. In the most violent period, at the turn of the 20th century, five African Americans were lynched in Howard County from 1891 to 1914: Olli Truxton, Frank Embree, Thomas Hayden, Arthur McNeal, and Dallas Shields.^[6] Howard County tied with Pike County for the highest rate of lynchings in the state.^[7]

The county continued to be developed for agriculture and is still largely rural. However, Howard County has lost population since its peak in 1880. The mechanization of farming reduced the demand for labor, and many workers left for jobs in the cities and less oppressive societies. By 2000 African Americans in the county had declined to less than seven percent of the total. In the early 21st century, nearly one-third of the residents identify as being of German ancestry, reflecting the wave of mid-19th century immigration.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 472 square miles (1,220 km²), of which 464 square miles (1,200 km²) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km²) (1.6%) is water.^[8]

• Chariton County (northwest)
• Randolph County (northeast)
• Boone County (southeast)
• Cooper County (south)
• Saline County (west)

• U.S. Route 40
• Route 3
• Route 5
• Route 87
• Route 124
• Route 240
• 
  Route 240 Alternate
• 
  Route 240 Business
• 
  Route 240 Spur

• Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (part)

As of the census^[14] of 2000, there were 10,212 people, 3,836 households, and 2,631 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8.5 people/km²). There were 4,346 housing units at an average density of 9 units per square mile (3.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.13% White, 6.84% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Approximately 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.4% were of German, 16.1% American, 8.9% English and 8.3% Irish ancestry.

There were 3,836 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.30% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 13.30% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,614, and the median income for a family was $40,167. Males had a median income of $26,369 versus $19,950 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,198. About 7.50% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

School districts covering sections of the county include:^[16]

• Fayette R-III School District – Fayette
  • Laurence J. Daly Elementary School (PK-05)
  • William N. Clark Middle School (06-08)
  • Fayette High School (09-12)
• Glasgow School District – Glasgow
  • Howard County Elementary School (PK-06)
  • Glasgow High School (07-12)
• Harrisburg R-VIII School District
• Higbee R-VIII School District
• New Franklin R-I School District – New Franklin
  • New Franklin Elementary School (PK-05)
  • New Franklin Middle/High School (06-12)
• Salisbury R-IV School District

• St. Mary's Catholic School – Glasgow (K-08) – Roman Catholic
• Grace & Glory Christian Academy – New Franklin (K-12) – Baptist - [Closed]

• Central Methodist University – Fayette – A private, four-year Methodist university.

• Howard County Library^[17]
• Lewis Library of Glasgow^[18]

• Armstrong
• Fayette (county seat)
• Franklin
• Glasgow
• New Franklin

• Frank P. Briggs - former United States Senator and Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
• Sara Evans - American country music singer.
• Spottswood Rice - Union Soldier in the Civil War and African Methodist Episcopal Church minister.
• Talbot Smith, United States District Judge
• Kit Carson - Trapper and guide for John Charles Fremont
• Caius T. Ryland - Speaker of the California State Assembly

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The Democratic Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Howard County. Democrats hold all but four of the elected positions in the county.

Howard County is split between two districts of the Missouri House of Representatives, both of which are represented by Republicans.

• District 47 — Chuck Basye consists of the eastern part of the county.

• District 48 — Dave Muntzel consists of the central and western parts of the county.

All of Howard County is a part of Missouri's 21st District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg).

All of Howard County is included in Missouri's 4th Congressional District and is currently represented by Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 685, than any candidate from either party in Howard County during the 2008 presidential primary.

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Howard County, Missouri

• History of Howard and Chariton Counties, Missouri (1883) full text

• Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Howard County Archived August 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books

39°08′N 92°42′W / 39.14°N 92.70°W / 39.14; -92.70