Putnam County, Missouri

County in Missouri, United States

U.S. county in Missouri

Putnam County

U.S. county

Putnam County Courthouse in Unionville

Location within the U.S. state of Missouri

Missouri's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  Missouri
Founded| February 28, 1845
Named for| Israel Putnam
Seat| Unionville
Largest city| Unionville
Area

• Total| 520 sq mi (1,300 km2)
• Land| 517 sq mi (1,340 km2)
• Water| 2.3 sq mi (6 km2)  0.4%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 4,681
• Estimate

(2018)

| 4,757
• Density| 9.0/sq mi (3.5/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 6th
Website| nemr.net/~putco/

Putnam County is in north central Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,681.[1] Its county seat is Unionville.[2] The county was organized February 28, 1845, and named for Israel Putnam, a hero in the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War.[3]

Putnam County was established February 28, 1845, from parts of Adair and Sullivan counties. The following year a portion of Putnam was removed to form of Dodge County. Both Putnam and Dodge extended nearly nine miles further north until an 1851 ruling by the Supreme Court on a border dispute with Iowa assigned the contested land to Iowa. Both counties were left with less than the statutory minimum area for a county as set by the state legislature, so Dodge County was dissolved and its area added to Putnam.[4]

In its early years, the county seat changed frequently, often with contentious debate. Putnamville, Bryant Station (both no longer in existence), and Hartford all served until a central location called Harmony, later renamed Unionville, was chosen.[5]

In the 1860 U.S. Census Putnam County had 9,240 residents, with eighteen sawmills and three flour mills.[6] Coal had been an abundant since its earliest settlement. Following the arrival of the Burlington & Southwestern Railway in 1873, coal mining became a major industry, especially in the east of the county. At one time three railroads crossed Putnam county: the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul; the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy; and the Iowa and St. Louis.[7] Putnam County lost over two-thirds of its population between the years 1900 and 2000 (see census data below), when the United States changed from a rural to an urban country.

## Contents

* 1 Geography
* 1.1 Adjacent counties
* 1.2 Major highways
* 2 Demographics
* 2.1 2020 Census
* 3 Education
* 3.1 Public schools
* 3.2 Public libraries
* 4 Politics
* 4.1 Local
* 4.2 State
* 4.3 Federal
* 5 Communities
* 5.1 City
* 5.2 Villages
* 5.3 Census-designated place
* 5.4 Unincorporated communities
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 8 External links

## Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 520 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 517 square miles (1,340 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) (0.4%) is water.[8]

### Adjacent counties

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* Wayne County, Iowa (northwest)
* Appanoose County, Iowa (northeast)
* Schuyler County (east)
* Adair County (southeast)
* Sullivan County (south)
* Mercer County (west)

### Major highways

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* U.S. Route 136
* Route 5
* Route 129
* Route 139
* Route 149

## Demographics

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Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1850| 1,636| | —
1860| 9,207| | 462.8%
1870| 11,217| | 21.8%
1880| 13,555| | 20.8%
1890| 15,365| | 13.4%
1900| 16,668| | 8.5%
1910| 14,308| | −14.2%
1920| 13,115| | −8.3%
1930| 11,503| | −12.3%
1940| 11,327| | −1.5%
1950| 9,166| | −19.1%
1960| 6,999| | −23.6%
1970| 5,916| | −15.5%
1980| 6,092| | 3.0%
1990| 5,079| | −16.6%
2000| 5,223| | 2.8%
2010| 4,979| | −4.7%
2020| 4,681| | −6.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2015[13]

As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 4,979 people, 2,228 households, and 1,517 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (4/km2). There were 2,914 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 99.14% White, 0.06% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. Approximately 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,228 households, out of which 27.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.90% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 20.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,282, and the median income for a family was $32,031. Males had a median income of $22,957 versus $18,884 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,647. About 13.20% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.60% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.

* Pre-1900 data from A History of Northeast Missouri, Published 1913

### 2020 Census

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Putnam County Racial Composition[15] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (NH)  | 4,446  | 95%
Black or African American (NH)  | 11  | 0.23%
Native American (NH)  | 5  | 0.1%
Asian (NH)  | 0  | 0%
Pacific Islander (NH)  | 0  | 0%
Other/Mixed (NH)  | 107  | 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino | 112  | 2.4%

## Education

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### Public schools

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* Putnam County R-I School District – Unionville
* Putnam County Elementary School (PK-05)
* Putnam County Middle School (06-08)
* Putnam County High School (09-12)

### Public libraries

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* Putnam County Public Library[16]

## Politics

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### Local

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The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Putnam County. Republicans hold all but one of the elected positions in the county.

Putnam County, Missouri

Elected countywide officials
Assessor|  Paul L. Rouse|  Republican
Circuit Clerk|  Mitzi D. Shipley|  Republican
County Clerk|  Chrystal Perkins|  Republican
Collector|  Sharon Thompson Parks|  Republican
Commissioner
(Presiding)|  Randy Sands|  Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)|  Shane Bradshaw|  Republican
Commissioner
(District 2)|  Gerald Owings|  Republican
Coroner|  Jennifer Gilworth|  Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney|  Tom Keedy|  Republican
Public Administrator|  Nancy Mikels|  Republican
Recorder|  Jeneen Roof|  Republican
Sheriff|  Jason Knight|  Republican
Surveyor|  J. Scott Cline|  Republican
Treasurer|  Sharon Thompson Parks|  Republican

### State

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Past Gubernatorial Elections Results Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties

|
|
|

2020 | 85.15% 1,984 | 13.86% 323 | 0.99% 23
2016 | 73.84% 1,691 | 23.89% 547 | 2.27% 52
2012 | 65.53% 1,485 | 32.04% 726 | 2.43% 55
2008 | 64.43% 1,467 | 32.85% 748 | 2.72% 62
2004 | 72.75% 1,757 | 25.84% 624 | 1.41% 34
2000 | 66.42% 1,531 | 32.62% 752 | 0.95% 22
1996 | 41.71% 898 | 56.71% 1,332 | 1.58% 34

All of Putnam County is a part of Missouri's 3rd District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is represented by Nate Walker (R-Kirksville).

Missouri House of Representatives — District 3 — Putnam County (2016)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Nate Walker | 2,067 | 100.00% |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 3 — Putnam County (2014)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Nate Walker | 1,059 | 100.00% | +30.20
Missouri House of Representatives — District 3 — Putnam County (2012)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Nate Walker | 1,597 | 69.80% |
| Democratic | Rebecca McClanahan  | 691  | 30.20%  |

All of Putnam County is a part of Missouri's 12th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Dan Hegeman (R-Cosby).

Missouri Senate — District 12 — Putnam County (2014)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Dan Hegeman | 1,036 | 100.00% |

### Federal

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U.S. Senate — Missouri — Putnam County (2016)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Roy Blunt | 1,708 | 74.88% | +18.11
| Democratic | Jason Kander  | 486  | 21.31%  | -17.89
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine  | 46  | 2.02%  | -2.01
| Green | Johnathan McFarland  | 24  | 1.05%  | +1.05
| Constitution | Fred Ryman  | 17  | 0.74%  | +0.74
U.S. Senate — Missouri — Putnam County (2012)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Todd Akin  | 1,296  | 56.77%  |
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 895 | 39.20% |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine  | 92  | 4.03%  |

All of Putnam County is included in Missouri's 6th Congressional District and is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 6th Congressional District — Putnam County (2016)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Sam Graves | 1,897 | 84.01% | +0.52
| Democratic | David M. Blackwell  | 315  | 13.95%  | -0.84
| Libertarian | Russ Lee Monchil  | 32  | 1.42%  | -1.98
| Green | Mike Diel  | 14  | 0.62%  | +0.62
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 6th Congressional District — Putnam County (2014)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Sam Graves | 1,032 | 83.49% | +3.36
| Democratic | Bill Hedge  | 162  | 13.11%  | -4.22
| Libertarian | Russ Lee Monchil  | 42  | 3.40%  | +0.86
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 6th Congressional District — Putnam County (2012)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Republican | Sam Graves | 1,799 | 80.13% |
| Democratic | Kyle Yarber  | 389  | 17.33%  |
| Libertarian | Russ Lee Monchil  | 57  | 2.54%  |
United States presidential election results for Putnam County, Missouri[17] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 1,984  | 84.03% | 361  | 15.29%  | 16  | 0.68%
2016 | 1,936  | 82.52% | 353  | 15.05%  | 57  | 2.43%
2012 | 1,673  | 72.46% | 587  | 25.42%  | 49  | 2.12%
2008 | 1,591  | 68.02% | 695  | 29.71%  | 53  | 2.27%
2004 | 1,660  | 67.89% | 772  | 31.57%  | 13  | 0.53%
2000 | 1,593  | 68.25% | 708  | 30.33%  | 33  | 1.41%
1996 | 1,091  | 48.60% | 857  | 38.17%  | 297  | 13.23%
1992 | 1,143  | 45.67% | 838  | 33.48%  | 522  | 20.85%
1988 | 1,365  | 62.73% | 803  | 36.90%  | 8  | 0.37%
1984 | 1,540  | 65.90% | 797  | 34.10%  | 0  | 0.00%
1980 | 1,722  | 64.86% | 871  | 32.81%  | 62  | 2.34%
1976 | 1,444  | 56.63% | 1,097  | 43.02%  | 9  | 0.35%
1972 | 2,112  | 78.72% | 571  | 21.28%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 1,971  | 63.75% | 952  | 30.79%  | 169  | 5.47%
1964 | 1,547  | 51.04% | 1,484  | 48.96%  | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 2,711  | 71.89% | 1,060  | 28.11%  | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 2,674  | 70.57% | 1,115  | 29.43%  | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 3,202  | 73.31% | 1,149  | 26.30%  | 17  | 0.39%
1948 | 2,499  | 62.84% | 1,463  | 36.79%  | 15  | 0.38%
1944 | 3,106  | 72.55% | 1,168  | 27.28%  | 7  | 0.16%
1940 | 3,828  | 68.84% | 1,708  | 30.71%  | 25  | 0.45%
1936 | 3,458  | 64.01% | 1,902  | 35.21%  | 42  | 0.78%
1932 | 2,180  | 50.52% | 1,987  | 46.05%  | 148  | 3.43%
1928 | 3,498  | 73.56% | 1,247  | 26.23%  | 10  | 0.21%
1924 | 3,340  | 65.39% | 1,495  | 29.27%  | 273  | 5.34%
1920 | 3,880  | 72.92% | 1,315  | 24.71%  | 126  | 2.37%
1916 | 2,106  | 64.84% | 1,035  | 31.87%  | 107  | 3.29%
1912 | 1,859  | 55.71% | 933  | 27.96%  | 545  | 16.33%
1908 | 2,233  | 65.77% | 1,056  | 31.10%  | 106  | 3.12%
1904 | 2,226  | 68.45% | 822  | 25.28%  | 204  | 6.27%
1900 | 2,337  | 65.46% | 1,159  | 32.46%  | 74  | 2.07%
1896 | 2,363  | 62.93% | 1,376  | 36.64%  | 16  | 0.43%
1892 | 2,027  | 62.24% | 1,131  | 34.73%  | 99  | 3.04%
1888 | 1,985  | 63.95% | 1,045  | 33.67%  | 74  | 2.38%

## Communities

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### City

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* Unionville (county seat)

### Villages

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* Livonia
* Lucerne
* Powersville
* Worthington

### Census-designated place

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* Lemons

### Unincorporated communities

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* Chapel
* Chariton
* Elko
* Esper
* Galesburg
* Glendale
* Graysville
* Hartford
* Martinstown
* Omaha
* Quinn
* Rosewood
* St. John
* Sidney
* Wyreka

## See also

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* National Register of Historic Places listings in Putnam County, Missouri

## References

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1. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Eaton, David Wolfe (1917). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 343.
4. ^ Missouri State Historical Society marker, 1958
5. ^ "A Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets of Missouri". thelibrary.org. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
6. ^ The Missouri Handbook by P.M. Pinckard. Published 1865
7. ^ A History of Northeast Missouri, Vol.1 Chapter 25. Published 1913.
8. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
11. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
13. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
15. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Putnam County, Missouri".
16. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Putnam County Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 26, 2018.

## External links

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* Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Putnam County Archived 2011-08-16 at the Wayback Machine from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books

Places adjacent to Putnam County, Missouri

| Wayne County, Iowa |  | Appanoose County, Iowa

|
|

|  |
Mercer County |

Putnam County, Missouri

| Schuyler County
|  |
| Sullivan County | Adair County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Putnam County, Missouri, United States

County seat: Unionville

City|

* Unionville

Map of Missouri highlighting Putnam County

Villages|

* Livonia
* Lucerne
* Powersville
* Worthington

Townships|

* Elm
* Grant
* Jackson
* Liberty
* Lincoln
* Medicine
* Richland
* Sherman
* Union
* Wilson
* York

CDP|

* Lemons

Unincorporated
communities|

* Chapel
* Chariton
* Elko
* Esper
* Galesburg
* Glendale
* Graysville
* Hartford
* Martinstown
* Omaha
* Quinn
* Rosewood
* St. John
* Sidney
* Wyreka

Ghost towns|

* Howland
* Lickskillet
* Terre Haute
* West Liberty

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Missouri

Jefferson City (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Geography
* Government
* Delegations
* History
* Battles
* Civil War
* People
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions
* Transportation

Society|

* Culture
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Politics

Regions|

* Boonslick
* Bootheel
* Four State Area
* Honey Lands
* Lead Belt
* Lincoln Hills
* Little Dixie
* Loess Hills
* Mid-Missouri
* Mississippi Embayment
* Missouri Rhineland
* Northern Plains
* Osage Plains
* The Ozarks
* Platte Purchase
* Pony Express
* St. Francois Mountains

Metro areas|

* Columbia
* Jefferson City
* Joplin
* Kansas City
* Springfield
* St. Joseph
* St. Louis

Largest cities|

* Kansas City
* St. Louis
* Springfield
* Columbia
* Independence
* Lee's Summit
* O'Fallon
* St. Joseph
* St. Charles
* Blue Springs
* St. Peters
* Florissant
* Joplin
* Chesterfield
* Wentzville
* Jefferson City
* Cape Girardeau
* Wildwood
* University City
* Ballwin
* Liberty
* Raytown
* Kirkwood
* Maryland Heights
* Gladstone
* Grandview
* Hazelwood

Counties and
independent cities|

* Adair
* Andrew
* Atchison
* Audrain
* Barry
* Barton
* Bates
* Benton
* Bollinger
* Boone
* Buchanan
* Butler
* Caldwell
* Callaway
* Camden
* Cape Girardeau
* Carroll
* Carter
* Cass
* Cedar
* Chariton
* Christian
* Clark
* Clay
* Clinton
* Cole
* Cooper
* Crawford
* Dade
* Dallas
* Daviess
* DeKalb
* Dent
* Douglas
* Dunklin
* Franklin
* Gasconade
* Gentry
* Greene
* Grundy
* Harrison
* Henry
* Hickory
* Holt
* Howard
* Howell
* Iron
* Jackson
* Jasper
* Jefferson
* Johnson
* Knox
* Laclede
* Lafayette
* Lawrence
* Lewis
* Lincoln
* Linn
* Livingston
* Macon
* Madison
* Maries
* Marion
* McDonald
* Mercer
* Miller
* Mississippi
* Moniteau
* Monroe
* Montgomery
* Morgan
* New Madrid
* Newton
* Nodaway
* Oregon
* Osage
* Ozark
* Pemiscot
* Perry
* Pettis
* Phelps
* Pike
* Platte
* Polk
* Pulaski
* Putnam
* Ralls
* Randolph
* Ray
* Reynolds
* Ripley
* St. Charles
* St. Clair
* St. Francois
* St. Louis (City)
* St. Louis (County)
* Ste. Genevieve
* Saline
* Schuyler
* Scotland
* Scott
* Shannon
* Shelby
* Stoddard
* Stone
* Sullivan
* Taney
* Texas
* Vernon
* Warren
* Washington
* Wayne
* Webster
* Worth
* Wright

Coordinates: 40°29′N 93°01′W﻿ / ﻿40.48°N 93.02°W﻿ / 40.48; -93.02
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