Johnson County, Georgia

County in Georgia, United States

County in Georgia

Johnson County

County

Johnson County Courthouse in Wrightsville

Location within the U.S. state of Georgia

Georgia's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 32°42′N 82°40′W﻿ / ﻿32.7°N 82.66°W﻿ / 32.7; -82.66
Country|  United States
State|  Georgia
Founded| December 11, 1858; 166 years ago (1858-12-11)
Named after| Herschel Vespasian Johnson
Seat| Wrightsville
Largest city| Wrightsville
Area

• Total

| 307 sq mi (800 km2)
• Land| 303 sq mi (780 km2)
• Water| 3.6 sq mi (9 km2)  1.2%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 9,189

• Estimate

(2023)

| 9,282
• Density| 30/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district| 12th
Website| www.johnsonco.org

Johnson County is a county located along the Oconee River in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,189.[1] The county seat is Wrightsville.[2] Johnson County is part of the Dublin, Georgia, micropolitan statistical area.

## History

[edit]

Johnson county was created by the Georgia legislature December 11, 1858, from parts of Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington counties. Johnson County was named for Georgia governor, senator, and U.S. vice-presidential candidate Herschel Vespasian Johnson.[3]

In 1919, a deputy driving Jim Waters, a black prisoner accused of rape, out of the county was stopped by a group of 150 men at a bridge over the Ohoopee River. The men tied Waters to a tree and shot him numerous times. The case was closed without any investigation.[4]

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 307 square miles (800 km2), of which 303 square miles (780 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (1.2%) is water.[5]

The vast majority of Johnson County is located in the Ohoopee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. Tiny portions of the northeastern borders of the county are located in the Upper Ogeechee River sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin, while the western corner of Johnson County is located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.[6]

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Route 80
* U.S. Route 221
* U.S. Route 319
* State Route 15
* State Route 26
* State Route 31
* State Route 57
* State Route 78
* State Route 86
* State Route 171

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Washington County \- north
* Jefferson County \- northeast
* Emanuel County \- east
* Treutlen County \- south
* Laurens County \- southwest
* Wilkinson County \- west

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Adrian (partly in Emanuel County)
* Kite
* Wrightsville (county seat)

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Meeks
* Donovan
* New Home (Johnson County)
* Tom
* Scott

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1860| 2,919| | —
1870| 2,964| | 1.5%
1880| 4,800| | 61.9%
1890| 6,129| | 27.7%
1900| 11,409| | 86.1%
1910| 12,897| | 13.0%
1920| 13,546| | 5.0%
1930| 12,681| | −6.4%
1940| 12,953| | 2.1%
1950| 9,893| | −23.6%
1960| 8,048| | −18.6%
1970| 7,727| | −4.0%
1980| 8,660| | 12.1%
1990| 8,329| | −3.8%
2000| 8,560| | 2.8%
2010| 9,980| | 16.6%
2020| 9,189| | −7.9%
2023 (est.)| 9,282| [7]| 1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1880[9] 1890-1910[10]
1920-1930[11] 1930-1940[12]
1940-1950[13] 1960-1980[14]
1980-2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[17]

### 2020 Census

[edit]

Johnson County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 2000  | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 5,307  | 6,219  | 5,800  | 62.00%  | 62.31%  | 63.12%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 3,131  | 3,461  | 3,017  | 36.58%  | 34.68%  | 32.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 11  | 17  | 23  | 0.13%  | 0.17%  | 0.25%
Asian alone (NH)  | 10  | 22  | 28  | 0.12%  | 0.22%  | 0.30%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 1  | 3  | 15  | 0.01%  | 0.03%  | 0.16%
Other race alone (NH)  | 1  | 7  | 14  | 0.01%  | 0.07%  | 0.15%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)  | 21  | 65  | 175  | 0.25%  | 0.65%  | 1.90%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 78  | 186  | 117  | 0.91%  | 1.86%  | 1.27%
Total | 8,560 | 9,980 | 9,189 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,189 people, 3,393 households, and 2,208 families residing in the county.

## Government

[edit]

The county is governed by a five-member board of commissioners. A county manager handles the daily operation of the county.

The county is part of the Dublin Judicial Circuit along with Twiggs County, Treutlen County, and Laurens County.

Board of commissioners

District  | Commissioner  | Party
District 1  | Felice Pullen  | Democratic
District 2  | James McAfee Jr. [CHAIR]  | Republican
District 3  | Jerronney Darrisaw  | Democratic
District 4  | Brian Lindsey  | Republican
District 5  | Mike Keene  | Republican

[19]

United States presidential election results for Johnson County, Georgia[20] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 2,913  | 73.12% | 1,066  | 26.76%  | 5  | 0.13%
2020 | 2,850  | 69.51% | 1,222  | 29.80%  | 28  | 0.68%
2016 | 2,519  | 68.34% | 1,136  | 30.82%  | 31  | 0.84%
2012 | 2,440  | 64.62% | 1,305  | 34.56%  | 31  | 0.82%
2008 | 2,426  | 66.47% | 1,198  | 32.82%  | 26  | 0.71%
2004 | 2,279  | 64.11% | 1,263  | 35.53%  | 13  | 0.37%
2000 | 1,797  | 62.33% | 1,065  | 36.94%  | 21  | 0.73%
1996 | 815  | 36.14%  | 1,194  | 52.95% | 246  | 10.91%
1992 | 1,314  | 39.88%  | 1,473  | 44.70% | 508  | 15.42%
1988 | 1,567  | 62.83% | 927  | 37.17%  | 0  | 0.00%
1984 | 1,733  | 59.11% | 1,199  | 40.89%  | 0  | 0.00%
1980 | 1,123  | 37.07%  | 1,854  | 61.21% | 52  | 1.72%
1976 | 698  | 24.00%  | 2,210  | 76.00% | 0  | 0.00%
1972 | 2,201  | 84.07% | 417  | 15.93%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 381  | 13.28%  | 446  | 15.55%  | 2,041  | 71.16%
1964 | 1,940  | 73.99% | 682  | 26.01%  | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 488  | 27.32%  | 1,298  | 72.68% | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 179  | 10.02%  | 1,607  | 89.98% | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 344  | 15.99%  | 1,808  | 84.01% | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 67  | 5.33%  | 685  | 54.54% | 504  | 40.13%
1944 | 304  | 23.71%  | 978  | 76.29% | 0  | 0.00%
1940 | 306  | 11.32%  | 2,386  | 88.24% | 12  | 0.44%
1936 | 334  | 15.15%  | 1,861  | 84.40% | 10  | 0.45%
1932 | 18  | 1.34%  | 1,314  | 98.06% | 8  | 0.60%
1928 | 284  | 31.00%  | 632  | 69.00% | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 194  | 14.18%  | 1,058  | 77.34% | 116  | 8.48%
1920 | 74  | 19.47%  | 306  | 80.53% | 0  | 0.00%
1916 | 150  | 16.95%  | 715  | 80.79% | 20  | 2.26%
1912 | 92  | 23.00%  | 285  | 71.25% | 23  | 5.75%

## Education

[edit]

In 1970, Johnson County schools integrated peacefully due to careful planning by the county's board of education and firm management by superintendent Buren Claxton.

The county's public schools are located in Wrightsville. The school mascot is the Trojan, and the school colors are blue and white. The school fight song is the theme from the movie Hang 'Em High.

## Sports

[edit]

Herschel Walker, a Johnson County native, played on the county's only state championship football team in 1979. Walker went on to play for the University of Georgia and won the Heisman Trophy. In 2004 Johnson County High School named its football field for Walker.

## See also

[edit]

* State of Georgia portal

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Johnson County, Georgia
* List of counties in Georgia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 169.
4. ^ McWhirter, Cameron (2011). Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America. Henry Holt and Company. p. 52\. ISBN 978-1-4299-7293-2.
5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
8. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
9. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
10. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
11. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
12. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
13. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
14. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
15. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
16. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
17. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
18. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
19. ^ "County Commissioners".
20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 20, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Athletics Site
* Johnson County Public Schools Archived February 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Johnson County, Georgia

|  | Washington County | Jefferson County

|
|

|  |
Wilkinson County |

Johnson County, Georgia

| Emanuel County
|  |
Laurens County | Treutlen County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Johnson County, Georgia, United States

County seat: Wrightsville

Cities|

* Adrian‡
* Kite
* Wrightsville

Map of Georgia highlighting Johnson County

Unincorporated communities|

* Donovan
* Meeks
* Scott

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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32°42′N 82°40′W﻿ / ﻿32.70°N 82.66°W﻿ / 32.70; -82.66
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