Howard County, Missouri

Howard County is a county in the U.S. state of Missouri, with its southern border formed by the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,144.[1] Its county seat is Fayette.[2] The county was organized January 23, 1816, and named for Benjamin Howard, the first Governor of the Missouri Territory.[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.

Howard County
U.S. county
Howard County Courthouse in Fayette
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°08′N 92°42′W
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 km^2)
• Land	464 sq mi (1,200 km^2)
• Water	7.7 sq mi (20 km^2)  1.6%
Population  (2010)
• Total	10,144
• Estimate  (2018)	10,137
• Density	21/sq mi (8.3/km^2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th

History

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.

Geography

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]

Adjacent counties

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

Major highways

• U.S. Route 40
• Route 3
• Route 5
• Route 87
• Route 124
• Route 240 (including Business, Alternate, and Spur routes)

National protected area

• Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1820	13,426		—
1830	10,854		−19.2%
1840	13,108		20.8%
1850	13,969		6.6%
1860	15,946		14.2%
1870	17,233		8.1%
1880	18,428		6.9%
1890	17,371		−5.7%
1900	18,337		5.6%
1910	15,653		−14.6%
1920	13,997		−10.6%
1930	13,490		−3.6%
1940	13,026		−3.4%
1950	11,857		−9.0%
1960	10,859		−8.4%
1970	10,561		−2.7%
1980	10,008		−5.2%
1990	9,631		−3.8%
2000	10,212		6.0%
2010	10,144		−0.7%
Est. 2018	10,137	[9]	−0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2015[1]

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/km²). There were 4,346 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/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.

Education

Public schools

• 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)
• New Franklin R-I School District – New Franklin
  • New Franklin Elementary School (PK-05)
  • New Franklin Middle/High School (06-12)

Private schools

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

Post-secondary

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

Public libraries

• Howard County Library[15]
• Lewis Library of Glasgow[16]

Politics

Local

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, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor	John (Woody) McCutcheon			Democratic
Circuit Clerk	Charles J. Flaspohler			Democratic
County Clerk	Shelly Howell			Republican
Collector	Jinger Felten			Republican
Commissioner (Presiding)	Jeremiah Johnmeyer			Republican
Commissioner (District 1)	Richard Conrow			Democratic
Commissioner (District 2)	Howard McMillan			Democratic
Coroner	Frank Flaspohler			Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney	Deborah Riekhof			Republican
Public Administrator	Lisa Asbury			Democratic
Recorder	Charles J. Flaspohler			Democratic
Sheriff	Mike Neal			Independent
Surveyor	Gene Bowen			Democratic
Treasurer	Susan Keyton			Democratic

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2016	56.47% 2,727	40.26% 1,944	3.27% 158
2012	47.89% 2,302	48.89% 2,350	3.22% 155
2008	48.69% 2,358	49.08% 2,377	2.33% 108
2004	52.46% 2,578	46.34% 2,277	1.20% 59
2000	44.96% 2,029	52.12% 2,352	2.92% 132
1996	33.90% 1,436	63.53% 2,691	2.57% 109

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.

Missouri House of Representatives — District 47 — Howard County (2016)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Chuck Basye	625	72.17%	+8.83
	Democratic	Susan McClintic	241	27.83%	-8.83

Missouri House of Representatives — District 47 — Howard County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Chuck Basye	330	63.34%	+5.61
	Democratic	John Wright	191	36.66%	-5.61

Missouri House of Representatives — District 47 — Howard County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Mitch Richards	474	57.73%
	Democratic	John Wright	347	42.27%

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

Missouri House of Representatives — District 48 — Howard County (2016)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Dave Muntzel	2,893	78.15%	-21.85
	Independent	Debra Dilks	809	21.85%	+21.85

Missouri House of Representatives — District 48 — Howard County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Dave Muntzel	1,962	100.00%	+50.61

Missouri House of Representatives — District 48 — Howard County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Dave Muntzel	1,910	49.39%
	Democratic	Ron Monnig	1,957	50.61%

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).

Missouri Senate — District 21 — Howard County (2016)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Denny Hoskins	2,970	65.36%	+3.81
	Democratic	ElGene Ver Dught	1,254	27.60%	-4.68
	Libertarian	Bill Wayne	320	7.04%	+0.87

Missouri Senate — District 21 — Howard County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	David Pearce	2,835	61.55%
	Democratic	ElGene Ver Dught	1,487	32.28%
	Libertarian	Steven Hedrick	284	6.17%

Federal

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Howard County (2016)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Roy Blunt	2,671	55.27%	+11.59
	Democratic	Jason Kander	1,928	39.89%	-7.89
	Libertarian	Jonathan Dine	134	2.77%	-5.77
	Green	Johnathan McFarland	48	0.99%	+0.99
	Constitution	Fred Ryman	52	1.08%	+1.08

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Howard County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Todd Akin	2,101	43.68%
	Democratic	Claire McCaskill	2,298	47.78%
	Libertarian	Jonathan Dine	411	8.54%

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.

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 4th Congressional District — Howard County (2016)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler	3,131	66.82%	+2.48
	Democratic	Gordon Christensen	1,300	27.74%	-1.25
	Libertarian	Mark Bliss	255	5.44%	-1.23

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 4th Congressional District — Howard County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler	1,833	64.34%	+8.04
	Democratic	Nate Irvin	826	28.99%	-9.25
	Libertarian	Herschel Young	190	6.67%	+2.45

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 4th Congressional District — Howard County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler	2,640	56.30%
	Democratic	Teresa Hensley	1,793	38.24%
	Libertarian	Thomas Holbrook	198	4.22%
	Constitution	Greg Cowan	58	1.24%

Presidential elections results

Presidential elections results[17]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2016	67.3% 3,277	26.4% 1,283	6.3% 308
2012	62.0% 3,017	35.4% 1,723	2.6% 127
2008	55.8% 2,708	41.9% 2,036	2.3% 111
2004	59.2% 2,915	40.1% 1,972	0.7% 34
2000	53.5% 2,414	43.1% 1,944	3.4% 154
1996	36.8% 1,545	47.9% 2,014	15.3% 644
1992	28.2% 1,253	46.9% 2,085	24.9% 1,105
1988	43.2% 1,865	56.6% 2,446	0.3% 11
1984	54.0% 2,360	46.0% 2,014
1980	47.9% 2,179	49.3% 2,243	2.9% 132
1976	37.6% 1,690	61.6% 2,769	0.8% 35
1972	56.2% 2,613	43.9% 2,041
1968	39.1% 1,825	50.0% 2,333	10.9% 507
1964	27.6% 1,339	72.4% 3,507
1960	38.6% 2,075	61.4% 3,302
1956	38.1% 2,177	61.9% 3,542
1952	39.1% 2,340	60.8% 3,635	0.1% 7
1948	27.0% 1,538	72.8% 4,143	0.2% 12
1944	33.0% 1,951	66.9% 3,958	0.2% 9
1940	32.8% 2,333	67.0% 4,770	0.3% 20
1936	24.6% 1,745	75.1% 5,326	0.3% 21
1932	19.9% 1,337	79.5% 5,354	0.7% 46
1928	33.5% 2,254	66.3% 4,452	0.2% 14
1924	27.3% 1,873	69.4% 4,759	3.3% 228
1920	30.9% 2,125	68.7% 4,735	0.4% 28
1916	27.9% 1,121	71.2% 2,866	0.9% 36
1912	23.6% 896	70.5% 2,672	5.9% 223
1908	28.2% 1,141	71.2% 2,884	0.7% 28
1904	30.5% 1,199	68.1% 2,674	1.4% 56
1900	28.8% 1,295	69.6% 3,134	1.7% 76
1896	28.8% 1,353	70.6% 3,317	0.6% 28
1892	28.1% 1,052	68.5% 2,570	3.4% 129
1888	32.5% 1,278	65.5% 2,577	2.0% 80

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

• 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.

Howard County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain	283 (28.44%)
Mike Huckabee	328 (32.96%)
Mitt Romney	319 (32.06%)
Ron Paul	52 (5.23%)

Howard County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Clinton	685 (48.38%)
Barack Obama	660 (46.61%)
John Edwards (withdrawn)	50 (3.53%)
Uncommitted	14 (0.99%)

Cities and towns

• Armstrong
• Boonesboro
• Fayette (county seat)
• Estill
• Franklin
• Glasgow
• New Franklin
• Roanoke
• Sebree

Notable people

• 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

See also

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

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 174.
4. The Story of Little Dixie, Missouri, Missouri Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans Archived July 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 3, 2008
5. T. J. Stiles, Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War, New York: Vintage Books, 2003, pp.10-11
6. NAACP (1919). Thirty Years of Lynching in the United States, 1889—1918. NAACP. pp. 80–81.
7. Lynching in America/ Supplement: Lynchings by County, 3rd edition Archived October 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Montgomery, Alabama: Equal Justice Initiative, 2015, p. 7
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved November 20, 2019.
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
15. Breeding, Marshall. "Howard County Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
16. Breeding, Marshall. "Lewis Library of Glasgow". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

Further reading

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

External links

• Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Howard County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books