Maury County, Tennessee

Maury County (/ˈmʌri/ MURR-ee) is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee, in the Middle Tennessee region. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,956.[2] Its county seat is Columbia.[3]

Maury County
U.S. county
Maury County Courthouse in Columbia
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°37′N 87°05′W
Country United States
State Tennessee
Founded1807
Named forAbram Poindexter Maury[1]
SeatColumbia
Largest citySpring Hill
Area
 • Total616 sq mi (1,600 km2)
 • Land613 sq mi (1,590 km2)
 • Water2.4 sq mi (6 km2)  0.4%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
96,387
 • Density147/sq mi (57/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts4th, 7th
Websitewww.maurycounty-tn.gov
Estimate

Maury County is part of the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was formed in 1807 from Williamson County and Indian lands. Maury County was named in honor of Major Abram Poindexter Maury of Williamson County, who was a member of the Tennessee legislature, and an uncle of Commodore Matthew Fontaine Maury.[1]

The rich soil of Maury County led to a thriving agricultural sector, starting in the 19th century. The county was part of a 41-county region that became known and legally defined as Middle Tennessee. Planters in Maury County formerly relied on the labor of African-American slaves to raise and process cotton, tobacco, and livestock (especially dairy cattle). Racial violence was less than in some areas, but the county had five documented lynchings in the period from 1877 to 1950, of which three took place in the early 20th century.[4]

With the mechanization of agriculture, particularly from the 1930s, the need for farm labor in the county was reduced. Also, many African Americans moved to northern and midwestern industrial cities in the 20th century for the employment opportunities, particularly during the Great Migration. This movement out of the county continued after World War II. Other changes have led to increased population since the late 20th century, and the county has led the state in beef cattle production.[1]

Columbia Race Riot of 1946

On the night of February 26–27, 1946, a disturbance known as the "Columbia Race Riot" took place in Columbia, the county seat. It was the first time in Tennessee that black Americans had fought together to defend themselves from a white mob. The national press called it the first "major racial confrontation" after the Second World War.[5] It marked a new spirit of resistance by African-American veterans and others following their participation in World War II, which they believed had earned them their full rights as citizens, despite the Jim Crow laws.[6]

It began when James Stephenson, an African-American Navy veteran, was in a store with his mother, who complained when she learned that a radio she had left for repair had been sold. A white repair apprentice, Billy Fleming, struck her. Stephenson had been a welterweight on the Navy boxing team and sent Fleming through a glass window. Both Stephenson and his mother were arrested, and Fleming's father convinced the sheriff to charge them with attempted murder. When they learned that Fleming had gone to a hospital, a white mob gathered and it was feared the Stephensons would be lynched.[7]

Julius Blair, a 76-year-old store owner in the black community, arranged to have the Stephensons released to his custody. He drove them out of town for their protection. The mob did not disperse, so about one hundred African American men patrolled their neighborhood south of the courthouse square, determined to resist. Four police officers were shot and wounded when they entered "Mink Slide", the name given to the African-American business district, also known as "The Bottom". Following the attack on the police, the city government requested state troopers, who were sent and soon outnumbered the black patrollers. Unbelievably, the state troopers began ransacking black businesses and rounding up African Americans. They cut the phone service to Mink Slide, but the owner of a funeral home managed to call Nashville and ask for help from the NAACP. The county jail was soon overcrowded with black "suspects", who were questioned for days without counsel. Two black men were killed and one wounded, allegedly while "trying to escape."[8] About 25 black men were eventually charged with rioting and attempted murder.

The NAACP sent Thurgood Marshall as the lead attorney to defend Stephenson and the other prisoners. He gained a change of venue to a nearby town, where trials took place throughout the summer of 1946. Marshall was assisted by two local attorneys, Zephaniah Alexander Looby, originally from the British West Indies, and Maurice Weaver, a white activist from Nashville. Marshall was also preparing litigation for education and voting rights cases.

Marshall gained acquittals for 23 of the black defendants, even with an all-white jury.[5] At the last murder trials in November 1946, Marshall won also acquittal for Rooster Bill Pillow, and a reduction in the sentence of Papa Kennedy, allowing him to go free on bail.[9]

In 1954 Marshall would gain a ruling by the United States Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. He was later was appointed as the first black United States Supreme Court justice. Zephania Looby was later elected to the Nashville City Council.[10]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 616 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 613 square miles (1,590 km2) is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) (0.4%) is water.[11]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State protected areas

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
181010,359—
182022,141113.7%
183027,66524.9%
184028,1861.9%
185029,5204.7%
186032,49810.1%
187036,28911.7%
188039,90410.0%
189038,112−4.5%
190042,70312.0%
191040,456−5.3%
192035,403−12.5%
193034,016−3.9%
194040,35718.6%
195040,3680.0%
196041,6993.3%
197043,3764.0%
198051,09517.8%
199054,8127.3%
200069,49826.8%
201080,95616.5%
Est. 201996,387[12]19.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2014[2]
Age pyramid Maury County[17]

As of the census[18] of 2010, there were 80,932 people and 33,332 households residing in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile (51/km²).[19] There were 37,470 housing units at an average density of 61 per square mile (24/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.4% White, 11.9% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.44% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. 5.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[20]

There were 26,444 households out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,591, and the median income for a family was $48,010. Males had a median income of $37,675 versus $23,334 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,365. About 8.30% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 12.10% of those age 65 or over.

There were declines in population and declines in population growth from 1900 to 1930, and from 1940 to 1970. These periods related to the migration of people from rural to urban areas for work, especially as mechanization reduced the need for agricultural laborers. In addition, these time periods related to the Great Migration of African Americans out of the Jim Crow South to northern and midwestern industrial cities for more opportunities. The African-American population became highly urbanized. Expansion of the railroads, auto and steel industries provided new work opportunities in the early 20th century.

Transportation

Interstate 65 runs along the eastern portion of Maury County for about 18 miles (29 km), bypassing Columbia and Spring Hill. State Route 396 is a short controlled-access highway that connects I-65 to Spring Hill. U.S. Route 31, which parallels I-65 its entire length through Tennessee, runs through Columbia and Spring Hill, and U.S. Route 431 runs for a short distance in the northeastern corner of the county. The northern terminus of U.S. Route 43 and the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 412 are both located in Columbia. Other major state routes include 6, 7, 20, 50, and 99. Secondary state routes include 166, 243, 245, 246, 247, and 373.[21]

The Maury County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) northeast of the central business district of Mount Pleasant[22] and 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) southwest of Columbia.[23]

Education

Maury County Public Schools operates public schools in the county.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Notable people
  • Cordie Cheek (1916–1933) – 19-year-old black youth lynched in 1933 by a mob including county officials, after being falsely accused of rape[24]
  • James P. Eagle (1837–1904) – 16th Governor of Arkansas[25]
  • Sam. R. Watkins (1839–1901) – author of Co. Aytch (1882)

Politics
Presidential election results
Presidential election results[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 67.3% 23,799 28.4% 10,038 4.3% 1,532
2012 62.7% 20,708 35.8% 11,825 1.4% 473
2008 60.1% 20,288 38.7% 13,058 1.3% 421
2004 58.3% 17,505 41.2% 12,379 0.5% 159
2000 51.0% 11,930 47.6% 11,127 1.5% 343
1996 42.5% 8,737 50.4% 10,367 7.2% 1,470
1992 36.4% 7,440 48.9% 9,997 14.8% 3,022
1988 56.8% 8,397 42.5% 6,280 0.8% 111
1984 56.2% 9,008 43.4% 6,950 0.5% 75
1980 44.2% 6,637 52.9% 7,957 2.9% 436
1976 37.3% 5,327 61.3% 8,747 1.3% 191
1972 66.3% 7,371 29.3% 3,262 4.4% 488
1968 20.9% 3,048 23.3% 3,401 55.8% 8,148
1964 37.4% 4,605 62.6% 7,716
1960 38.0% 4,133 60.8% 6,615 1.2% 131
1956 29.4% 2,853 68.6% 6,662 2.0% 191
1952 32.6% 3,582 67.1% 7,377 0.3% 36
1948 15.9% 895 51.6% 2,906 32.6% 1,834
1944 13.4% 747 86.3% 4,814 0.3% 18
1940 12.2% 634 87.3% 4,529 0.4% 23
1936 11.5% 497 88.1% 3,809 0.4% 19
1932 13.5% 535 85.8% 3,392 0.6% 25
1928 27.2% 1,362 72.8% 3,652
1924 21.4% 844 76.1% 3,000 2.5% 100
1920 33.5% 1,379 65.5% 2,693 1.0% 41
1916 24.6% 720 74.1% 2,169 1.3% 37
1912 18.3% 615 68.7% 2,309 13.0% 437
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See also

References
  1. Marise P. Lightfoot, "Maury County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 11 March 2013.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. Lynching in America, 2nd edition Archived 2018-06-27 at the Wayback Machine, Supplement by County, p. 6
  5. King (2012), Devil in the Grove, p. 8
  6. King, Gilbert; Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America, HarperCollins, 2012, pp. 7-20
  7. King (2012), Devil in the Grove, p. 11
  8. King (2012), Devil in the Grove, p. 13
  9. King (2012), Devil in the Grove, p. 14
  10. Carroll Van West. "Columbia race riot, 1946". Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  11. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  12. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  13. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  15. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  16. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  17. Based on 2000 census data
  18. "Census.gov/Quickfacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  19. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Maury County, Tennessee". www.census.gov. 2017. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  20. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Maury County, Tennessee". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  21. Tennessee Department of Transportation Long Range Planning Division Office of Data Visualization (2018). Maury County (PDF) (Map). Tennessee Department of Transportation.
  22. FAA Airport Master Record for MRC (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective August 25, 2011.
  23. "Distance and heading from Columbia, TN (35°36'54"N 87°02'40"W) to Maury County Airport (35°33'16"N 87°10'45"W)". Great Circle Mapper. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  24. King, Gilbert (2012). Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys and the Dawn of a New America. p. 12.
  25. "Arkansas Governor James Philip Eagle". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  26. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-11.

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