Jasper County, Mississippi

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Jasper County, Mississippi
Historic Montrose Presbyterian Church.
Location in the state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location in the U.S.
Founded	1833
Named for	William Jasper
Seat	Bay Springs and Paulding
Largest city	Bay Springs
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	677 sq mi (1,753 km²) 676 sq mi (1,751 km²) 1.2 sq mi (3 km²), 0.2
Population  - (2020)  - Density	16,367
Congressional district	3rd
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	http://www.co.jasper.ms.us/

Jasper County is located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. At the 2020 census, the population was 16,367. In 1906, the state legislature established two county courts, one at the first county seat of Paulding in the eastern part of the county and also one at Bay Springs in the west, where the railroad had been constructed. Jasper County is part of the Laurel, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Bay Springs growth passed that of Paulding. No roadway connected the two parts of the county until one was built in 1935–1936. The still largely rural county is the major producer in the state of gas and oil, located in the southeast, and of timber, cattle, and poultry.

History

Developed during the period of Indian Removal from the Southeast and increasing settlement by European Americans in the region, Jasper County was formed in 1833 from the middle section of what was previously a much larger Jones County. It was named for Sgt. William Jasper who distinguished himself in the defense of Fort Moultrie in 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. When a shell from a British warship shot away the flagstaff, he recovered the flag, raised it on a temporary staff, and held it under fire until a new staff was installed. Sgt. Jasper was killed in the Siege of Savannah in 1779.

During the antebellum years, cotton was cultivated with slave labor on large plantations in the county. This was the heyday of the county seat of Paulding, Mississippi, called the "Queen City of the East." It was a trading center for the plantations, as well as for yeomen farmers in the area. While some African Americans left the county in the early 20th century during the Great Migration out of the rural South to northern cities, in 2010 Jasper County had a population that was 52.6 percent African American, reflecting its history of cotton development and of people's ties to generations in this land.

In the late nineteenth century, when local people declined to invest in railroad construction at Paulding, developers shifted the route to the west, stimulating growth at Bay Springs, where a sawmill had been built in 1880. About 1900 that community was incorporated as a city. In 1906 the state legislature designated Bay Springs as the second county seat. It attracted major timber companies, such as Georgia Pacific, and other industries.

It was not until 1935–1936, during the Great Depression under a WPA project, that the first east–west road was built across the county, connecting the city of Bay Springs in the west with Rose Hill, north of the community of Paulding, in the east.

Medical facilities have been built at Bay Springs, with the Jasper General Hospital operating since 1962. Jasper General Patient Rehab was constructed on the hospital grounds in 2012 to supplement the offerings.

Recreation in the county includes a 9-hole golf course at the Bay Springs Country Club. Fishing and hunting are available, including around Lake Claude Bennett near Rose Hill.

In the 21st century, the county is still largely rural, leading the state in timber, cattle, and poultry production. It is the state's major producer of gas and oil, with resources concentrated near the community of Heidelberg.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 677 square miles (1,750 km²), of which 676 square miles (1,750 km²) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) (0.2%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 59
• U.S. Highway 11
• Mississippi Highway 15
• Mississippi Highway 18

Adjacent counties

• Newton County (north)
• Clarke County (east)
• Wayne County (southeast)
• Jones County (south)
• Smith County (west)

National protected area

• Bienville National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	3,958		—
1850	6,184		56.2%
1860	11,007		78.0%
1870	10,884		−1.1%
1880	12,126		11.4%
1890	14,785		21.9%
1900	15,394		4.1%
1910	18,498		20.2%
1920	18,508		0.1%
1930	18,634		0.7%
1940	19,484		4.6%
1950	18,912		−2.9%
1960	16,909		−10.6%
1970	15,994		−5.4%
1980	17,265		7.9%
1990	17,114		−0.9%
2000	18,149		6.0%
2010	17,062		−6.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 census

Jasper County racial composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	7,541	46.07%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	8,324	50.86%
Native American	28	0.17%
Asian	8	0.05%
Other/Mixed	297	1.81%
Hispanic or Latino	169	1.03%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,367 people, 6,629 households, and 4,746 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 17,062 people living in the county. 52.6% were Black or African American, 46.3% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% of some other race and 0.6% of two or more races. 0.8% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,149 people, 6,708 households, and 4,957 families living in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 7,671 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 52.88% Black or African American, 46.47% White, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,708 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.90% were married couples living together, 18.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.90% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,441, and the median income for a family was $29,951. Males had a median income of $27,183 versus $17,260 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,889. About 19.30% of families and 22.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.90% of those under age 18 and 23.70% of those age 65 or over.

Public education

There are two school districts:

• East Jasper School District
• West Jasper School District

Communities

City

• Bay Springs (county seat)

Towns

• Heidelberg
• Louin
• Montrose

Unincorporated communities

• Garlandville
• Lake Como
• Moss
• Paulding
• Rose Hill
• Stafford Springs
• Stringer
• Vernon
• Vossburg

Ghost town

• Success

In popular culture

The Veteran's Story is a book written by Ada Christine Lightsey. The subject of the book is American Civil War veteran Ransom Lightsey and Company F (Jasper Grays), 16th Mississippi Infantry Regiment.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Jasper County, Mississippi

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	4,302	49.24%	4,341	49.69%	93	1.06%
2016	4,038	47.65%	4,368	51.54%	69	0.81%
2012	4,193	44.89%	5,097	54.57%	50	0.54%
2008	4,135	44.90%	5,025	54.56%	50	0.54%
2004	3,855	48.13%	4,117	51.40%	37	0.46%
2000	3,294	51.09%	3,104	48.15%	49	0.76%
1996	2,615	42.50%	3,170	51.52%	368	5.98%
1992	2,789	43.39%	3,059	47.59%	580	9.02%
1988	3,368	51.25%	3,184	48.45%	20	0.30%
1984	3,727	54.00%	3,104	44.97%	71	1.03%
1980	2,781	41.68%	3,813	57.14%	79	1.18%
1976	2,356	42.74%	3,109	56.39%	48	0.87%
1972	3,597	78.47%	935	20.40%	52	1.13%
1968	373	8.36%	987	22.13%	3,100	69.51%
1964	2,994	92.69%	236	7.31%	0	0.00%
1960	362	14.87%	1,147	47.10%	926	38.03%
1956	287	11.74%	1,958	80.08%	200	8.18%
1952	668	26.30%	1,872	73.70%	0	0.00%
1948	26	1.34%	121	6.23%	1,795	92.43%
1944	47	2.74%	1,667	97.26%	0	0.00%
1940	35	2.00%	1,713	98.00%	0	0.00%
1936	21	1.04%	2,004	98.87%	2	0.10%
1932	38	2.41%	1,526	96.64%	15	0.95%
1928	625	38.97%	979	61.03%	0	0.00%
1924	61	4.62%	1,257	95.30%	1	0.08%
1920	98	9.68%	899	88.83%	15	1.48%
1916	38	3.41%	1,040	93.27%	37	3.32%
1912	12	1.27%	860	91.30%	70	7.43%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Jasper County, Mississippi

External links

• Jasper County Courthouse Pictures
• History of Jasper County
• Jasper County, MS Register of Motor Vehicles & Motorcycles [sic] (MUM00242) at the University of Mississippi, Archives and Special Collections.