Chauncey, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Chauncey is a village in Athens County
, Ohio
, United States
. The population was 1,067 at the 2000 census. The local residents pronounce the village name ˈtʃænsi (the same as the local pronunciation of "chancy"). The village is located near The Plains
.
just above its confluence with the Hocking River
. Much of the village is in low-lying flood plain and even floodway, and so is prone to flooding.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
well and salt production works on his farm in the early 1830s, but then sold the concern in 1833 to a partnership who then reconveyed the expanded business in 1837-38 to another partnership, Ewing and Vinton. These men brought in Philadelphia capitalists Nicholas Biddle and Elihu Chauncey. In 1839, they laid out the village of Chauncey on the 400 acres (1.6 km²) farm, based on salt production as an industry. The original village comprised the part of the modern village that is today west of the railroad line, and the salt works were west of this area, towards Coal Run Road. Around 1905, coal
mines opened in the area, and coal mining was then a thriving concern for the next half-century. Today, Chauncey is generally a bedroom community with no industry.
of 2000, there were 1,067 people, 431 households, and 286 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,592.1 people per square mile (614.9/km²). There were 483 housing units at an average density of 720.7 per square mile (278.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.72% White, 1.59% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.62% Asian, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 431 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $24,821, and the median income for a family was $30,865. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,536 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $12,052. About 21.8% of families and 25.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.
. They are also served by the Athens County Public Libraries
with branches in Albany
, Athens
, Chauncey, Coolville
, Glouster
, Nelsonville
, and The Plains
.
The community owns the 127 acre (0.51395122 km²) Chauncey-Dover Community Park, formerly strip mine lands acquired by the United States Forest Service
and ceded to the village.
Athens County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,223 people, 22,501 households, and 12,713 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 24,901 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,067 at the 2000 census. The local residents pronounce the village name ˈtʃænsi (the same as the local pronunciation of "chancy"). The village is located near The Plains
The Plains, Ohio
The Plains is a census-designated place in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,931 at the 2000 census.-Geography:The Plains is located at ....
.
Folklore
Local legend explains the unusual pronunciation of the village's name in several possible ways:- During the nineteenth century, Chauncey was a prominent stop on the Underground RailroadUnderground RailroadThe Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. The assumption was that those who come from far away and had merely read the name would seek directions using the phonetic pronunciation, identifying these individuals as Southerners in search of escaped slaves. Locals would then point these travelers in the wrong way. - Another local legend regarding the name relates to the fact that Chauncey was a mining town. It says that the owners of the mines had the name of the town pronounced "Chancey," so that any people that came in wishing to unionize the mines would be recognized immediately, by their pronunciation of the name of the town.
- Yet another version holds that the name change occurred during ProhibitionProhibitionProhibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, when it was necessary to recognize outsiders.
Geography
Chauncey is located at 39°24′0"N 82°7′43"W (39.400100, -82.128569), along Sunday CreekSunday Creek
Sunday Creek is a tributary of the Hocking River, 27.2 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Hocking and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining 139 square miles in a mainly rural area of the Allegheny Plateau region...
just above its confluence with the Hocking River
Hocking River
The Hocking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio in the United States.The Hocking flows mostly on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, but its headwaters are in a glaciated region...
. Much of the village is in low-lying flood plain and even floodway, and so is prone to flooding.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
History
Chauncey was established on land once owned by Resolved Fuller. Fuller created a saltSalt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
well and salt production works on his farm in the early 1830s, but then sold the concern in 1833 to a partnership who then reconveyed the expanded business in 1837-38 to another partnership, Ewing and Vinton. These men brought in Philadelphia capitalists Nicholas Biddle and Elihu Chauncey. In 1839, they laid out the village of Chauncey on the 400 acres (1.6 km²) farm, based on salt production as an industry. The original village comprised the part of the modern village that is today west of the railroad line, and the salt works were west of this area, towards Coal Run Road. Around 1905, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mines opened in the area, and coal mining was then a thriving concern for the next half-century. Today, Chauncey is generally a bedroom community with no industry.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,067 people, 431 households, and 286 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,592.1 people per square mile (614.9/km²). There were 483 housing units at an average density of 720.7 per square mile (278.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.72% White, 1.59% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.62% Asian, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 431 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $24,821, and the median income for a family was $30,865. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,536 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $12,052. About 21.8% of families and 25.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.
Public services
The residents of Chauncey are served by the Athens City School District and Athens High SchoolAthens High School (The Plains, Ohio)
Athens High School is a public high school in The Plains, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Athens City School District []. Their mascot is a Bulldog and their colors are green and gold....
. They are also served by the Athens County Public Libraries
Athens County Public Libraries
The Athens County Public Libraries were originally known as the Nelsonville Public Library. The original facility in Nelsonville was created in 1935 as an outgrowth of the Nelsonville school system.The library system has an inventory of about 300,000 items...
with branches in Albany
Albany, Ohio
Albany is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 808 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Albany is located at ....
, Athens
Athens, Ohio
Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...
, Chauncey, Coolville
Coolville, Ohio
Not to be confused with Coolsville, Ohio, a fictional city in the cartoon series Scooby Doo.Coolville is a village located in Troy Township, Athens County, Ohio, United States, in the extreme southeast of the state...
, Glouster
Glouster, Ohio
Glouster is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,972 at the 2000 census. It is close to Burr Oak State Park.-History:...
, Nelsonville
Nelsonville, Ohio
Nelsonville is a city in northwestern Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,230 at the 2000 census. Hocking College is located in Nelsonville.-Geography:...
, and The Plains
The Plains, Ohio
The Plains is a census-designated place in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,931 at the 2000 census.-Geography:The Plains is located at ....
.
The community owns the 127 acre (0.51395122 km²) Chauncey-Dover Community Park, formerly strip mine lands acquired by the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
and ceded to the village.