Jump River (town), Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Jump River is a town in Taylor County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 311 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from the Jump River
which flows through its northwest corner. There is also a census-designated place
called Jump River located partially in the town.
, the town has a total area of 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²), all of it land.
working for the U.S. government walked the six mile (10 km) square that would become the town of Jump River. They marked off the outline of the township
on foot using compass and chain
. A crew came back in 1855 to survey all the section lines
. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
Barney and Gertrude Broeder were the first settlers in the town, arriving in 1892. Others soon followed. The Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway reached the town in 1904. In 1923, the Town of Jump River was established with its current boundaries.
In 1933 the cut-over east edge of the town of Jump River was designated part of the Chequamegon National Forest
In 2007 an area in the southeast corner was designated the Bear Creek Hemlocks State Natural Area. Among a variety of flora, it contains two stands of old-growth hemlock.
of 2000, there were 311 people, 118 households, and 82 families residing in the town. The population density
was 8.6 people per square mile (3.3/km²). There were 167 housing units at an average density of 4.6 per square mile (1.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.78% White, 1.93% Native American, and 1.29% from two or more races.
There were 118 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples
living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,167, and the median income for a family was $53,125. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,286. About 4.9% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
Taylor County, Wisconsin
Taylor County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 20,689. Its county seat is Medford.-History:The earliest recorded event in Taylor county probably occurred in 1661, when Wisconsin was part of New France...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 311 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from the Jump River
Jump River
The Jump River is a small rocky river in north-central Wisconsin. In the late 19th century it was used to drive logs down to the Chippewa. Today it is recreational, rambling through woods and farmlands, used mostly by fishermen and paddlers.-Geography:...
which flows through its northwest corner. There is also a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
called Jump River located partially in the town.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 town has a total area of 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²), all of it land.
History
In 1847, surveyorsSurveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
working for the U.S. government walked the six mile (10 km) square that would become the town of Jump River. They marked off the outline of the township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
on foot using compass and chain
Gunter's chain
Gunter's chain is a measuring device used for land survey. It was designed and introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter long before the development of the theodolite and other more sophisticated equipment, enabling plots of land to be accurately surveyed and plotted,...
. A crew came back in 1855 to survey all the section lines
Section (United States land surveying)
In U.S. land surveying under the Public Land Survey System , a section is an area nominally one square mile, containing , with 36 sections making up one survey township on a rectangular grid....
. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
This Township contains several swamps and some of considerable extent. They are all unfit for cultivation. The Meadow and AlderAlderAlder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
bottom are all liable to be overflowed to a depth of 1 foot (0.3048 m) or more. and are good for HayHayHay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
. The surface is generally level apart is upland where the soil is 2d rate. This Township is heavily timbered and is cheifly[sic] composed of Hemlock and Y. Birch on low level land, but on upland it is SugarSugar MapleAcer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
LindenTilia americanaTilia americana is a species of Tilia native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Texas, and southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to Cherry County, Nebraska...
W. PineEastern White PinePinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
Balsam and ElmElmElms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
. The undergrowth is Generally thick and is composed of Hemlock, HazelHazelThe hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
, and Balsam. ElmElmElms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
and Balsam line the Margin of the Meadow and Alder Bottoms and also most of the Streams.
Barney and Gertrude Broeder were the first settlers in the town, arriving in 1892. Others soon followed. The Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway reached the town in 1904. In 1923, the Town of Jump River was established with its current boundaries.
In 1933 the cut-over east edge of the town of Jump River was designated part of the Chequamegon National Forest
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is a 1,530,647 acre U.S. National Forest in northern Wisconsin in the United States. Much of the old growth forest in this region was destroyed by logging in the early part of the 20th century...
In 2007 an area in the southeast corner was designated the Bear Creek Hemlocks State Natural Area. Among a variety of flora, it contains two stands of old-growth hemlock.
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 311 people, 118 households, and 82 families residing in the town. 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 8.6 people per square mile (3.3/km²). There were 167 housing units at an average density of 4.6 per square mile (1.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.78% White, 1.93% Native American, and 1.29% from two or more races.
There were 118 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% 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, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,167, and the median income for a family was $53,125. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $22,083 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 town was $18,286. About 4.9% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.