Newton County, Arkansas
Encyclopedia
Newton County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of Arkansas
. As of 2010, the population is 8,330. The county seat
is Jasper
. Newton County is Arkansas's 46th county, formed on December 14, 1842, and named for Thomas W. Newton
, an Arkansas Congressman
. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county
.
Newton County part of the Harrison
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
Newton County residents were very divided during the Civil War, serving in both the Confederate and Union armies. John Cecil, who had earlier served as Newton County's sheriff, served as a Confederate Captain. Jasper blacksmith James R. Vanderpool (ca. 1832-1880) served as Captain of Union Company C, 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers
, while farmer and teacher John McCoy (1820–1903) served as Captain of Union Company F, 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers
. Many Newton County citizens served under each of these men, as well as in other units. As an example of how the war divided families, Confederate Captain Cecil's brother, Sam, served as a sergeant in Union Company D, 2nd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers
. Violence took a severe toll on the civilian population, and at one point, Captains McCoy and Vanderpool escorted 20 wagons of Unionist families from Newton County to Missouri to seek refuge.
Newton County lies almost entirely within the rugged Boston Mountain
range of the Ozark Mountains where elevations exceed 2500 feet (762 m). The Buffalo National River
, a popular destination for canoeing and recreation, runs through the county from west to east. Highway 7, which traverses the county from north to south, has been rated as one of the most scenic drives in the region.
of 2000, there were 8,608 people, 3,500 households, and 2,495 families residing in the county. The population density
was 4/km² (10/sq mi), one of the most sparse among county populations in Arkansas. There were 4,316 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.29% White
, 0.00% Black
or African American
, 0.56% Native American
, 0.06% Asian
, 0.00% Pacific Islander
, 0.09% from other races
, and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 3,500 households out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples
living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.90% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 102.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $24,756, and the median income for a family was $30,134. Males had a median income of $22,406 versus $17,654 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $13,788. About 15.70% of families and 20.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.80% of those under age 18 and 16.90% of those age 65 or over.
Native residents of Newton County were interviewed in 1970 for research being done by a doctoral student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. A Ph.D. degree was awarded to Bethany K. Dumas in May 1971 after she completed "A Study of the Dialect of Newton County, Arkansas." Results are discussed in two of her published articles/chapters: “The Morphology of Newton County, Arkansas: An Exercise in Studying Ozark Dialect,” Mid–South Folklore 3 (1975), 115–125, and “Southern Mountain English” Chapter 5 of The Workings of Language, ed. R. S. Wheeler, Westport, CT, and London: Praeger, 1999, 67-79.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. As of 2010, the population is 8,330. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Jasper
Jasper, Arkansas
Jasper is a city in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 498 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Newton County.Jasper is part of the Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. Newton County is Arkansas's 46th county, formed on December 14, 1842, and named for Thomas W. Newton
Thomas Willoughby Newton
Thomas Willoughby Newton was a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives from the State of Arkansas....
, an Arkansas Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
.
Newton County part of the Harrison
Harrison, Arkansas
Harrison is a city in Boone County, Arkansas, United States. It is the county seat. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,108. Boone County was organized in 1869, during reconstruction after the civil war. Harrison was platted and made the county seat. It is...
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Harrison micropolitan area
The Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas, anchored by the city of Harrison....
.
History
"Newton County was formed in 1842 and named for Thomas W. Newton, an Arkansas Congressman. The Choctaw Indians once lived in the hill country. The landscapes of Newton County are the rugged and mountainous Ozark Mountains. The Ozark National Forest provides wilderness hiking, backpacking, camping, and hunting. The Buffalo National River, the nation's first federally protected river, is one of the last free-flowing streams in mid-America and offers clear blue water for fishing and canoeing along the towering limestone bluffs. The county seat is Jasper where the county courthouse is located. As of the 2000 census, Newton County had a population of 8,608 residents."Newton County residents were very divided during the Civil War, serving in both the Confederate and Union armies. John Cecil, who had earlier served as Newton County's sheriff, served as a Confederate Captain. Jasper blacksmith James R. Vanderpool (ca. 1832-1880) served as Captain of Union Company C, 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers
1st Arkansas Infantry (Union)
The 1st Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although Arkansas joined the Confederate States of America in 1861, not all of its citizens supported secession...
, while farmer and teacher John McCoy (1820–1903) served as Captain of Union Company F, 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers
1st Arkansas Infantry (Union)
The 1st Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although Arkansas joined the Confederate States of America in 1861, not all of its citizens supported secession...
. Many Newton County citizens served under each of these men, as well as in other units. As an example of how the war divided families, Confederate Captain Cecil's brother, Sam, served as a sergeant in Union Company D, 2nd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers
2nd Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry (Union)
The 2nd Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although Arkansas joined the Confederate States of America in 1861, not all of its citizens supported secession...
. Violence took a severe toll on the civilian population, and at one point, Captains McCoy and Vanderpool escorted 20 wagons of Unionist families from Newton County to Missouri to seek refuge.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 823.18 square miles (2,132 km²), of which 822.97 square miles (2,131.5 km²) (or 99.97%) is land and 0.21 square mile (0.5438975031 km²) (or 0.03%) is water.Newton County lies almost entirely within the rugged Boston Mountain
Boston Mountains
The Boston Mountains area is a high and deeply dissected plateau located in northern Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. The Oklahoma portion of the range is locally referred to as the Cookson Hills. The rocks of the region are essentially little disturbed, flat-lying sedimentary layers of the Paleozoic...
range of the Ozark Mountains where elevations exceed 2500 feet (762 m). The Buffalo National River
Buffalo National River
The Buffalo River, located in northern Arkansas, was the first National River to be designated in the United States. The Buffalo River is slightly more than in length, with the lower flowing within the boundaries of an area managed by the National Park Service, where it is designated the '. The...
, a popular destination for canoeing and recreation, runs through the county from west to east. Highway 7, which traverses the county from north to south, has been rated as one of the most scenic drives in the region.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 65
Arkansas Highway 7
Arkansas Highway 16
Arkansas Highway 21
Arkansas Highway 43
Arkansas Highway 74
Arkansas Highway 123
Adjacent counties
- Boone CountyBoone County, ArkansasBoone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,903. The county seat is Harrison. Boone County is Arkansas's 62nd county, formed on April 9, 1869. Boone County is part of the Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Boone County...
(north) - Searcy County (east)
- Pope County (southeast)
- Johnson County (south)
- Madison CountyMadison County, ArkansasMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 15,717. The county seat is Huntsville. The county was formed on September 30, 1836, and named for James Madison, President of the United States...
(west) - Carroll County (northwest)
National protected areas
- Buffalo National RiverBuffalo National RiverThe Buffalo River, located in northern Arkansas, was the first National River to be designated in the United States. The Buffalo River is slightly more than in length, with the lower flowing within the boundaries of an area managed by the National Park Service, where it is designated the '. The...
(part) - Ozark National Forest (part)
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 8,608 people, 3,500 households, and 2,495 families residing in the county. 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 4/km² (10/sq mi), one of the most sparse among county populations in Arkansas. There were 4,316 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.29% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.00% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.56% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.06% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.00% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.09% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 3,500 households out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% 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, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.90% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 102.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $24,756, and the median income for a family was $30,134. Males had a median income of $22,406 versus $17,654 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 county was $13,788. About 15.70% of families and 20.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.80% of those under age 18 and 16.90% of those age 65 or over.
Native residents of Newton County were interviewed in 1970 for research being done by a doctoral student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. A Ph.D. degree was awarded to Bethany K. Dumas in May 1971 after she completed "A Study of the Dialect of Newton County, Arkansas." Results are discussed in two of her published articles/chapters: “The Morphology of Newton County, Arkansas: An Exercise in Studying Ozark Dialect,” Mid–South Folklore 3 (1975), 115–125, and “Southern Mountain English” Chapter 5 of The Workings of Language, ed. R. S. Wheeler, Westport, CT, and London: Praeger, 1999, 67-79.
Unincorporated
- BassBass, ArkansasBass is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Bass is located on Arkansas Highway 74 southeast of Jasper....
- ComptonCompton, ArkansasCompton is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Compton is located on Arkansas Highway 43 southwest of Harrison. Compton has a post office with ZIP code 72624....
- DeerDeer, ArkansasDeer is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Deer is located on Arkansas Highway 16 south of Jasper. Deer has a post office with ZIP code 72628....
- HastyHasty, ArkansasHasty is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Hasty is located on Arkansas Highway 123 east of Jasper. Hasty has a post office with ZIP code 72640....
- Marble FallsMarble Falls, ArkansasMarble Falls is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. It lies along Arkansas's National Scenic 7 Bywaybetween Harrison and Jasper. The Marble Falls Post Office is located in the parking lot of the now defunct theme park called Dogpatch USA...
- Mount JudeaMount Judea, ArkansasMount Judea is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Mount Judea is located at the junction of Arkansas Highway 74 and Arkansas Highway 123 southeast of Jasper. Mount Judea has a post office with ZIP code 72655....
- ParthenonParthenon, ArkansasParthenon is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Parthenon is located on Arkansas Highway 327 southwest of Jasper. Parthenon has a post office with ZIP code 72666....
- PoncaPonca, ArkansasPonca is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Ponca is located on Arkansas Highway 43 west of Jasper. Ponca has a post office with ZIP code 72670....
- VendorVendor, ArkansasVendor is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. The ZIP Code is 72683. It connects with Mt. Judea and Piercetown. It is home to many things such as a creek that runs from Deer all the way past Piercetown.-External Links:*...
- WaytonWayton, ArkansasWayton is an unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Wayton is located on Arkansas Highway 327 south-southwest of Jasper....
Townships
- Big Creek
- Boston
- Grove (Western GroveWestern Grove, ArkansasWestern Grove is a town in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 407 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Western Grove is located at ....
) - Hasty
- Hickory Grove
- Hudson
- Jackson (JasperJasper, ArkansasJasper is a city in Newton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 498 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Newton County.Jasper is part of the Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
) - Jefferson
- Jones
- Kentucky
- Lincoln
- Low Gap
- Marble Falls
- Murray
- Osage
- Ponca
- Pleasant Hill
- Plumlee
- Polk
- Prairie
- Richland
- Van Buren
- White