Webster County, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Webster County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Kentucky
. Webster County was formed in 1860 from parts of the counties of Henderson, Hopkins, and Union. As of 2000, the population is 14,120. Its county seat
is Dixon
. The county was named for American statesman Daniel Webster
(1782-1852). It was mainly pro-Confederate
during the American Civil War
and was the site several skirmishes and some guerrilla warfare. It is a prohibition or dry county
.
Webster County is part of the Evansville, IN-KY Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
region of Kentucky
. According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 335.68 square miles (869.4 km²), of which 334.75 square miles (867 km²) (or 99.72%) is land and 0.93 square miles (2.4 km²) (or 0.28%) is water.
of 2000, there were 14,120 people, 5,560 households, and 4,053 families residing in the county. The population density
was 42 /sqmi. There were 6,250 housing units at an average density of 19 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 93.63% White
, 4.67% Black
or African American
, 0.11% Native American
, 0.06% Asian
, 0.08% Pacific Islander
, 0.77% from other races
, and 0.67% from two or more races. 1.90% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 5,560 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples
living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,529, and the median income for a family was $38,208. Males had a median income of $31,149 versus $20,375 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,657. About 12.40% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.80% of those under age 18 and 15.10% of those age 65 or over.
National Association of Counties
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 Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Webster County was formed in 1860 from parts of the counties of Henderson, Hopkins, and Union. As of 2000, the population is 14,120. Its 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 Dixon
Dixon, Kentucky
Dixon is a city in Webster County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 632 at the 2000 census. Dixon, the county seat of Webster county, is located at the junction of US 41A and KY 132. It was established in 1860 when the county was formed...
. The county was named for American statesman Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
(1782-1852). It was mainly pro-Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and was the site several skirmishes and some guerrilla warfare. It is a 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...
.
Webster County is part of the Evansville, IN-KY Metropolitan Statistical Area
Evansville, IN-KY Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Evansville, IN-KY Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 142nd largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States. The primary city is Evansville, Indiana. Other Indiana cities include Boonville, Mount Vernon, Oakland City, and Princeton...
.
Geography
Webster County is part of the Western Coal FieldsWestern Coal Fields
thumb|right|Regions of Kentucky, with the Western Coal Fields shown in brownThe Western Coal Fields of Kentucky compose an area in the west-central part of the state, bounded by the Dripping Springs Escarpment. This area is bordered on three sides by the Pennyroyal Plateau and to the north by the...
region of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 335.68 square miles (869.4 km²), of which 334.75 square miles (867 km²) (or 99.72%) is land and 0.93 square miles (2.4 km²) (or 0.28%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Henderson CountyHenderson County, KentuckyHenderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1799. As the latest census data update of 2010, the population was counted 46,250. The county seat is the City of Henderson. The county was named for Colonel Richard Henderson who originally purchased of land...
(north) - McLean CountyMcLean County, KentuckyMcLean County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky; its population was 9,938 in the 2000 Census. McLean County's county seat is at Calhoun....
(northeast) - Hopkins CountyHopkins County, KentuckyHopkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2000, the population was 46,519. Its county seat is Madisonville. The county is named for General Samuel Hopkins, an officer in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and later a Kentucky legislator...
(southeast) - Caldwell CountyCaldwell County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 12,984 people, with 6,292 households in the county.-Communities:*Bakers*Baldwin Ford*Black Hawk*The Bluff*Cedar Bluff*Claxton*Cobb*Cresswell*Crider*Crowtown*Enon*Farmersville*Flat Rock*Friendship*Fryer...
(south) - Crittenden CountyCrittenden County, KentuckyCrittenden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky.It was formed in 1842. As of 2000, the population was 9,384. Its county seat is Marion. The county is named for John J. Crittenden who was Governor of Kentucky 1848-1850...
(southwest) - Union CountyUnion County, KentuckyUnion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1811. As of 2010, the population was 15,007. Its county seat is Morganfield.-Geography:Union County is part of the Western Coal Fields region of Kentucky...
(northwest)
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 14,120 people, 5,560 households, and 4,053 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 42 /sqmi. There were 6,250 housing units at an average density of 19 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 93.63% 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...
, 4.67% 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...
, 0.11% 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...
, 0.08% 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...
, 0.77% 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 0.67% from two or more races. 1.90% 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 5,560 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% 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, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,529, and the median income for a family was $38,208. Males had a median income of $31,149 versus $20,375 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 $15,657. About 12.40% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.80% of those under age 18 and 15.10% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
|
Providence, Kentucky Providence is a city in Webster County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,611 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Providence, Rhode Island.... Sebree, Kentucky Sebree is a city in Webster County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,558 at the 2000 census. In 1868, a town was founded by William Scott and Colonel E. G. Sebree of Trenton, Kentucky. The L & N Railroad was begun in 1850 but was not completed until after the American Civil War... |
Slaughters, Kentucky Slaughters is a city in Webster County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 238 at the 2000 census. Slaughters lies just west of US 41 and 9 miles east of Dixon. According to local tradition, it was named for Gustavus G... Wheatcroft, Kentucky Wheatcroft is a city in Webster County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 173 at the 2000 census. Wheatcroft, a coal town with post office, is on KY 109 and the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, 8½ miles west of Dixon.... |
Government officials
- County Judge/Executive - James "Jim" Townsend
- Magistrate - Tony Felker
- Magistrate - Pete O'Nan
- County Attorney - William Prow
- Coroner - Larry Vanover
- Sheriff - Frankie Springfield
- Jailer - Terry Elder
- County Surveyor - Garland Whitledge
- Property Valuation Administrator - Jeffrey Kelley
- County Clerk - Valerie Franklin
- Circuit Clerk - Amy Villines
National Association of Counties
Notable natives
- Robert A. BakerRobert A. BakerRobert Allen Baker Jr. was an American psychologist, skeptic, author, and investigator of ghosts, UFO abductions, lake monsters and other paranormal phenomena. He wrote 15 books and is a Past Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.-Early life:Baker was born in 1921 in the little community...
, psychologist, author, influential skepticScientific skepticismScientific skepticism is the practice of questioning the veracity of claims lacking empirical evidence or reproducibility, as part of a methodological norm pursuing "the extension of certified knowledge". For example, Robert K...
, and Past Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry - William O. HeadWilliam O. HeadWilliam O. Head was mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1909 to 1913.-Biography:He was on July 29, 1859 in Providence, Kentucky to John Wilson Head and Mary A. Headly. His father was a captain in the Confederate Army during the Civil War...
, mayor of Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
from 1909 to 1913 - Kristen JohnsonKristen JohnsonKristen Lynn Johnson is a beauty queen who has represented Kentucky at both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.-Miss Kentucky USA:Before Johnson returned to the USA pageant stage, she competed and won the title Miss Model of Kentucky....
, Miss Kentucky USAMiss Kentucky USAThe Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs...
2005, 2nd runner-up Miss USAMiss USAThe Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
2005, Miss Kentucky Teen USAMiss Kentucky Teen USAThe Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Kentucky is ranked eight in terms of place and value of placements across all twenty-three years of competition at Miss Teen USA. When this is broken down to...
2000, 2nd runner-up Miss Teen USAMiss Teen USAMiss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
2000, Miss Photogenic - Chris KnightChris Knight (musician)Chris Knight is a singer and songwriter from Kentucky. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis among others...
, musician/songwriter. - Cale Young RiceCale Young RiceCale Young Rice was an American poet and dramatist.He was born in Dixon, Kentucky to Laban Marchbanks Rice, a Confederate veteran and tobacco merchant, and his wife Martha Lacy. He was a younger brother of Laban Lacy Rice, a noted educator. Cale Rice grew up in Evansville, Indiana and Louisville,...
, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and dramatistPlaywrightA playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. - Laban Lacy RiceLaban Lacy RiceLaban Lacy Rice was an educator, author, and President of Cumberland University.He was born in Dixon, Kentucky to Laban Marchbanks Rice, a Confederate veteran and prominent tobacco merchant, and his wife Martha Lacy. He was an older brother of the poet Cale Young Rice...
, educator, author, and President of Cumberland UniversityCumberland UniversityCumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:... - Garrett L. WithersGarrett L. WithersGarrett Lee Withers , a Democrat, represented Kentucky in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives....
, represented KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
in both the United States SenateUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and the House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe 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...
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Webster County, Kentucky