Familypedia
Familypedia
Advertisement
This article is based on the corresponding article in another wiki. For Familypedia purposes, it requires significantly more historical detail on phases of this location's development. The ideal article for a place will give the reader a feel for what it was like to live at that location at the time their relatives were alive there. Also desirable are links to organizations that may be repositories of genealogical information..
Please help to improve this page yourself if you can.


Fentress County, Tennessee
Fentress-County-Courthouse-east-tn1
Fentress County Courthouse in Jamestown
Map of Tennessee highlighting Fentress County
Location in the state of Tennessee
Map of the U.S
Tennessee's location in the U.S.
Founded November 28, 1823
Named for James Fentress, state legislator[1]
Seat Jamestown
Largest city Jamestown
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

499 sq mi (1,292 km²)
499 sq mi (1,292 km²)
0.3 sq mi (1 km²), 0.06%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

18,489 increase
36/sq mi (14/km²)
Congressional district 6th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.fentresscountytn.gov
Footnotes: [2][3]

Fentress County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,489.[4] Its county seat is Jamestown.[5]

History[]

Pumping water in Wilder, Fentress County TN 1942

Pumping water by hand in 1942 from the sole water supply in this section of Wilder, Tennessee in Fentress County

Fentress County was formed on November 28, 1823, from portions of Morgan, Overton and White counties.[3] The resulting county was named for James Fentress[6] (1763–1843), who served as speaker of the state house, chairman of Montgomery County Court, and commissioner to select seats for Haywood, Carroll, Gibson and Weakley counties in West Tennessee.[1]

Fentress County was the site of several saltpeter mines. Saltpeter is the main ingredient of gunpowder and was obtained by leaching the earth from local caves. The largest mine was in York Cave, near the Wolf River Post Office. At one time, twenty-five large leaching vats were in operation in this cave. According to Barr (1961) this cave was mined during the Civil War. Buffalo Cave near Jamestown was also a major mine with twelve leaching vats. Manson Saltpeter Cave in Big Indian Creek Valley was a smaller operation with four leaching vats. These caves may also have been mined during the War of 1812, as saltpeter mining was widespread in Kentucky and Tennessee during that era.[7]

In the runup to the American Civil War, when Tennessee Governor Harris asked the State Legislature for a vote of secession, the two representatives from Fentress County (Reese T. Hildreth and R. H. Bledsoe) voted for Secession.

Alvin York (1887–1964), a hero at the Meuse-Argonne Offensive during World War I, was born and lived in Fentress County. He established the Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute in Jamestown in 1924.[8] York's house and farm are part of Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park in Pall Mall.

County Officials[]

County Executive: Jimmy Johnson
County Sheriff: Michael Reagon
County Register of Deeds: Trish Slaven
County Road Supervisor: Joey Reagan
County Property Assessor: Melynda Sullivan
County Trustee: Angie Sweet
Circuit Court Clerk: Gina Miller
County Clerk: Marylin Stephens
County Emergency Management Director: James Bilbrey
County 911 Director: Richard Cross
County Fire Chief: Scott King
County Emergency Services Director: Micah Dunford
County Finance Director: Tyler Arms
Clerk and Master: Linda Smith
Election Commission Director: Joey Williams
General Sessions Judge: Todd Burnett
Solid Waste Director: Michael Rick
Library Director: Donna Conatser

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 499 square miles (1,290 km2), of which 499 square miles (1,290 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.06%) is water.[9]

Fentress County includes part of Dale Hollow Reservoir and is drained by forks of the Obey and Cumberland Rivers.

The county is the easternmost county in the United States to observe Central Time.

Adjacent counties[]

Fentress-county-cumberland-plateau-tn1

Valley of the Three Forks near Pall Mall, with the Cumberland Plateau dominating the horizon

National protected area[]

  • Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (part)

State protected areas[]

  • Catoosa Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Colditz Cove State Natural Area
  • Pickett State Forest (part)
  • Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area
  • Scott State Forest (part)
  • Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park
  • Skinner Mountain Wildlife Management Area
  • Twin Arches State Natural Area (part)

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1830 2,748
1840 3,550 29.2%
1850 4,454 25.5%
1860 5,054 13.5%
1870 4,717 −6.7%
1880 5,941 25.9%
1890 5,226 −12.0%
1900 6,106 16.8%
1910 7,446 21.9%
1920 10,435 40.1%
1930 11,036 5.8%
1940 14,262 29.2%
1950 14,917 4.6%
1960 13,288 −10.9%
1970 12,593 −5.2%
1980 14,826 17.7%
1990 14,669 −1.1%
2000 16,625 13.3%
2010 17,958 8.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[4]
USA Fentress County, Tennessee

Age pyramid Fentress County[14]

2020 census[]

Fentress County racial composition[15]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 17,541 94.87%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 25 0.14%
Native American 26 0.14%
Asian 33 0.18%
Other/Mixed 548 2.96%
Hispanic or Latino 316 1.71%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,489 people, 7,443 households, and 4,929 families residing in the county.

2010 census[]

As of the 2010 census,[16] there were 17,959 people, 7,326 households, and 4,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (13/km2). There were 8,927 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. 1.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In the county's 7,326 households, 23.1% had children under the age of 18, 57.30% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.20% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $23,238, and the median income for a family was $28,856. Males had a median income of $23,606 versus $18,729 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,999. 19.50% of families and 23.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.80% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those over age 64.

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Allardt
  • Jamestown

Census-designated places[]

  • Clarkrange
  • Grimsley

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Armathwaite
  • Banner Springs
  • Forbus
  • Pall Mall
  • Sharp Place
  • Wilder
  • Zenith

Politics[]

Fentress County has been heavily Republican since the Civil War. Since then, only two Democrats, Southerners Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 have carried Fentress County. Since 2000, the county has shifted further and further to the right.

United States presidential election results for Fentress County, Tennessee[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 7,441 85.24% 1,214 13.91% 74 0.85%
2016 6,038 82.34% 1,100 15.00% 195 2.66%
2012 5,243 76.04% 1,561 22.64% 91 1.32%
2008 4,789 71.06% 1,831 27.17% 119 1.77%
2004 4,293 64.07% 2,371 35.39% 36 0.54%
2000 3,417 56.68% 2,529 41.95% 83 1.38%
1996 2,307 45.63% 2,332 46.12% 417 8.25%
1992 2,391 41.52% 2,730 47.40% 638 11.08%
1988 3,103 62.16% 1,856 37.18% 33 0.66%
1984 2,922 62.18% 1,755 37.35% 22 0.47%
1980 2,493 60.76% 1,543 37.61% 67 1.63%
1976 1,767 47.02% 1,953 51.97% 38 1.01%
1972 2,154 75.50% 665 23.31% 34 1.19%
1968 2,026 57.80% 671 19.14% 808 23.05%
1964 1,969 55.95% 1,550 44.05% 0 0.00%
1960 2,726 71.89% 1,014 26.74% 52 1.37%
1956 2,233 69.52% 934 29.08% 45 1.40%
1952 2,143 69.65% 934 30.35% 0 0.00%
1948 1,587 60.25% 962 36.52% 85 3.23%
1944 1,696 71.38% 657 27.65% 23 0.97%
1940 1,365 58.91% 919 39.66% 33 1.42%
1936 1,299 61.53% 743 35.20% 69 3.27%
1932 1,383 56.31% 961 39.13% 112 4.56%
1928 1,398 77.97% 375 20.91% 20 1.12%
1924 1,197 70.16% 420 24.62% 89 5.22%
1920 1,808 71.66% 694 27.51% 21 0.83%
1916 925 70.08% 348 26.36% 47 3.56%
1912 444 37.60% 399 33.78% 338 28.62%
1908 894 72.56% 332 26.95% 6 0.49%
1904 724 72.18% 278 27.72% 1 0.10%
1900 782 70.90% 320 29.01% 1 0.09%
1896 798 72.02% 301 27.17% 9 0.81%
1892 525 58.53% 223 24.86% 149 16.61%
1888 602 70.33% 249 29.09% 5 0.58%
1884 454 67.36% 220 32.64% 0 0.00%
1880 511 61.94% 314 38.06% 0 0.00%



See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Fentress County, Tennessee

References[]

  1. ^ a b Lorene Cargile, "Fentress County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: June 27, 2013.
  2. ^ "Fentress County". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1639743. 
  3. ^ a b "County Formation in Acts of Tennessee: Fentress County". Tennessee State Library and Archives. https://www.sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/county-formation-acts-tennessee-fentress-county. 
  4. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47049.html. 
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  6. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off.. p. 125. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ. 
  7. ^ Thomas C. Barr, Jr., "Caves of Tennessee", Bulletin 64 of the Tennessee Division of Geology, 1961.
  8. ^ Alvin C. York Institute website. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_47.txt. 
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  12. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/tn190090.txt. 
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  14. ^ Based on 2000 census data
  15. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US47049&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

Further reading[]

  • Duke, Jason. Tennessee Coal Mining, Railroading & Logging in Cumberland, Fentress, Overton & Putnam. Nashville: Turner Publishing (2004). ISBN 1-56311-932-3
  • Hogue, Albert R. History of Fentress County, Tennessee. Santa Maria: Janaway Publishing (2010). ISBN 1-59641-220-8
  • Hogue, Albert R. History of Fentress County, Tennessee; The Old Home of Mark Twain's Ancestors. Memphis: General Books (2010). ISBN 1-150-82647-9

External links[]

Commons-logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Template:Fentress County, Tennessee

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Fentress County, Tennessee. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
Advertisement