Morris County, Texas

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Morris County, Texas
The Morris County Courthouse in Daingerfield
Location in the state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	1875
Seat	Daingerfield
Largest city	Daingerfield
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	259 sq mi (671 km²) 252 sq mi (653 km²) 6.7 sq mi (17 km²), 2.6%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	11,973
Congressional district	4th
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	http://www.co.morris.tx.us/

Morris County is a county located near the eastern border of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,973. Its county seat is Daingerfield. Morris County is probably named for William Wright Morris, an early judge and planter from Henderson, also in northeast Texas. As of 2016, Morris County is no longer one of six prohibition, or entirely dry, counties in the state of Texas. Morris County is now "partially wet."

History

In the nineteenth century, this area was settled primarily by European-American planters and farmers, many of whom brought enslaved African Americans with them or purchased others to work as laborers on the cotton plantations they developed. Cotton was most important, but farmers also cultivated other commodity crops before the American Civil War. Eastern Texas was the region of the state with the highest number and proportion of slaves.

The area has continued to be mostly rural and agricultural. In the 21st century, African Americans comprise a significant minority in the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 259 square miles (670 km²), of which 252 square miles (650 km²) is land and 6.7 square miles (17 km²) (2.6%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Texas by land area and fourth-smallest by total area.

Major highways

• I-30
• US 67
• US 259
• SH 11
• SH 49
• SH 77
• FM 130
• FM 144
• FM 161
• FM 250
• SH 338

Adjacent counties

• Bowie County (north)
• Cass County (east)
• Marion County (southeast)
• Upshur County (south)
• Camp County (southwest)
• Titus County (west)
• Red River County (northwest)

Communities

Cities

• Daingerfield (county seat)
• Hughes Springs (mostly in Cass County)
• Lone Star
• Omaha

Town

• Naples

Unincorporated community

• Cason
• Jenkins

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	5,032		—
1890	6,580		30.8%
1900	8,220		24.9%
1910	10,439		27.0%
1920	10,289		−1.4%
1930	10,028		−2.5%
1940	9,810		−2.2%
1950	9,433		−3.8%
1960	12,576		33.3%
1970	12,310		−2.1%
1980	14,629		18.8%
1990	13,200		−9.8%
2000	13,048		−1.2%
2010	12,934		−0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020

Morris County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	8,636	7,716	66.77%	64.45%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,952	2,448	22.82%	20.45%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	82	70	0.63%	0.58%
Asian alone (NH)	43	35	0.33%	0.29%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	9	0.02%	0.08%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	7	30	0.05%	0.25%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	208	483	1.61%	4.03%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,003	1,182	7.75%	9.87%
Total	12,934	11,973	100.00%	100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,048 people, 5,215 households, and 3,749 families residing in the county. In 2020, its population was 11,973. The population density was 51 people per square mile (20/km²). There were 6,017 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile (9/km²). In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 71.71% White, 24.13% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.28% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races; 3.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,215 households, out of which 29.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.90% were married couples living together, 14.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,011, and the median income for a family was $35,326. Males had a median income of $30,917 versus $20,270 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,612. About 14.90% of families and 18.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.40% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The following school districts serve Morris County:

• Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD (small portion in Titus County)
• Hughes Springs ISD (mostly in Cass County)
• Pewitt CISD (small portions in Titus and Cass counties)

Morris County is also served by the Northeast Texas Community College, whose main campus is in southeastern Titus County, but it has a small satellite campus in Naples.

Politics

Morris County was a longtime Democratic stronghold, like many rural Southern counties were in the Jim Crow and immediate post-Jim Crow eras. (It only voted for a Republican in 1972.) The 2000 election was the last time the county voted in favor of a Democratic presidential nominee.

United States presidential election results for Morris County, Texas

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,872	69.30%	1,669	29.87%	46	0.82%
2016	3,446	69.29%	1,425	28.65%	102	2.05%
2012	3,232	62.89%	1,858	36.15%	49	0.95%
2008	3,158	60.18%	2,055	39.16%	35	0.67%
2004	2,818	53.39%	2,437	46.17%	23	0.44%
2000	2,381	48.70%	2,455	50.21%	53	1.08%
1996	1,449	30.01%	2,973	61.58%	406	8.41%
1992	1,400	25.14%	3,028	54.37%	1,141	20.49%
1988	2,104	37.37%	3,522	62.56%	4	0.07%
1984	2,778	48.51%	2,925	51.07%	24	0.42%
1980	2,133	40.40%	3,105	58.81%	42	0.80%
1976	1,843	37.38%	3,071	62.28%	17	0.34%
1972	2,699	69.47%	1,162	29.91%	24	0.62%
1968	1,064	26.03%	1,701	41.61%	1,323	32.36%
1964	1,218	33.89%	2,366	65.83%	10	0.28%
1960	1,569	44.27%	1,952	55.08%	23	0.65%
1956	1,463	47.58%	1,592	51.77%	20	0.65%
1952	890	34.06%	1,722	65.90%	1	0.04%
1948	143	9.19%	1,164	74.81%	249	16.00%
1944	122	8.27%	1,269	85.98%	85	5.76%
1940	82	4.47%	1,752	95.53%	0	0.00%
1936	52	4.09%	1,220	95.91%	0	0.00%
1932	38	2.94%	1,253	97.06%	0	0.00%
1928	287	26.90%	780	73.10%	0	0.00%
1924	215	18.24%	964	81.76%	0	0.00%
1920	164	18.06%	669	73.68%	75	8.26%
1916	163	15.28%	689	64.57%	215	20.15%
1912	89	25.72%	191	55.20%	66	19.08%

See also

• Dry counties
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Morris County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Morris County

External links

• Morris County website
• Morris County from the Handbook of Texas Online