St. Francois County, Missouri links • Birth records • Businesses • Cemeteries • Census data • Census records • Church records • Court records • Death records • Directories • Landowner records • Marriage records • Maps • Military records • Obituaries • Probate records • Queries
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.
St. Francois County (/ˈfrænsᵻs/) is a county located in the Lead Belt region in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 66,922.[1] The largest city and county seat is Farmington.[2] The county was officially organized on December 19, 1821. It was named after the St. Francis River. The origin of the river's name is unclear. It might refer to St. Francis of Assisi.[3] Another possibility is that Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit who explored the region in 1673, named the river for the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier. Marquette had spent some time at the mission of St. Francois Xavier before his voyage and, as a Jesuit, was unlikely to have given the river a name honoring the Franciscans.
U.S. Decennial Census[4] 1790-1960[5] 1900-1990[6] 1990-2000[7] 2010-2020[8]
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,641 people, 20,793 households, and 14,659 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile (48/km2). There were 24,449 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile (21/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.14% White, 2.02% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 20,793 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,551, and the median income for a family was $47,923. Males had a median income of $29,961 versus $19,412 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,047. Approximately 14.90% of the population and 11.00% of families were below the poverty line, including 19.80% under the age of 18 and 11.50% over the age of 65.
Religion[]
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), St. Francois County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in St. Francois County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (45.48%), Roman Catholics (14.94%), and Methodists (8.37%). There is also a small Orthodox Christian presence in the county. Nativity of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church is in Desloge, MO.[9]
Catholic Churches in the county are Immaculate Conception in Park Hills, St. Joseph in Farmington, St. Joseph in Bonne Terre, St. John in Bismarck, and St. Anne in French Village.[10]
Politics[]
Local[]
The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in St. Francois County. Republicans hold all but two of the elected positions in the county.
St. Francois County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor
Eric Dugal
Republican
Circuit Clerk
Vicki J. Weible
Democratic
County Clerk
Kevin Engler
Republican
Collector
Pamela J. Williams
Democratic
Commissioner (Presiding)
Harold Gallaher
Republican
Commissioner (District 1)
Kary Buckley
Republican
Commissioner (District 2)
David Kater
Republican
Coroner
Jason Coplin
Republican
Prosecuting Attorney
Melissa L. Gilliam
Republican
Public Administrator
Gary Matheny
Republican
Recorder
Jay Graf
Republican
Sheriff
Daniel R. Bullock
Republican
Treasurer
Parks G. Peterson
Republican
State[]
St. Francois County is divided into three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives.
District 115 — Currently represented by Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway (R-Festus). It consists of the northern parts of the county, including Blackwell, French Village, and part of Park Hills.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 115 — St. Francois County (2020)[11]
District 116 — Currently represented by Dale Wright (politician) (R-Farmington). It consists of the southeastern section of the county, including part of Farmington.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 116 — St. Francois County (2020)[13]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Dale Wright
6,687
97.96%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 116 — St. Francois County (2018)[14]
Missouri House of Representatives — District 116 — St. Francois County (2016)
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Kevin Engler
5,590
100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 116 — St. Francois County (2014)
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Kevin Engler
2,826
100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 116 — St. Francois County (2012)
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Kevin Engler
4,881
100.00%
District 117 — Currently represented by Mike Henderson (R-Bonne Terre). It consists of the western parts of the county and includes the communities of Bismarck, Bonne Terre, Desloge, Doe Run, Iron Mountain Lake, Leadington, Leadwood, and parts of Farmington and Park Hills.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 117 — St. Francois County (2020)[15]
St. Francois County is included in Missouri's 8th Congressional District and is currently represented by Jason T. Smith (R-Salem) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to finish out the remaining term of U.S. RepresentativeJo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau). Emerson announced her resignation a month after being reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in the district. She resigned to become CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative.
U.S. House of Representatives — District 8 — St. Francois County (2020)[19]
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the St. Francois County Public Health Department described being driven to resign from her position by residents who refused to "accept the reality of the pandemic" and made cowardly anonymous threats against her and her family.[22]
Education[]
Of adults 25 years of age and older in St. Francois County, 72.4% possess a high school diploma or higher while 10.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.
National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Francois County, Missouri
References[]
This article incorporates text from Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, by Robert A. Campbell, a publication from 1874 now in the public domain in the United States.
Arnold ·Bellefontaine Neighbors ·Berkeley ·Bridgeton ·Cahokia ·Clayton ·Concord CDP ·Creve Coeur ·Crestwood ·Fairview Heights ·Glen Carbon ·Godfrey ·Jennings ·Lake Saint Louis ·Lemay CDP ·Manchester ·Overland ·Saint Ann ·Swansea ·Town and Country ·Washington ·Wentzville ·Wood River