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Clay County, Arkansas
Sheeks House
Historic Sheeks House in Corning, Arkansas.
Map of Arkansas highlighting Clay County
Location in the state of Arkansas
Map of the U.S
Arkansas's location in the U.S.
Founded March 24, 1873
Seat Corning (western district);
Piggott (eastern district)
Largest city Piggott
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

641 sq mi (1,660 km²)
639 sq mi (1,655 km²)
2.0 sq mi (5 km²), 0.3%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

14,552
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website claycounty.arkansas.gov

Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Originally incorporated as Clayton County, as of the 2020 census, its population was 14,552.[1] The county has two county seats, Corning and Piggott.[2] It is a dry county, in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or prohibited.

History[]

When Clay County was created as Arkansas's 67th county on March 24, 1873 (along with Baxter County), it was named Clayton County, after John M. Clayton, then a member of the Arkansas Senate and a brother of then-U.S. Senator Powell Clayton,[3] though some sources suggest it may have been named for Powell Clayton instead.[4]

Two years later on December 6, 1875,[5] the county's name was shortened to "Clay" by the Arkansas General Assembly. Some claim it was renamed for the statesman Henry Clay,[3][4] while others say John M. Clayton remained its official namesake.[6] The name change apparently was inspired by lingering distrust of Powell Clayton, as he had declared martial law and suspended elections in the county in 1868 when he was Governor of Arkansas and it was still part of Greene County.[3]

The first county seat was Corning,[7] established in 1873, with the arrival of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway, as the first incorporated town in the county. The county seat was moved to Boydsville in 1877, in what was known as “Old Bradshaw Field”, because people living east of the Black and Cache Rivers had difficulty getting to Corning during the flood season. However, this caused problems for those living west of the rivers, and in 1881 Corning was re-established as the seat of the Western District, with Boydsville remaining the seat for the Eastern District. With the arrival of the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad in 1882, other towns such as Greenway, Rector and Piggott experienced growth. In 1887, the Eastern District seat was moved to Piggott, and the dual county seat system remains in place today.[8] Important county functions (such as the Quorum Court) alternate between Piggott and Corning as their venues.

In the early 20th century, Clay, Greene, and Craighead counties had sundown town policies forbidding African Americans from living in the area.[9]

On April 6, 1972, Sheriff Douglas Batey and deputies Glen Ray Archer and Troy Key were shot and killed while trying to serve a warrant on Bert Grissom. Grissom opened fire as soon as the men stepped out of their car. He later surrendered without resistance to another deputy, and was tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison. William Thomas Pond became sheriff, but he died in an automobile accident on June 8, 1973. Four of the five police officers who have lost their lives serving the Clay County Sheriff's Office died in these two incidents.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 641 square miles (1,660 km2), of which 639 square miles (1,660 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.3%) is water.[10]

Major highways[]

  • I-57 (Future) Future Interstate 57
  • US 49 (1961)U.S. Highway 49
  • US 62 (1961)U.S. Highway 62
  • US 67 (1961)U.S. Highway 67
  • Arkansas 90 Highway 90
  • Arkansas 119 Highway 119
  • Arkansas 139 Highway 139

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1880 7,213
1890 12,200 69.1%
1900 15,886 30.2%
1910 23,690 49.1%
1920 27,276 15.1%
1930 27,278 0%
1940 28,386 4.1%
1950 26,674 −6.0%
1960 21,258 −20.3%
1970 18,771 −11.7%
1980 20,616 9.8%
1990 18,107 −12.2%
2000 17,609 −2.8%
2010 16,083 −8.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[1]
USA Clay County, Arkansas age pyramid

Age pyramid Clay County[15]

2020 census[]

Clay County racial composition[16]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 13,574 93.28%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 40 0.27%
Native American 44 0.3%
Asian 14 0.1%
Pacific Islander 5 0.03%
Other/Mixed 548 3.77%
Hispanic or Latino 327 2.25%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,552 people, 6,444 households, and 4,140 families residing in the county.

2000 census[]

As of the 2000 census,[17] there were 17,609 people, 7,417 households, and 5,073 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile (11/km2). There were 8,498 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.1% from two or more races. 0.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,417 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,345, and the median income for a family was $32,558. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $17,146 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,512. About 13.4% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 22.7% of those age 65 or over.


Government[]

County officials[]

  • County Judge: Mike Patterson
  • County Clerk: Pat Poole
  • Sheriff & Collector: Terry Miller
  • Circuit Clerk: Janet Kilbreath
  • County Treasurer: Carolyn Morrisett
  • District Judge: David Copelin
  • Quorum Court Justices: David Cagle, Greg Ahrendt, Doyne Holifield, Joey Henderson, David Hatcher, Dennis Haynes, Mark Watson, & Burton Eddington, Jeff Douglas.

Politics[]

United States presidential election results for Clay County, Arkansas[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 4,086 78.83% 962 18.56% 135 2.60%
2016 3,781 72.71% 1,199 23.06% 220 4.23%
2012 3,225 63.11% 1,738 34.01% 147 2.88%
2008 3,032 55.02% 2,244 40.72% 235 4.26%
2004 2,759 45.26% 3,264 53.54% 73 1.20%
2000 2,254 38.20% 3,527 59.78% 119 2.02%
1996 1,512 25.79% 3,848 65.63% 503 8.58%
1992 1,647 23.26% 4,848 68.47% 585 8.26%
1988 2,766 44.33% 3,442 55.16% 32 0.51%
1984 3,767 53.02% 3,279 46.15% 59 0.83%
1980 3,091 42.17% 3,985 54.37% 254 3.47%
1976 1,893 25.05% 5,664 74.95% 0 0.00%
1972 4,381 69.39% 1,933 30.61% 0 0.00%
1968 2,410 37.91% 1,663 26.16% 2,285 35.94%
1964 1,999 37.57% 3,280 61.64% 42 0.79%
1960 2,543 55.67% 1,908 41.77% 117 2.56%
1956 1,711 41.60% 2,368 57.57% 34 0.83%
1952 2,105 47.75% 2,277 51.66% 26 0.59%
1948 878 28.41% 2,069 66.94% 144 4.66%
1944 1,422 42.31% 1,934 57.54% 5 0.15%
1940 1,029 37.03% 1,676 60.31% 74 2.66%
1936 795 30.83% 1,778 68.94% 6 0.23%
1932 397 17.22% 1,891 82.00% 18 0.78%
1928 1,254 46.31% 1,435 52.99% 19 0.70%
1924 1,084 39.85% 1,429 52.54% 207 7.61%
1920 1,536 43.99% 1,775 50.83% 181 5.18%
1916 973 33.29% 1,950 66.71% 0 0.00%
1912 622 24.91% 1,299 52.02% 576 23.07%
1908 1,009 38.08% 1,527 57.62% 114 4.30%
1904 752 42.03% 968 54.11% 69 3.86%
1900 627 34.15% 1,195 65.09% 14 0.76%
1896 475 23.35% 1,537 75.57% 22 1.08%
1892 480 26.53% 1,225 67.72% 104 5.75%



Economy[]

Agriculture is the cornerstone of Clay County's economy. Farmers throughout the county grow a wide variety of crops. Rice is the dominant crop, but significant amounts of cotton, soybeans, corn, hay, and milo are also grown. Industry is limited to a handful of factories located in the cities of Piggott, Corning, and Rector.

Education[]

Public education of elementary and secondary school students is provided by:

  • Corning School District
  • Piggott School District
  • Rector School District

Communities[]

[19]

Cities[]

  • Corning (county seat)
  • Greenway
  • Knobel
  • Peach Orchard
  • Piggott (county seat)
  • Pollard
  • Rector
  • St. Francis

Towns[]

  • Datto
  • McDougal
  • Nimmons
  • Success

Unincorporated community[]

  • Scatterville

Townships[]

Clay County Arkansas 2010 Township Map large

Townships in Clay County, Arkansas as of 2010

Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas and some may have incorporated towns or cities within part of their space. Townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the US Census does list Arkansas population based on townships (often referred to as "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps. The townships of Clay County are listed below with the town(s) and/or city that are fully or partially inside them listed in parentheses.


[20][21]

  • Bennett-Lemmons (McDougal)
  • Bradshaw-Haywood (Greenway)
  • Brown-Carpenter (Success)
  • Cache-Wilson (Knobel)
  • Chalk Bluff-Liddell (part of St. Francis)
  • Clark (Peach Orchard)
  • Cleveland-North Kilgore (part of Corning)
  • East Oak Bluff-Blue Cane (part of Rector)
  • Gleghorn-South Kilgore (part of Corning)
  • Johnson
  • Knob
  • Nelson (Datto)
  • North St. Francis (part of Piggott)
  • Payne-Swain (Nimmons)
  • Pollard (Pollard)
  • South St. Francis (part of Piggott)
  • West Oak Bluff (part of Rector)

See also[]

  • Battle of Chalk Bluff
  • List of lakes in Clay County, Arkansas
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Clay County, Arkansas

References[]

  1. ^ a b "State & County & pie QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05021.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ a b c Clay County (Encyclopedia of Arkansas)
  4. ^ a b Brief History of Clay County, Arkansas (CouchGenWeb.com) Archived 2010-10-28 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Stout, Scot (2012-03-07). "Early History of the County Seats and Courthouses of Clay County, Arkansas". ARGenWeb: Arkansas Genealogy Resources Online. The ARGenWeb Project. http://www.argenweb.net/clay/earlyhistory.htm. 
  6. ^ Clay County (Local.Arkansas.gov) ("Senator James M. Clayton", probably referring to John M. Clayton)
  7. ^ "Clay County, Arkansas". http://www.argenweb.net/clay/. 
  8. ^ Rector Waterworks Building. "Archived copy". http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/historic-properties/_search_nomination_popup.aspx?id=2460. , Retrieved on May 23, 2013.
  9. ^ Neville, A. W. (March 2, 1945). "Backward Glances". The Paris News (Paris, Texas): p. 4. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29073821/. "On the survey from Bird's Point, Mo., to Jonesboro, Ark., I had a Negro cook. As Negroes were not allowed to live in Clay, Greene and Craighead Counties, Ark., my cook was a curiosity to the children. The women used to bring the children to camp to see him." 
  10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_05.txt. 
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  13. ^ 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/ar190090.txt. 
  14. ^ "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. 
  15. ^ Based on 2000 census data
  16. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05021&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  18. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/. 
  19. ^ "Archived copy". https://ualr.edu/aedi/census-state-data-center/arkansas-census-data/. 
  20. ^ U. S. Census Bureau. 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Clay County, AR (Map). http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05021_clay/BAS11C20502100000_000.pdf. 
  21. ^ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/block/2010/cousub/dc10blk_st05_cousub.html#C. 

Coordinates: 36°22′39″N 90°26′07″W / 36.3775, -90.43528


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Clay County, Arkansas. 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.
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