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Lewis County, Missouri

Coordinates: 40°05′N 91°44′W / 40.09°N 91.73°W / 40.09; -91.73
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lewis County, Missouri
County
Lewis County Courthouse in Monticello
Lewis County Courthouse in Monticello
Map of Missouri highlighting Lewis County
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Coordinates: 40°05′N 91°44′W / 40.09°N 91.73°W / 40.09; -91.73
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedJanuary 2, 1833
Named afterMeriwether Lewis
SeatMonticello
Largest cityCanton
Area
 • Total
511 sq mi (1,320 km2)
 • Land505 sq mi (1,310 km2)
 • Water5.8 sq mi (15 km2)  1.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
10,032
 • Estimate 
(2024)[1]
9,852 Decrease
 • Density19.5/sq mi (7.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
63435, 63438, 63440, 63447, 63448, 63452, 63454, 63457, 63471
Area code660, 573, 235
Congressional district6th
Websitelewiscountymo.org
The Lewis County, Missouri courthouse in Monticello as it appeared in the mid-1870s.

Lewis County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,032.[2] Its county seat is Monticello.[3] The county was organized January 2, 1833, and named for Meriwether Lewis, the explorer and Governor of the Louisiana Territory.[4]

Lewis County is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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Early history and founding

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What is now Lewis County was once (like much of the Midwest) home to the Mound Builders, a general term for a group of Pre-Columbian peoples that established complex mound earthworks and existed roughly 2-3 millennia ago. The area eventually fell under control of the Missouria tribe. Lewis County was first scouted by Europeans in 1673, when a French expedition led by Father Jacques Marquette came across the region. Several French expeditions followed, and small numbers of settlers would occasionally settle in the area, though never permanently. The Missouria and European settlers were joined in the early 19th century by the Sauk people, with who they engaged in frequent skirmishes.[5]

Following the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, the area was calmed when the United States established a peace treaty with the Sauk. The Sauk, however, fought against the United States during the War of 1812, after which a series of treaties were established, culminating in a final treaty in 1824 where the Native Americans of the area renounced their territorial claims. Following several failed attempts at settlement, the town of La Grange was founded in 1832.[5]

During the early 19th century, Lewis County was part of the District of St. Charles. After several county reorganizations, Lewis County was established in 1833 from Marion County and named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.[6] The county was largely settled by farmers from Virginia and Kentucky. They brought slaves and were attracted to the fertile land and easy river transportation. The economy was based on subsistence agriculture, timber harvesting, and lead mining. In 1845, Knox County was split off, leaving Lewis County with its present boundaries. The county continued to prosper through the 1850s, with hemp emerging as the main crop.[5] A major flood came through in 1851, destroying the once significant town of Tully, but the county continued to prosper into the 1860s.

Civil War and 19th century

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Following the election of Abraham Lincoln, the county became split between secessionists and unionists. Despite significant disputes, unionism was more popular in the county, and 500 men were raised for the Union Army during the American Civil War.[5][7] Secessionists remained popular, however, and the county was split for much of the war between Unionists at La Grange and Secessionists at Canton, although the county was spared from open conflict aside from occasional partisan attacks and skirmishes.[5]

After the Civil War, the slaves were emancipated and the county's economy shifted towards commercial agriculture, with the production of corn, wheat and timber that were shipped through Canton, a port on the Mississippi River. Having emerged from the war mostly unscathed, Lewis County continued to prosper even after emancipation.[5] The Chicago and North Western Railway arrived in 1869, leading to even greater prosperity for the county.

Mark Twain lived in the county briefly and was inspired by the natural beauty of the river region for his writing.[8]

Modern history

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Today, Lewis County is all rural, with a few small towns under 2500 population, and Canton at 2800. The economy is built on soybeans, corn and timber, as well as higher education. Canton is the home of Culver–Stockton College. The National Register of Historic Places celebrates 12 historic locations in the county.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 511 square miles (1,320 km2), of which 505 square miles (1,310 km2) is land and 5.8 square miles (15 km2) (1.1%) is water.[9]

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18406,040—
18506,5788.9%
186012,28686.8%
187015,11423.0%
188015,9255.4%
189015,9350.1%
190016,7245.0%
191015,514−7.2%
192013,465−13.2%
193012,093−10.2%
194011,490−5.0%
195010,733−6.6%
196010,9842.3%
197010,9930.1%
198010,901−0.8%
199010,233−6.1%
200010,4942.6%
201010,211−2.7%
202010,032−1.8%
2024 (est.)9,852−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2015[14] 2024[1]

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 10,032 and a median age of 39.3 years; 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.1% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males, and there were 98.5 males for every 100 females age 18 and over.[15]

The racial makeup of the county was 93.3% White, 1.8% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.6% of the population.[16]

There were 3,789 households in the county, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]

There were 4,312 housing units, of which 12.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.3% were owner-occupied and 26.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.4%.[15]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[17]

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 10,211 people, 3,956 households, and 2,709 families residing in the county.[18] The population density was 21 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 95.92% White, 2.53% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Approximately 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.9% were of German, 18.3% American, 11.2% English and 10.8% Irish ancestry.

The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 12.90% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. Females comprised 51% of the population. The median age was 36 years.[18]

Median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $35,740. Males had a median income of $27,778 versus $19,679 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,746. 16.10% of the population and 10.70% of families were below the poverty line.[18]

Racial and ethnic composition

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Lewis County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[19] Pop 1990[20] Pop 2000[21] Pop 2010[22] Pop 2020[23] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 10,480 9,823 10,032 9,546 9,315 96.14% 95.99% 95.60% 93.49% 92.85%
Black or African American alone (NH) 356 342 264 321 185 3.27% 3.34% 2.52% 3.14% 1.84%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 4 19 16 25 30 0.04% 0.19% 0.15% 0.24% 0.30%
Asian alone (NH) 20 16 21 22 22 0.18% 0.16% 0.20% 0.22% 0.22%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [24] x [25] 2 7 0 x x 0.02% 0.07% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 5 7 6 3 10 0.05% 0.07% 0.06% 0.03% 0.10%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [26] x [27] 76 128 305 x x 0.72% 1.25% 3.04%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 36 26 77 159 165 0.33% 0.25% 0.73% 1.56% 1.64%
Total 10,901 10,233 10,494 10,211 10,032 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Economy

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Today's Lewis County has a small but relatively diversified economy based primarily on agriculture, government services, and higher education.[28] Despite low unemployment rates, Lewis County, like many rural counties, suffers from a rapidly aging population. A sizable number of residents commute to larger job centers in neighboring Marion County and Quincy, Illinois.[28]

Largest industries by employment (>100 people)[28]
Sector Employment numbers
Government 550
Retail 380
Agriculture 340
Healthcare and Social Services 315
Construction 210
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 190
Manufacturing 190
Education 185
Logistics 170
Accommodation and Food Services 145
Finance 115
Other 100

Media

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Media

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Newspapers

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  • The Press-News Journal is the county's newspaper of record, and has been published in Canton since 1862.[29]
  • The Lewis County Scoop is an online county paper.[30]

Government and politics

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Lewis County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Tammy Logsdon Republican
Circuit Clerk Julie George Republican
County Clerk Shannon Sapp Republican
Collector Lindsey Lay Republican
Commissioner
(presiding)		 Wayne Murphy, Jr. Republican
Commissioner
(district 1)		 Deanne Whiston Republican
Commissioner
(district 2)		 Travis Fleer Republican
Coroner Larry Arnold Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney Chelsea L. Fellinger Republican
Public Administrator Luke Barton Republican
Recorder Amy Parrish Democratic
Sheriff David T. Parrish Democratic
Surveyor Carson W. Lay Republican
Treasurer Bonnie Roberson Republican

Government

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Lewis County is represented in the United States Senate by Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, both Republicans. It is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Missouri's 6th congressional district by Republican Sam Graves. At the state level, Lewis County is part of Missouri's 18th Senate district, represented by Republican Cindy O'Laughlin, and Missouri's 4th House of Representatives district, represented by Republican Greg Sharpe. Locally, the county has a three-member board of commissioners and several elected county officials. Judicially, the county is in the Missouri Court of Appeals' Eastern District and the state's 2nd Judicial Circuit Court, presided over by Republican Matthew Wilson.

United States presidential election results for Lewis County, Missouri[31]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№  % №  % №  %
1888 1,412 38.13% 2,268 61.25% 23 0.62%
1892 1,322 35.49% 2,220 59.60% 183 4.91%
1896 1,581 37.28% 2,624 61.87% 36 0.85%
1900 1,442 35.07% 2,583 62.82% 87 2.12%
1904 1,467 39.08% 2,202 58.66% 85 2.26%
1908 1,473 36.89% 2,439 61.08% 81 2.03%
1912 1,004 26.72% 2,340 62.27% 414 11.02%
1916 1,429 37.28% 2,357 61.49% 47 1.23%
1920 2,810 43.87% 3,542 55.30% 53 0.83%
1924 2,416 39.48% 3,481 56.88% 223 3.64%
1928 2,741 48.55% 2,882 51.04% 23 0.41%
1932 1,341 26.07% 3,746 72.84% 56 1.09%
1936 1,994 33.78% 3,859 65.37% 50 0.85%
1940 2,428 40.86% 3,484 58.63% 30 0.50%
1944 1,988 40.72% 2,883 59.05% 11 0.23%
1948 1,564 33.06% 3,155 66.69% 12 0.25%
1952 2,416 45.41% 2,896 54.44% 8 0.15%
1956 2,301 45.75% 2,728 54.25% 0 0.00%
1960 2,560 48.43% 2,726 51.57% 0 0.00%
1964 1,239 27.41% 3,281 72.59% 0 0.00%
1968 2,038 43.90% 2,067 44.53% 537 11.57%
1972 2,738 61.76% 1,695 38.24% 0 0.00%
1976 1,983 44.10% 2,486 55.28% 28 0.62%
1980 2,350 49.07% 2,314 48.32% 125 2.61%
1984 2,438 55.22% 1,977 44.78% 0 0.00%
1988 1,803 42.20% 2,460 57.57% 10 0.23%
1992 1,461 32.03% 2,196 48.14% 905 19.84%
1996 1,453 34.79% 2,050 49.09% 673 16.12%
2000 2,388 53.26% 2,023 45.12% 73 1.63%
2004 2,862 61.63% 1,754 37.77% 28 0.60%
2008 2,594 57.62% 1,837 40.80% 71 1.58%
2012 2,677 62.56% 1,508 35.24% 94 2.20%
2016 3,344 74.64% 934 20.85% 202 4.51%
2020 3,553 76.92% 984 21.30% 82 1.78%
2024 3,565 79.47% 872 19.44% 49 1.09%

Politics

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In its early history, Lewis County stood out from much of northeast Missouri by supporting Democrats, while neighboring counties tended to be Whig strongholds. This support for Democrats was never exceptionally strong, and in 1860 Lewis County joined its neighbors in voting for the moderate, anti-secessionist Constitutional Union Party, then for Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. In 1872, however, Lewis was caught up in a major Northeastern swing towards Democrats, and it along with the rest of the region remained loyally Democratic until the late 20th century, with its large agricultural and labor base supporting New Deal policies.[32] Even as the county was occasionally won in Republican landslide elections such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan's victories, Republicans never managed to pull away and the county continued to shift between voting for Republican and Democratic presidents. Even during Republican landslides, the county continued to vote for Democratic legislators due to the relative conservatism of regional Democrats, who were pro-unions and opposed issues unpopular amongst moderate Democrats such as gun control and NAFTA.[32] The Democratic Party's support for civil rights in the 1960s led to a backlash that shifted voters to the Republican Party as Missouri became a Republican stronghold in the 1970s. In 2024 Democrats failed to break even 20% for the first time in county history, and today Lewis County is dominated by Republicans at every level except for a handful of Democrats at the local level.

Transportation

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Major highways

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Transit

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Railroads

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Education

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Five school districts cover sections of the county: Canton R-V School District, Lewis County C-1 School District, Clark County R-I School District, Knox County R-I School District, and Palmyra R-I School District.[33]

Public schools

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Two school districts operate schools in the county boundaries:

Private schools

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Post-secondary

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Public libraries

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  • Canton Public Library[34]
  • Labelle Branch Library[35]
  • Lagrange Branch Library[36]

Communities

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Cities and towns

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated communities

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Lewis County, Missouri". Census.gov.
  2. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 185.
  5. ^ a b c d e f History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri from the earliest times. St. Louis: Goodspeed Publishing Company. 1887. pp. 8–232.
  6. ^ Moser, Arthur Paul (February 1982). Arthur Paul Moser's Directory of Towns, Villiages and Hamlets Past and Present of Lewis County, Missouri. pp. 2–3.
  7. ^ George R. Lee, “Slavery and Emancipation in Lewis County, Missouri,” Missouri Historical Review 65#3 (April 1971), p. 294-313.
  8. ^ Lewis County Historical and Genealogical Society, Lewis County, Missouri: a Bicentennial History (2016).
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  14. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  15. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  16. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  17. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  18. ^ a b c "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  19. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Missouri- Table 16 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 20-25.
  20. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Missouri: Table 5 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 13-63.
  21. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lewis County, Missouri". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lewis County, Missouri". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lewis County, Missouri". United States Census Bureau.
  24. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  25. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  26. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  27. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  28. ^ a b c "Lewis County, MO" (PDF). Southeast Missouri State University. April 2021.
  29. ^ "Press-News Journal Online". www.lewispnj.com. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  30. ^ "Home". Lewis County Scoop. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  31. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  32. ^ a b Rosenbaum, Jason (October 27, 2022). "Northeast Missouri used to vote Democratic — until national politics overwhelmed the local". KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  33. ^ Geography Division (January 12, 2021). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lewis County, MO (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 2, 2025. - Text list
  34. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Canton Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  35. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Labelle Branch Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  36. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Lagrange Branch Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
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40°05′N 91°44′W / 40.09°N 91.73°W / 40.09; -91.73

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