Jefferson Davis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,321.[1] Its county seat is Prentiss.[2] The county is named after Mississippi Senator and Confederate President Jefferson Davis. The county was carved out of Covington and Lawrence counties in March 1906. Governor James K. Vardaman signed the bill creating the county on May 9, 1906.
Jefferson Davis County | |
|---|---|
County | |
 Jefferson Davis County Courthouse in Prentiss | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
 Mississippi's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 31°34′N 89°49′W / 31.56°N 89.82°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Named for | Jefferson Davis |
| Seat | Prentiss |
| Largest town | Prentiss |
| Area | |
| • Total | 409 sq mi (1,060 km2) |
| • Land | 408 sq mi (1,060 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (2 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 11,321 |
| • Density | 28/sq mi (11/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www.jeffersondaviscountyms.com |
History
The genesis of the county occurred on March 31, 1906, when a Mississippi state legislative act authorized the new country's boundaries. The residents of western Covington County and eastern Lawrence County had frequently complained of the rivers and streams impeding the route to their respective county seats. Jefferson Davis County was the state's 77th county.
A 1906 special referendum determined that the county seat would be Prentiss, named for either famed Mississippi lawmaker and orator Seargent Smith Prentiss, or wealthy landowner Prentiss Webb Berry. The settlement was originally named Blountville after early settler William Blount.
In 1933, the county was the first in Mississippi to issue a prohibition on alcohol after the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Round dancing in the community hall was banned in 1938.
In 1935, notorious bank robber Raymond Hamilton, known to hide out in the county's wilderness, was involved in a hostage situation after robbing Prentiss' Bank of Blountville, but escaped in Memphis.[3]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 409 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 408 square miles (1,060 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (0.2%) is water.[4]
Major highways
U.S. Route 84
Mississippi Highway 13
Mississippi Highway 35
Mississippi Highway 42
Mississippi Highway 43
Adjacent counties
- Simpson County (north)
- Covington County (east)
- Lamar County (southeast)
- Marion County (south)
- Lawrence County (west)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 12,860 | — | |
| 1920 | 12,755 | −0.8% | |
| 1930 | 14,281 | 12.0% | |
| 1940 | 15,869 | 11.1% | |
| 1950 | 15,500 | −2.3% | |
| 1960 | 13,540 | −12.6% | |
| 1970 | 12,936 | −4.5% | |
| 1980 | 13,846 | 7.0% | |
| 1990 | 14,051 | 1.5% | |
| 2000 | 13,962 | −0.6% | |
| 2010 | 12,487 | −10.6% | |
| 2020 | 11,321 | −9.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 10,969 | [5] | −3.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[10] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 4,330 | 38.25% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 6,622 | 58.49% |
| Native American | 8 | 0.07% |
| Asian | 21 | 0.19% |
| Other/Mixed | 239 | 2.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 101 | 0.89% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,321 people, 4,713 households, and 3,003 families residing in the county.
Communities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
- Carson
- Oak Vale (partly in Lawrence County)
Ghost town
Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 2,534 | 40.79% | 3,599 | 57.93% | 80 | 1.29% |
| 2016 | 2,466 | 39.54% | 3,720 | 59.64% | 51 | 0.82% |
| 2012 | 2,507 | 36.52% | 4,267 | 62.16% | 90 | 1.31% |
| 2008 | 2,871 | 38.96% | 4,454 | 60.43% | 45 | 0.61% |
| 2004 | 2,668 | 46.28% | 2,959 | 51.33% | 138 | 2.39% |
| 2000 | 2,437 | 45.83% | 2,835 | 53.32% | 45 | 0.85% |
| 1996 | 1,890 | 38.84% | 2,663 | 54.73% | 313 | 6.43% |
| 1992 | 2,228 | 39.55% | 2,991 | 53.10% | 414 | 7.35% |
| 1988 | 2,745 | 47.92% | 2,948 | 51.47% | 35 | 0.61% |
| 1984 | 2,884 | 51.81% | 2,644 | 47.50% | 38 | 0.68% |
| 1980 | 2,280 | 36.85% | 3,831 | 61.92% | 76 | 1.23% |
| 1976 | 1,868 | 39.76% | 2,747 | 58.47% | 83 | 1.77% |
| 1972 | 2,830 | 72.83% | 1,005 | 25.86% | 51 | 1.31% |
| 1968 | 297 | 6.79% | 1,465 | 33.48% | 2,614 | 59.73% |
| 1964 | 2,351 | 90.91% | 235 | 9.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 225 | 13.06% | 510 | 29.60% | 988 | 57.34% |
| 1956 | 156 | 10.92% | 1,049 | 73.41% | 224 | 15.68% |
| 1952 | 473 | 22.53% | 1,626 | 77.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 51 | 3.30% | 41 | 2.66% | 1,452 | 94.04% |
| 1944 | 88 | 6.03% | 1,372 | 93.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 38 | 2.86% | 1,289 | 96.92% | 3 | 0.23% |
| 1936 | 67 | 4.81% | 1,325 | 95.05% | 2 | 0.14% |
| 1932 | 30 | 3.09% | 940 | 96.71% | 2 | 0.21% |
| 1928 | 163 | 16.00% | 856 | 84.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 88 | 10.73% | 732 | 89.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 179 | 26.76% | 485 | 72.50% | 5 | 0.75% |
| 1916 | 45 | 6.59% | 634 | 92.83% | 4 | 0.59% |
| 1912 | 43 | 6.63% | 542 | 83.51% | 64 | 9.86% |
Historic sites
Jefferson Davis County Courthouse in Prentiss is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
