Lewis County | |
|---|---|
 Lewis County Courthouse in Monticello | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMissouri | |
 Missouri's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:40°05′N91°44′W / 40.09°N 91.73°W /40.09; -91.73 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Missouri |
| Founded | January 2, 1833 |
| Named after | Meriwether Lewis |
| Seat | Monticello |
| Largest city | Canton |
| Area | |
• Total | 511 sq mi (1,320 km2) |
| • Land | 505 sq mi (1,310 km2) |
| • Water | 5.8 sq mi (15 km2) 1.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 10,032 |
• Estimate (2024)[1] | 9,852 |
| • Density | 19.5/sq mi (7.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Website | lewiscountymo |
Lewis County is acounty located in the northeastern portion of theU.S. state ofMissouri. As of the2020 census, the population was 10,032.[2] Itscounty seat isMonticello.[3] The county was organized January 2, 1833, and named forMeriwether Lewis, the explorer and Governor of theLouisiana Territory.[4]
Lewis County is part of theQuincy,IL–MOMicropolitan Statistical Area.
According to theU.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.[5]
Lewis County, located in the northeastern part of Missouri, across the Mississippi River from Illinois. It was established in 1833 and named afterMeriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 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 addition. Canton supplied riverboats on the Mississippi. During the Civil War, the county became the base for rival pro-Confederate and pro-Union sympathizers; there was some violence but the Unionists prevailed.[6]
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. In the late 19th and early 20th century, farm youth moved into small towns, particularly in the western part of the county.Mark Twain lived in the county briefly and was inspired by the natural beauty of the river region for his writing.[7]
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 ofCulver–Stockton College. TheNational Register of Historic Places celebrates 12 historic locations in the county.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 6,040 | — | |
| 1850 | 6,578 | 8.9% | |
| 1860 | 12,286 | 86.8% | |
| 1870 | 15,114 | 23.0% | |
| 1880 | 15,925 | 5.4% | |
| 1890 | 15,935 | 0.1% | |
| 1900 | 16,724 | 5.0% | |
| 1910 | 15,514 | −7.2% | |
| 1920 | 13,465 | −13.2% | |
| 1930 | 12,093 | −10.2% | |
| 1940 | 11,490 | −5.0% | |
| 1950 | 10,733 | −6.6% | |
| 1960 | 10,984 | 2.3% | |
| 1970 | 10,993 | 0.1% | |
| 1980 | 10,901 | −0.8% | |
| 1990 | 10,233 | −6.1% | |
| 2000 | 10,494 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 10,211 | −2.7% | |
| 2020 | 10,032 | −1.8% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 9,852 | −1.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2015[12] 2024[1] | |||
As of thecensus[13] of 2010, there were 10,211 people, 3,956 households, and 2,709 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 21 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 95.92%White, 2.53%Black orAfrican American, 0.16%Native American, 0.20%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.44% fromother races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Approximately 0.73% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 34.9% were ofGerman, 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 and 51% of female population. The median age was 36 years.
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. Theper capita income for the county was $14,746. 16.10% of the population and 10.70% of families were below thepoverty line.
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[14] | Pop 1990[15] | Pop 2000[16] | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 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 orAlaska 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 orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[19] | x[20] | 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[21] | x[22] | 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% | 100.00% |
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, andPalmyra R-I School District.[23]
Two school districts operate schools in the county boundaries:
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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) | Sean D. Swope | 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 | |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 80.97%3,573 | 17.13%756 | 1.90%84 |
| 2020 | 79.64%3,638 | 19.26%880 | 1.10%50 |
| 2016 | 63.53%2,815 | 33.65%1,491 | 2.82%125 |
| 2012 | 48.24%2,046 | 49.54%2,101 | 2.22%94 |
| 2008 | 56.79%2,533 | 41.05%1,831 | 2.16%96 |
| 2004 | 67.03%3,084 | 31.32%1,441 | 1.65%76 |
| 2000 | 50.03%2,224 | 48.46%2,154 | 1.51%67 |
| 1996 | 22.77%948 | 75.23%3,132 | 1.99%83 |
All of Lewis County is included in Missouri's 4th District in theMissouri House of Representatives and is represented byCraig Redmon (R-Canton).
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Craig Redmon | 3.998 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Craig Redmon | 2,450 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Craig Redmon | 3,869 | 100.00% | ||
All of Lewis County is a part of Missouri's 18th District in theMissouri Senate and is currently represented byBrian Munzlinger (R-Williamstown).
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Munzlinger | 2,363 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Roy Blunt | 2,732 | 61.84% | +14.89 | |
| Democratic | Jason Kander | 1,472 | 33.32% | −16.25 | |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 98 | 2.22% | −1.26 | |
| Green | Johnathan McFarland | 60 | 1.36% | +1.36 | |
| Constitution | Fred Ryman | 56 | 1.27% | +1.27 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Todd Akin | 1,982 | 46.95% | ||
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 2,093 | 49.57% | ||
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 147 | 3.48% | ||
All of Lewis County is included inMissouri's 6th Congressional District and is currently represented bySam Graves (R-Tarkio) in theU.S. House of Representatives.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sam Graves | 3,270 | 75.82% | +4.72 | |
| Democratic | David M. Blackwell | 899 | 20.84% | −5.49 | |
| Libertarian | Russ Lee Monchil | 88 | 2.04% | −0.53 | |
| Green | Mike Diel | 56 | 1.30% | +1.30 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sam Graves | 1,822 | 71.10% | +7.09 | |
| Democratic | Bill Hedge | 697 | 26.33% | −7.28 | |
| Libertarian | Russ Lee Monchil | 68 | 2.57% | +0.20 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sam Graves | 2,588 | 64.01% | ||
| Democratic | Kyle Yarber | 1,359 | 33.61% | ||
| Libertarian | Russ Lee Monchil | 96 | 2.37% | ||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 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% |
FormerU.S. SenatorHillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 619, than any candidate from either party in Lewis County during the 2008 presidential primary.
Places adjacent to Lewis County, Missouri | |
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Municipalities and communities ofLewis County, Missouri,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Village | ||
| Townships | ||
| CDP | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
