Laurens County, South Carolina

Infobox U.S. County
county = Laurens County
state = South Carolina




map size = 200
founded = 1785
seat = Laurens | area_total_sq_mi =724
area_land_sq_mi =715
area_water_sq_mi =9
area percentage = 1.23%
census yr = 2000
pop = 69567
density_km2 =38
web = www.laurenscounty.org |

Laurens County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is included in the Greenville, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2000, its population was 69,567; in 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 70,293. [http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2005-01-45.xls] Its county seat is Laurens.GR|6

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 724 square miles (1,875 km²), of which, 715 square miles (1,852 km²) of it is land and 9 square miles (23 km²) of it (1.23%) is water.

Adjacent Counties

*Spartanburg County, South Carolina - north
*Union County, South Carolina - northeast
*Newberry County, South Carolina - southeast
*Greenwood County, South Carolina - south
*Abbeville County, South Carolina - southwest
*Anderson County, South Carolina - west
*Greenville County, South Carolina - northwest

History

One of nine modern counties of the Colonial Ninety-Six District, Laurens County, SC (formed 1785) hosted more "official" (i.e. officially recognized and contemporaneously documented by competent governments) battles than did half of the original colonies. The Battle of Musgrove Mill was the first time during the American Revolution that regular soldiers of Great Britain were defeated in battle by militia.

Those battles in modern Laurens County were:
#Fort Lindley/Lindler
#Widow Kellet's Block House
#Musgrove's Mill
#Farrow's Station
#Duncan Creek Meeting House
#Indian Creek
#Hammond's Store
#Fort Williams (not to be confused with Williamson's fort some 25 miles south in Greenwood County)
#Cedar Springs (begun in Cross Anchor SC, then an old-fashioned "Hoss Chase" of fifty eight miles through four counties and ended in NC after about 30 hours!)
#Mud Lick Creek
#Hayes' Station. (Joe Goldsmith, State Historian, SC Soc., Sons of the American Revolution)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 69,567 people, 26,290 households, and 18,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 97 people per square mile (38/km²). There were 30,239 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.57% White, 26.23% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 26,290 households out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.10% were married couples living together, 15.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,933, and the median income for a family was $39,739. Males had a median income of $30,402 versus $21,684 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,761. About 11.60% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.60% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.

Education

There are three public school districts in the county. Laurens County District 55 covers what is generally the northeastern half of the county while District 56 covers the southwestern half. The Ware Shoals area is covered by the multi-county Greenwood County District 51. There are two public high schools in the county: Laurens (in Dist. 55) and Clinton (in Dist. 56.)

Public K-12 education includes Hickory Tavern Elementary, Ford Elementary, Gray Court-Owings, Pleasant View Elementary, E.B. Morse, Hickory Tavern Middle, Laurens Middle, and Sanders Middle.

Private K-12 education includes Laurens Academy.

Presbyterian College, located in Clinton, is a four year liberal-arts school founded in 1880.

Cities and towns

*Clinton
*Cross Hill
*Fountain Inn
*Gray Court
*Joanna
*Laurens
*Mountville
*Princeton
*Ware Shoals
*Waterloo
*Watts Mills

Notable residents

*James Adair, (c.1709-c.1783), historian, resided in Laurens County in later life.cite book | title = Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 | publisher = Marquis Who's Who | location = Chicago | date = 1963]

References

External links

* [http://www.ourfamilyorigins.com/laurens/dna.htm Laurens County, South Carolina DNA Project]