Yazoo County, Mississippi

Infobox U.S. County
county = Yazoo County
state = Mississippi




map size = 150
founded = January 21, 1823
seat = Yazoo City | largest city = Yazoo City | area_total_sq_mi =934
area_land_sq_mi =919
area_water_sq_mi =15
area percentage = 1.57%
census yr = 2000
pop = 28149
density_km2 =12
web = www.co.yazoo.ms.us
|

Yazoo County is a county located in the Mississippi Delta region of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population was 28,149. The county seat is Yazoo CityGR|6. It is named for the Yazoo River, whose name, legend has it, comes from an Indian word meaning "River of Death". Farming and lumber are the predominant industries of Yazoo County.

The Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Yazoo County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 934 square miles (2,419 km²), of which, 919 square miles (2,381 km²) of it is land and 15 square miles (38 km²) of it (1.57%) is water.

The total land area of 934 square miles makes Yazoo County the largest county in Mississippi. In fact, the State of Rhode Island is only 298 square miles larger.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

*Humphreys County (north)
*Holmes County (northeast)
*Madison County (east)
*Hinds County (south)
*Warren County (southwest)
*Issaquena County (west)
*Sharkey County (northwest)

History

The area which is now Yazoo County was acquired by the State of Mississippi from the Choctaw Indians in 1820. Yazoo County was established on January 21, 1823. It was the 19th county established in the State of Mississippi, and remains the largest in area. The first county seat was at Beattie's Bluff, Mississippi. In 1829 the county seat was moved to Benton. In 1849 the county seat was moved once again, to Yazoo City where it remains.

Yazoo County was a battlefield in 1863 and 1864 during the American Civil War.

The famous railroad disaster which killed engineer Casey Jones took place in Yazoo County, just north of Vaughan, Mississippi, in 1900.

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 did much damage in Yazoo County.

Comedian Jerry Clower was a native of Liberty, Mississippi, who immortalized the fictitious "Ledbetter" Amite County family (based on his memories of real people) with his comedy sketches. His humor was always gentle, upbeat, and deeply based on his Christian faith. Jerry attended Mississippi State University, and was employed by the Mississippi Chemical Company of Yazoo City. He died shortly after building a new home in his native Amite County. [ [http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/english/ms-writers/dir/clower_jerry/ "Jerry Clower" on Mississippi Writer's Page] ]

Demographics

USCensusPop
1830= 6550
1840= 10480
1850= 14418
1860= 22373
1870= 17279
1880= 33845
1890= 36394
1900= 43948
1910= 46672
1920= 37149
1930= 37262
1940= 40091
1950= 35712
1960= 31653
1970= 27304
1980= 27349
1990= 25506
2000= 28149
estyear=2007
estimate=27187
footnote= [http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ms190090.txt MS Counties 1900-1990] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 28,149 people, 9,178 households, and 6,644 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 10,015 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 44.74% White, 53.96% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 4.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

35.60% of the 9,178 households have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.20% were married couples living together, 23.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the county the population was spread out with 28.50% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,795, and the median income for a family was $29,395. Males had a median income of $28,553 versus $19,797 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,062. About 25.40% of families and 31.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.90% of those under age 18 and 22.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

*Cities
**Yazoo City

*Towns
**Bentonia

*Villages
**Eden
**Satartia

*Unincorporated places
**Anding
**Benton
**Holly Bluff
**Tinsley
**Vaughan

Education

*Public School Districts
**Yazoo City Municipal School District
**Yazoo County School District

*Private Schools
**Benton Academy (Benton)
**Manchester Academy (Yazoo City)

Famous Residents of Yazoo County

*Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi
*Willie Brown, football player
*Jerry Clower, comedian
*Henry Espy, Mayor of Clarksdale, Mississippi
*Mike Espy, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
*Lawrence Gordon, motion picture producer
*Lynn Hamilton, actress
*T. J. Huddleston, entrepreneur
*Skip James, blues musician
*Tommy McClennan, blues musician
*Willie Morris, writer
*Stella Stevens, actress
*Sarah Mary Taylor, nationally acclaimed folk artist
*Zig Ziglar, writer and motivational speaker
*Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, blues musician
*Jack Owens, blues musician

References

* Cox, James L. The Mississippi Almanac. (2001). ISBN 0-9643545-2-7

External links

* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~msyazoo/ Yazoo County Mississippi] on RootsWeb.com
* [http://www.yazoo.org/ Yazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau]