Elbert County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Elbert County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. It was established on December 10, 1790 and was named for Samuel Elbert
. As of 2000, the population was 20,511. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,525. The county seat
is Elberton
.
of 2000, there were 20,511 people, 8,004 households, and 5,770 families residing in the county. The population density
was 56 people per square mile (21/km²). There were 9,136 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 66.94% White
, 30.85% Black
or African American
, 0.20% Native American
, 0.24% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 1.06% from other races
, and 0.68% from two or more races. 2.38% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 8,004 households out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.90% were married couples
living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,724, and the median income for a family was $34,276. Males had a median income of $27,221 versus $19,737 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $14,535. About 14.60% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.50% of those under age 18 and 17.20% of those age 65 or over.
, who resided in southern Elbert County, and the Rev. Daniel Tucker
, a popular minister and ferry operator, who may have been the inspiration for the song "Old Dan Tucker
". The county was also home to Corra Harris, author of "A Circuit Rider's Wife," a book that later inspired the popular movie "I'd Climb the Highest Mountain." Stephen Heard
, deceased, was Governor of Georgia from 1780-1781. Hon. Joseph Rucker Lamar
, deceased, who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
from 1910–1916, was born in Elbert County. Statesman and Judge Young L.G. Harris
, deceased, for whom Young Harris College
is named, was born in Elbert County. Former U.S. Secretary of War and 1824 U.S. Presidential candidate William Harris Crawford, as well as famed American explorer Meriwether Lewis
during his youth; his family owned lands along the Broad River in The Broad River Valley located in Wilkes (now Oglethorpe) County which borders Elbert County. Clark Gaines
, NFL record holder and former Executive Director of the NFL Players Association, was raised in Elbert County and played football for Elbert County Comprehensive High School. Blues
guitarist Baby Tate
was born in Elbert County. Recording artists Modern Skirts
, popular on the college music circuit, include two members from Elbert County, JoJo Glidewell and Jay Gulley.
Elbert County's governing authority, the Elbert County Board of Commissioners, has five Commissioners elected in districts, a Chairperson elected County-wide, and an appointed County Administrator. Current members of the Board of Commissioners are Tommy Lyon - Chairman, Horace Harper - Vice-Chairman, Kenneth Ashworth, Frank Eaves, Freddie Jones, and Harold Reynolds. The current County Administrator is Bob Thomas. County officials include Hon. Barry Haston, Sheriff, Hon. Chuck Almond, Coroner, County Clerk Judy Vaughn, County Attorney Bill Daughtry, Hon. Susan Sexton, Election Superintendent, Chief Registrar Charlotte Ward, Hon. Pat Anderson, Clerk of Courts, Hon. Lorrie Higginbotham, Tax Commissioner, Board of Assessors Members Jim Purcell, Edwin Shive, and Horace Baker, and Chief Appraiser Kevin Cameron.
cabin, the Dan Tucker
gravesite, the Stephen Heard
Cemetery, the Petersburg Township site, Vans Creek Church, the Elbert County Courthouse, the Elberton Seaboard-Airline Depot, the Rock Gym, the Granite Bowl
, the Elberton Granite Museum and Exhibit, the Richard B. Russell Dam, the Elbert Theatre, the Georgia Guidestones
, Richard B. Russell State Park
, and Bobby Brown State Park
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It was established on December 10, 1790 and was named for Samuel Elbert
Samuel Elbert
Samuel Elbert was an American merchant, soldier, and politician from Savannah, Georgia.Elbert fought in the Revolutionary War, commanding the victorious American colonial forces in a naval battle near St. Simons Island, Georgia on April 19, 1778...
. As of 2000, the population was 20,511. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,525. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Elberton
Elberton, Georgia
Elberton is the largest city in Elbert County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,743 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Elbert County and serves as a hub for industry and small business in Northeast Georgia...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 374.54 square miles (970.1 km²), of which 368.76 square miles (955.1 km²) (or 98.46%) is land and 5.78 square miles (15 km²) (or 1.54%) is water.Major highways
State Route 17
State Route 72
State Route 77
State Route 79
State Route 172
State Route 368State Route 368 (Georgia)State Route 368 begins with its intersection with S.R. 77 north of Elberton, Georgia and travels to the northwest, through unincorporated and generally rural areas of Elbert County. S.R. 368 runs northeast, crossing the backwaters of Lake Russell, before crossing over the main channel of the lake...
Adjacent counties
- Anderson CountyAnderson County, South Carolina-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 187,126 people and 70,597 households residing in the county. The population density was 260.6 people per square mile . There were 84,092 housing units...
, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(northeast) - Abbeville CountyAbbeville County, South CarolinaAbbeville County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2010, its population was 25,147. Its county seat is Abbeville. It is the first county in the United States alphabetically.-History:...
, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(east) - McCormick County, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(southeast) - Lincoln CountyLincoln County, GeorgiaLincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia, with the Savannah River forming its northeastern border. Located above the fall line, it is part of the Central Savannah River Area and a member of the CSRA Regional Development Center. The county was created on February 20, 1796. ...
(southeast) - Wilkes CountyWilkes County, GeorgiaWilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 10,687. The 2007 Census estimate shows a population of 10,262. The county seat is the city of Washington. Referred to as "Washington-Wilkes", the county seat and county are commonly treated as a...
(south) - Oglethorpe CountyOglethorpe County, GeorgiaOglethorpe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the largest county in Northeast Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 12,635. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 13,963...
(southwest) - Madison CountyMadison County, GeorgiaMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 5, 1811. As of 2000, the population was 25,730. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,012. The county seat is Danielsville....
(west) - Hart CountyHart County, GeorgiaHart County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created December 7, 1853. As of 2000, the population was 22,997. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 24,240. The county seat is Hartwell....
(north-northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 20,511 people, 8,004 households, and 5,770 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 56 people per square mile (21/km²). There were 9,136 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 66.94% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 30.85% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.20% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.24% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.06% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.68% from two or more races. 2.38% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 8,004 households out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.90% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,724, and the median income for a family was $34,276. Males had a median income of $27,221 versus $19,737 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $14,535. About 14.60% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.50% of those under age 18 and 17.20% of those age 65 or over.
Famous residents
Though a rural county, Elbert County has been home to many legends. Included in these are Revolutionary War heroine Nancy HartNancy Hart
Nancy Morgan Hart was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War whose exploits against Loyalists in the Georgia backcountry are the stuff of legend...
, who resided in southern Elbert County, and the Rev. Daniel Tucker
Daniel Tucker
Daniel Tucker was a Methodist minister, farmer and ferryman as well as a Captain during the American Revolution...
, a popular minister and ferry operator, who may have been the inspiration for the song "Old Dan Tucker
Old Dan Tucker
"Old Dan Tucker", also known as "Ole Dan Tucker", "Dan Tucker", and other variants, is a popular American song. Its origins remain obscure; the tune may have come from oral tradition, and the words may have been written by songwriter and performer Dan Emmett...
". The county was also home to Corra Harris, author of "A Circuit Rider's Wife," a book that later inspired the popular movie "I'd Climb the Highest Mountain." Stephen Heard
Stephen Heard
Stephen Heard was briefly the 12th Governor of Georgia from when he was appointed on February 18, 1780 until Nathan Brownson was elected the tenth Governor of Georgia in August of 1781 Stephen Heard (November 1, 1740 – November 15, 1815) was briefly the 12th Governor of Georgia (a position later...
, deceased, was Governor of Georgia from 1780-1781. Hon. Joseph Rucker Lamar
Joseph Rucker Lamar
Joseph Rucker Lamar was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court appointed by President William Howard Taft...
, deceased, who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
from 1910–1916, was born in Elbert County. Statesman and Judge Young L.G. Harris
Young Harris
Young Loftin Gerdine Harris was an American lawyer, businessman, politician, judge, and philanthropist. He is best known as the early benefactor of Young Harris College in the U.S. state of Georgia, after whom the school was named....
, deceased, for whom Young Harris College
Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private, Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college located in the mountains of northeast Georgia. The current president is Cathy Cox, former Georgia Secretary of State.-Origins:...
is named, was born in Elbert County. Former U.S. Secretary of War and 1824 U.S. Presidential candidate William Harris Crawford, as well as famed American explorer Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
during his youth; his family owned lands along the Broad River in The Broad River Valley located in Wilkes (now Oglethorpe) County which borders Elbert County. Clark Gaines
Clark Gaines
Clark Daniel Gaines is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs over the course of his 7 year career.-Early years:...
, NFL record holder and former Executive Director of the NFL Players Association, was raised in Elbert County and played football for Elbert County Comprehensive High School. Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitarist Baby Tate
Baby Tate
Baby Tate was an American Piedmont blues guitarist, who in a sporadic career spanning five decades, worked variously with guitarists Blind Boy Fuller, Pink Anderson, and Peg Leg Sam...
was born in Elbert County. Recording artists Modern Skirts
Modern Skirts
Modern Skirts is an alternative rock band based in Athens, GA. The band consists of four members: Jay Gulley , JoJo Glidewell , Phillip Brantley and John Swint ....
, popular on the college music circuit, include two members from Elbert County, JoJo Glidewell and Jay Gulley.
Judiciary and government
Elbert County is part of the Northern Judicial Circuit of Georgia, which also includes the counties of Hart, Franklin, Madison, and Oglethorpe. Superior Court Judges for the Circuit are Hon. John H. Bailey of Elbert County, Hon. Jeffery S. Malcom of Hart County, and Hon. Thomas L. Hodges of Elbert County. The District Attorney for the Northern Judicial Circuit is Hon. Robert W. Lavender of Elbert County, and the Public Defender for the circuit is Joel Shiver of Franklin County. Elbert County also has a State Court (jurisdictionally similar to the "District Courts" of other states), and the Elbert County State Court is served by Hon. Richard Campbell, Judge, and Hon. Gary Aston, Solicitor-General. Hon. Lanie Simmons is the Chief Judge of the Elbert County Magistrate Court, and Hon. Susan Sexton is the Judge of the Elbert County Probate Court.Elbert County's governing authority, the Elbert County Board of Commissioners, has five Commissioners elected in districts, a Chairperson elected County-wide, and an appointed County Administrator. Current members of the Board of Commissioners are Tommy Lyon - Chairman, Horace Harper - Vice-Chairman, Kenneth Ashworth, Frank Eaves, Freddie Jones, and Harold Reynolds. The current County Administrator is Bob Thomas. County officials include Hon. Barry Haston, Sheriff, Hon. Chuck Almond, Coroner, County Clerk Judy Vaughn, County Attorney Bill Daughtry, Hon. Susan Sexton, Election Superintendent, Chief Registrar Charlotte Ward, Hon. Pat Anderson, Clerk of Courts, Hon. Lorrie Higginbotham, Tax Commissioner, Board of Assessors Members Jim Purcell, Edwin Shive, and Horace Baker, and Chief Appraiser Kevin Cameron.
Civic organizations
Elbert County has many active civic organizations including, but not limited to, the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce, Elbert County Historical Society, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Pilot Club, Elbert Theatre Foundation (part of the Georgia Council for the Arts), NAACP, Boys and Girls Club, Elbert Civic League (part of the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs), and Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, many local churches have very active missions programs, and many trade organizations, such as the Elbert Granite Association, are active. Elbert attorney Robert M. Heard, deceased, served as President of the State Bar of Georgia. Elberton has produced two past international presidents of Pilot Club International, attorney (now judge) Cindy Weaver from 2005–06, and Pat Jarvis from 2009–2010, and two past Governors of the Georgia District of Kiwanis International, Bob Lambertson and the Hon. William F. Grant, deceased. John Stephen Jenkins, an Elbert County resident and attorney, served as District Governor for Rotary International District 6910, 2000-2001. Elbert County resident John Clarke has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia NAACP, and has also been awarded the prestigious Justice Robert Benham Public Service Award. Elbert County resident and Historical Society member Joyce Davis has published a number of books on the history and architecture of Elbert County.Historical and cultural sites
Historical and cultural sites in Elbert County include the Nancy HartNancy Hart
Nancy Morgan Hart was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War whose exploits against Loyalists in the Georgia backcountry are the stuff of legend...
cabin, the Dan Tucker
Daniel Tucker
Daniel Tucker was a Methodist minister, farmer and ferryman as well as a Captain during the American Revolution...
gravesite, the Stephen Heard
Stephen Heard
Stephen Heard was briefly the 12th Governor of Georgia from when he was appointed on February 18, 1780 until Nathan Brownson was elected the tenth Governor of Georgia in August of 1781 Stephen Heard (November 1, 1740 – November 15, 1815) was briefly the 12th Governor of Georgia (a position later...
Cemetery, the Petersburg Township site, Vans Creek Church, the Elbert County Courthouse, the Elberton Seaboard-Airline Depot, the Rock Gym, the Granite Bowl
Granite Bowl
The Granite Bowl is the off-campus playing venue for the football and soccer sports teams for the Elbert County Blue Devils in Elberton, Georgia in the United States. It is located between College Avenue and West Church Street and is near the city of Elberton's downtown square. The stadium can hold...
, the Elberton Granite Museum and Exhibit, the Richard B. Russell Dam, the Elbert Theatre, the Georgia Guidestones
Georgia Guidestones
The Georgia Guidestones is a large granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia, USA. A message comprising ten guides is inscribed on the structure in eight modern languages, and a shorter message is inscribed at the top of the structure in four ancient languages' scripts: Babylonian, Classical...
, Richard B. Russell State Park
Richard B. Russell State Park
Richard B. Russell State Park is a 2,508 acre state park located on the shore of Russell Lake in Elbert County, Georgia. The park features the 18 hole Arrowhead Golf Course, as well as picnic shelters and a swimming beach.-Facilities:*2,508 Acres...
, and Bobby Brown State Park
Bobby Brown State Park
Bobby Brown State Outdoor Recreation Area is a 665 acre Georgia state park located near Chennault and Middleton. The park's name is a memorial to Robert T. Brown, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy who was killed during World War II...
.