Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jefferson Davis County
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County
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Jefferson Davis County Courthouse in Prentiss
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Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
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 Mississippi's location within the U.S. |
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| 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)
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| • Total | 11,321 |
| • Density | 27.68/sq mi (10.687/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www.jeffersondaviscountyms.com |
Jefferson Davis County is a county located in the state of Mississippi in the United States. In 2020, about 11,321 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Prentiss.
The county is named after Jefferson Davis. He was a senator from Mississippi and later the president of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis County was created in March 1906 from parts of Covington and Lawrence counties. Governor James K. Vardaman signed the bill that officially made it a county on May 9, 1906.
Contents
History of Jefferson Davis County
The idea for Jefferson Davis County started on March 31, 1906. A law was passed in Mississippi to create the new county and set its borders. People living in western Covington County and eastern Lawrence County often found it hard to reach their county seats. This was because rivers and streams made travel difficult. Jefferson Davis County became the 77th county in Mississippi.
In 1906, people voted to decide where the county seat would be. They chose Prentiss. The town was named either after Seargent Smith Prentiss, a famous Mississippi lawmaker, or Prentiss Webb Berry, a wealthy landowner. The area was first called Blountville, named after an early settler named William Blount.
In 1933, Jefferson Davis County was the first county in Mississippi to set its own rules about selling drinks. In 1935, a well-known outlaw named Raymond Hamilton was known to hide in the county's wild areas.
Geography of Jefferson Davis County
The U.S. Census Bureau says that Jefferson Davis County covers a total area of 409 square miles. Most of this area, 408 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 0.7 square miles, is water.
Major roads in Jefferson Davis County
These are the main roads that go through Jefferson Davis County:
U.S. Route 84
Mississippi Highway 13
Mississippi Highway 35
Mississippi Highway 42
Mississippi Highway 43
Counties next to Jefferson Davis County
Jefferson Davis County shares borders with these other counties:
- Simpson County (to the north)
- Covington County (to the east)
- Lamar County (to the southeast)
- Marion County (to the south)
- Lawrence County (to the west)
Population of Jefferson Davis County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 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 | −12.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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| Race | Number of People | Percentage |
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| White (not Hispanic) | 4,330 | 38.25% |
| Black or African American (not 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% |
In 2020, there were 11,321 people living in the county. There were 4,713 households and 3,003 families.
Towns and communities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially towns:
- Carson
- Oak Vale (partly in Lawrence County)
Ghost town
- Mount Carmel (This is a former town that is now abandoned)
Historic places
The Jefferson Davis County Courthouse in Prentiss is a special building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important place in history.
Education
All students in Jefferson Davis County go to schools in the Jefferson Davis County School District. For college, the county is part of the area served by Pearl River Community College.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Jefferson Davis para niños
