Marion County, Texas Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Marion County
U.S. county
Marion County Courthouse in Jefferson
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1860
Named for	Francis Marion
Seat	Jefferson
Largest city	Jefferson
Area
• Total	420 sq mi (1,100 km²)
• Land	381 sq mi (990 km²)
• Water	39 sq mi (100 km²) 9.4%%
Population (2020)
• Total	9,725
• Density	23.15/sq mi (8.94/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st

Marion County is a county found in the state of Texas. In 2020, about 9,725 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Jefferson. Marion County is in East Texas. It is named after Francis Marion, a famous general from the American Revolutionary War. People called him the "Swamp Fox."

History
Geography
- Main Roads
- Neighboring Counties
Communities
Population Changes
Education
See also

History

Early People and Settlers

Long ago, the Caddoan Mississippian culture lived in this area. They were farmers. In 1541, the Hernando de Soto expedition came through. This led to fights with the Native Americans. European missionaries also brought diseases like smallpox and measles. These diseases harmed the Caddo people. Eventually, the Caddo had to move to special lands called reservations.

Later, in the 1800s, other Native American groups like the Shawnee, Delaware, and Kickapoo also moved to this area.

How Marion County Began

Marion County was created in 1860 from Cass County. It was named after General Francis Marion. The town of Jefferson became the county seat. It was named after Thomas Jefferson.

Many early settlers came from other southern states. They brought enslaved African Americans with them to work. By 1860, more than half of the people in the county were enslaved. In 1861, the county's white male voters chose to leave the Union. This led to the American Civil War. The county made money from contracts with the Confederate government during the war.

After the Civil War

After the Civil War, there were tough times. In 1869, a steamboat called the Mittie Stephens caught fire. Many people died in the fire or in the river.

After the war, some white groups used violence against the newly freed African Americans. In 1869, a leader named George Washington Smith was killed in Jefferson. Because of this, the government sent soldiers to Jefferson. These soldiers helped protect the Black community during a time called Reconstruction.

During Reconstruction, many Black voters in the county supported the Republican Party. But later, new laws made it hard for Black people to vote. This was called disenfranchisement. It meant they couldn't vote in important elections. This unfair practice lasted until 1944. Then, the U.S. Supreme Court said it was against the law.

The Marion County courthouse, made of brick, was built in 1914. A monument honoring soldiers from the Civil War was placed outside the courthouse.

Caddo Lake State Park was first suggested in 1924. During the Great Depression, from 1933 to 1937, men from the Civilian Conservation Corps worked there. They built cabins and a recreation hall for visitors.

Geography

Marion County covers about 420 square miles. About 381 square miles are land, and 39 square miles are water. This means about 9.4% of the county is water.

Main Roads

Entering Marion County from Louisiana along State Highway 49

Several important roads pass through Marion County:

U.S. Highway 59
- Interstate 369 is being built along U.S. 59.
State Highway 43
State Highway 49
State Highway 155
Farm to Market Road 134
Farm to Market Road 248
Farm to Market Road 2208
Farm to Market Road 726
Farm to Market Road 729
Farm to Market Road 727
Farm to Market Road 805
Farm to Market Road 2683

Neighboring Counties

Marion County shares borders with these other counties:

Cass County (north)
Caddo Parish, Louisiana (east)
Harrison County (south)
Upshur County (west)
Morris County (northwest)

Communities

Here are some of the towns and communities in Marion County:

Corinth
Jefferson (the county seat)
Pine Harbor
Warlock

Population Changes

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	3,977	—
1870	8,562	115.3%
1880	10,983	28.3%
1890	10,862	−1.1%
1900	10,754	−1.0%
1910	10,472	−2.6%
1920	10,886	4.0%
1930	10,371	−4.7%
1940	11,457	10.5%
1950	10,172	−11.2%
1960	8,049	−20.9%
1970	8,517	5.8%
1980	10,360	21.6%
1990	9,984	−3.6%
2000	10,941	9.6%
2010	10,546	−3.6%
2020	9,725	−7.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020

**Marion County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	7,818	7,564	6,869	71.46%	71.72%	70.63%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,599	2,319	1,846	23.75%	21.99%	18.98%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	79	72	69	0.72%	0.68%	0.71%
Asian alone (NH)	23	50	48	0.21%	0.47%	0.49%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	3	0	0.00%	0.03%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	3	8	45	0.03%	0.08%	0.46%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	156	202	459	1.43%	1.92%	4.72%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	263	328	389	2.40%	3.11%	4.00%
Total	10,941	10,546	9,725	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2000, there were 10,941 people living in Marion County. By 2020, the population had changed to 9,725 people. The county is made up of different groups of people. In 2020, most people were non-Hispanic white (about 70.63%). About 18.98% were Black or African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and people of mixed races. About 4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Education

Students in Marion County attend schools in these districts:

Avinger Independent School District
Jefferson Independent School District
Ore City Independent School District

Everyone in Marion County can also get college services from Panola College.

Marion County, Texas facts for kids

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