Shelby County, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelby County
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Shelby County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
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 Ohio's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Ohio |
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| Founded | April 1, 1819 | ||
| Named for | Isaac Shelby | ||
| Seat | Sidney | ||
| Largest city | Sidney | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 411 sq mi (1,060 km2) | ||
| • Land | 408 sq mi (1,060 km2) | ||
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (8 km2) 0.7%% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 48,230  |
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| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional districts | 4th, 15th | ||
Shelby County is a place in the western part of Ohio, a state in the United States. It's like a large district within the state. In 2020, about 48,230 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Sidney.
Shelby County was named after Isaac Shelby. He was the very first governor of Kentucky. The area around Sidney, Ohio, including Shelby County, is considered a Micropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's a smaller city area that is connected to larger cities like Dayton and Springfield.
Contents
History of Shelby County
Long ago, in the 1700s, the Shawnee Native American people lived in this area. They spoke a language called Algonquian. Before them, the Ottawa people, who spoke a different language, lived here. Other Native American groups like the Iroquois, Seneca, and Mingo also came to the area. They moved because European settlers were taking their lands further east.
In 1792, a pioneer named John Hardin was killed by the Shawnee in Shelby County. The first main town in the county was named Hardin to remember him.
How Shelby County Was Formed
Shelby County was officially created in 1819. It was formed from a larger area called Miami County. Some parts of Shelby County, like Minster and New Bremen, later became part of Auglaize County in 1848.
Canals and New Settlers
Many towns in Shelby County were started by people who moved there from Germany. The Miami and Erie Canal was a big project that reached Shelby County in 1841. This canal created many jobs for new immigrants. It also made it easier for people to travel to Shelby County from Cincinnati in the south and from Lake Erie in the north.
The canal helped businesses grow a lot. Farm product prices went up, which was good for farmers. As German immigrants arrived to work on the canal, on farms, and in shops, businesses in Sidney and Shelby County expanded. These German settlers were known for being careful with money, which helped the area grow economically. Sidney's population grew from 713 people in 1840 to 1,284 by 1850. Many of the new residents were from Germany or France.
There were also many families from England who moved to Shelby County in the 1800s. These English immigrants often came from farming areas. They found it easier to own land in America. Also, at that time, many men in the United States could vote, no matter how much land or money they had. These reasons encouraged English people to move, especially from a region in central England called south Staffordshire. Because of this, they were sometimes called "the Staffordshire settlers."
The Randolph Slaves Settlement
In 1846, a group of 383 free Black people from Virginia settled in Shelby County. Most of them settled in a place called Rumley, Ohio. These people had been set free by the will of a Virginia landowner named John Randolph of Roanoke in 1833. He left money to help them travel and settle on land in a free state.
It took some time for them to gain their freedom because of legal challenges to Randolph's will. But in 1846, the families were finally freed and moved to Ohio. Randolph's will said that those over 40 years old would get 10 acres of land each.
A history book from that time described the Rumley settlement: "There are 400 Negroes (half the population of Van Buren Township) as prosperous as their white neighbors and equal to the whites in morals, religion and intelligence."
In 1900, the people who had been freed and their children formed the Randolph Ex-Slaves Association. They held their first family reunion at Midway Park near Piqua. Sixty-two of the original settlers attended. They had been born into slavery in Virginia and came to Ohio as young children with their families. They were called the "Old Dominions" because Virginia was nicknamed the "Old Dominion." Their children born in Ohio were called the "Buckeyes." Over the years, these reunions were also held in Troy and at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. Between 100 and 300 people usually attended.
Geography of Shelby County
Shelby County has low, rolling hills. Most of the land is used for farming or for towns and cities. The Great Miami River flows into Shelby County from Logan County. It then flows southwest and south, leaving the county into Miami County.
The highest point in Shelby County is about 1,149 feet (350 meters) above sea level. This spot is in the southeast corner, where Shelby County meets Champaign and Miami counties.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Shelby County covers a total area of 411 square miles (1,060 km²). About 408 square miles (1,060 km²) of this is land, and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km²) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Shelby County shares borders with these other counties:
- Auglaize County – to the north
- Logan County – to the east
- Champaign County – to the southeast
- Miami County – to the south
- Darke County – to the west
- Mercer County – to the northwest
People of Shelby County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,106 | — | |
| 1830 | 3,671 | 74.3% | |
| 1840 | 12,154 | 231.1% | |
| 1850 | 13,958 | 14.8% | |
| 1860 | 17,493 | 25.3% | |
| 1870 | 20,748 | 18.6% | |
| 1880 | 24,137 | 16.3% | |
| 1890 | 24,707 | 2.4% | |
| 1900 | 24,625 | −0.3% | |
| 1910 | 24,663 | 0.2% | |
| 1920 | 25,923 | 5.1% | |
| 1930 | 24,924 | −3.9% | |
| 1940 | 26,071 | 4.6% | |
| 1950 | 28,488 | 9.3% | |
| 1960 | 33,586 | 17.9% | |
| 1970 | 37,748 | 12.4% | |
| 1980 | 43,089 | 14.1% | |
| 1990 | 44,915 | 4.2% | |
| 2000 | 47,910 | 6.7% | |
| 2010 | 49,423 | 3.2% | |
| 2020 | 48,230 | −2.4% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2020 |
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In 2010, there were 49,423 people living in Shelby County. Most people (94.7%) were white. About 1.9% were Black or African American, and 0.9% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population.
Many people in Shelby County have German roots (39.8%). Others have Irish (11.0%), American (9.2%), or English (7.8%) ancestry.
The average age of people in Shelby County was 37.9 years old. The median income for a household was $48,475. This means half of the households earned more than this, and half earned less. About 11.9% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Communities in Shelby County
Shelby County has one city, several villages, and many townships.
City
- Sidney (This is the county seat, the main town for county government.)
Villages
- Anna
- Botkins
- Fort Loramie
- Jackson Center
- Kettlersville
- Lockington
- Minster (part of this village is in Shelby County)
- Port Jefferson
- Russia
Townships
Townships are smaller areas of land, often rural, that have their own local government.
- Clinton
- Cynthian
- Dinsmore
- Franklin
- Green
- Jackson
- Loramie
- McLean
- Orange
- Perry
- Salem
- Turtle Creek
- Van Buren
- Washington
Other Communities
- Newport (a census-designated place, meaning it's a community that is not a city or village but is recognized for census purposes)
Small Unincorporated Communities
These are very small communities that are not officially organized as cities or villages.
- Ballou
- Dawson
- Depew
- Hardin
- Houston
- Kirkwood
- Maplewood
- McCartyville
- Montra
- Mount Jefferson
- Newbern
- Oran
- Pasco
- Pemberton
- Plattsville
- Rumley
- St. Patrick
- Swanders
- Tawawa
- Uno
Famous People from Shelby County
Some well-known people have come from Shelby County:
- Jared Hoying, a professional baseball player.
- Paul Lauterbur, a chemist who won the Nobel Prize.
- J. Edward Russell, who used to represent Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Bill Steinkemper, an American football player.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Shelby (Ohio) para niños
