Daviess County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,430. Its county seat is Gallatin. The county was organized December 29, 1836, from Ray County and named for Major Joseph Hamilton Daveiss, a soldier from Kentucky who was killed in 1811 at the Battle of Tippecanoe.
The county includes the town of Jamesport, which has the largest Amish community in Missouri.
History Latter Day Saint movement founder Joseph Smith taught that Adam-ondi-Ahman, in the central part of the county, was where Adam and Eve moved after being banished from the Garden of Eden. According to LDS tradition, the site is to be a gathering spot before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
In 1838, two years after the county was organized, Smith's claims about the area drew an influx of Mormon settlers. Non-Mormon residents feared they were going to lose control of the county and attempted to prevent Mormons from voting in the Gallatin Election Day Battle—the first skirmish in the Mormon War. Later, in retaliation for violence to their families and destruction of their property, some Mormons burned and sacked Gallatin, Grindstone Fork, Millport and other smaller settlements. The plundered goods were deposited in the Bishop's storehouse at Diahman. Millport, which at the time was the largest city in the county and the center for trade, never recovered, and became a ghost town. Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs issued an Extermination Order to drive the Mormons from the state after arresting Joseph Smith and other leaders of the church.
Daviess County played a major role in the history of the outlaw James-Younger Gang. The first confirmed bank robbery involving Jesse James occurred on December 7, 1869, at the Daviess County Savings Association in Gallatin. During the robbery, James killed cashier John W. Sheets, whom he believed was Samuel P. Cox, who had killed James's bushwhacker colleague Bloody Bill Anderson during the American Civil War. The gang is also believed responsible for the July 15, 1881, robbery of the Rock Island Line at Winston in which a conductor and passenger were killed.
After Jesse James was murdered in St. Joseph, Frank James surrendered in 1882 to face Daviess County charges in connection with the train robbery/murder and murder charges in the 1869 bank robbery. His trial lasted from August 20 until September 6, 1883. Interest was so intense that the trial was moved to the Gallatin Opera House to accommodate the crowds. James was found not guilty of involvement in both crimes. Charges were made that the jury was filled with Southern sympathizers who refused to convict one of their own.
The Daviess County Savings Association and the Gallatin Opera House have since been torn down, although the Winston Rock Island Line train station still stands and is operated by the local historical society as a museum.
Daviess County has one of only three Rotary Jails still in existence. Also known as the "Squirrel Cage Jail," it is now a museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water.
Adjacent counties Harrison County (north) Grundy County (northeast) Livingston County (southeast) Caldwell County (south) DeKalb County (west) Gentry County (northwest)
Major highways Interstate 35 U.S. Route 69 Route 6 Route 13 Route 190
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,430 residents. The median age was 40.6 years, with 25.8% of residents under the age of 18 and 20.5% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.0 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 94.6% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.3% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.3% of the population.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 3,233 households in the county, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,123 housing units, of which 21.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.8% were owner-occupied and 23.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.7%.
Racial and ethnic composition The county's racial and ethnic composition from 1980 through 2020 is detailed below. +Daviess County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)8,8327,7817,8778,2117,92499.18%98.93%98.27%97.37%94.00%Black or African American alone (NH)62423310.07%0.03%0.05%0.27%0.37%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)10242823270.11%0.31%0.35%0.27%0.32%Asian alone (NH)51265160.06%0.15%0.07%0.06%0.19%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census15210xx0.19%0.02%0.12%Other race alone (NH)600070.07%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.08%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census3182302xx0.39%0.97%3.58%Hispanic or Latino (any race)464655871130.52%0.58%0.69%1.03%1.34%Total8,9057,8658,0168,4338,430 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 8,433 people, 3,214 households, and 2,489 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 4,199 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.02% White, 0.27% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Approximately 1.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,214 households, out of which 31.92% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.81% were married couples living together, 8.06% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.34% were non-families. 24.64% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.89% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.70% under the age of 18, 7.02% from 18 to 24, 21.81% from 25 to 44, 27.38% from 45 to 64, and 17.09% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,925, and the median income for a family was $48,839. Males had a median income of $33,882 versus $28,891 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,900. About 9.80% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 11.60% of those age 65 or over.
Religion
Education Of adults 25 years of age and older in Daviess County, 84.0% possess a high school diploma or higher, while 14.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.
School districts in the county include: - Text list
Breckenridge R-I School District Cameron R-I School District Gallatin R-V School District Gilman City R-IV School District Hamilton R-II School District North Daviess R-III School District Pattonsburg R-II School District South Harrison County R-II School District Trenton R-IX School District Tri-County R-VII School District Winston R-VI School District
Public schools Gallatin R-V School District - Gallatin Covel D. Searcy Elementary School (PK-04) Gallatin Middle School (05-08) Gallatin High School (09-12) North Daviess County R-III School District - Jameson North Daviess County Elementary School (PK-06) - Jameson North Daviess County High School (07-12) - Jameson Pattonsburg R-II School District - Pattonsburg Pattonsburg Elementary School (PK-06) Pattonsburg High School (07-12) Tri-County R-VII School District - Jamesport Tri-County Elementary School (K-06) Tri-County High School (07-12) Winston R-VI School District - Winston Winston Elementary School (PK-06) Winston High School (07-12)
Private schools Country View School - Jamesport - (01-08) - Amish Hickory Hill School - Jamesport - (01-08) - Amish Jamesport Mennonite School - Jamesport - (01-08) - Mennonite Meadow View School - Jamesport - (01-07) Amish Oak Grove School - Jamesport - (01-08) - Amish Spring Hill School - Jamesport - (01-08) - Amish Walnut Creek School - Jamesport - (01-08) - Amish
Public libraries Daviess County Library
Communities Cities Coffey Gallatin (county seat) Gilman City Jamesport Pattonsburg
Villages Altamont Jameson Lock Springs Winston
Census-designated place Lake Viking
Unincorporated communities
Alta Vista Bancroft Carlow Civil Bend Mabel Old Pattonsburg
Townships
Benton Colfax Grand River Harrison Jackson Jamesport Jefferson Liberty Lincoln Marion Monroe Salem Sheridan Union Washington
Notable people
Phog Allen - University of Kansas coach, called the "Father of Basketball Coaching." Conrad Burns - U.S. Senator (R-Montana), (1989-2007) Webster Davis - Mayor of Kansas City, (1894-1895) Alexander Monroe Dockery - Governor of Missouri, (1901-1905) Brice Garnett - Professional golfer Larry Holley - Head men's basketball coach at William Jewell College William Thornton Kemper Sr. - Patriarch of the Missouri Kemper financial family Jerry Litton - U.S. Representative, (1973-1976) Johnny Ringo - outlaw who briefly lived in the area Martha Scott - Academy Award-nominated actress Wild Bill Elliott - Hollywood western movie actor, best known for role as "Red Ryder"
Politics
Local Politics are predominantly controlled by the Republican Party at the local level in Daviess County.
State + Past Gubernatorial Elections Results Year Republican Democratic Third Parties2024 78.96% 3,07418.39% 7162.65% 1032020 77.21% 2,97520.11% 7752.67% 1032016 61.65% 2,30034.87% 1,3013.48% 130201248.28% 1,69748.11% 1,6913.61% 127200844.81% 1,68352.42% 1,9692.77% 104200455.52% 2,09142.96% 1,6181.51% 57200050.91% 1,76846.18% 1,6042.90% 101
All of Daviess County is a part of Missouri's 2nd District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is currently represented by J. Eggleston (R-Maysville). Eggleston was reelected to a fourth term in 2020.
All of Daviess County is a part of Missouri's 12th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Dan Hegeman (R-Cosby). Hegeman won a second term in 2018.
Federal All of Daviess County is included in Missouri's 6th Congressional District and is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Graves was elected to an eleventh term in 2020 over Democratic challenger Gena Ross.
Daviess County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in the U.S. Senate by Josh Hawley (R-Columbia) and Roy Blunt (R-Strafford).
Blunt was elected to a second term in 2016 over then-Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander.
Political culture
At the presidential level, Daviess County has become solidly Republican in recent years. Daviess County strongly favored Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2020. Bill Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Daviess County in 1996 with a plurality of the vote, and a Democrat hasn't won majority support from the county's voters in a presidential election since Jimmy Carter in 1976.