Putnam County, West Virginia

History

The Virginia General Assembly formed Putnam County on March 11, 1848, from parts of Cabell, Kanawha, and Mason Counties. It was named for Israel Putnam, who was a hero in the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. George Washington surveyed the area in 1770. Winfield, the county seat, had been founded in 1818, but was incorporated on February 21, 1868, and named to honor General Winfield Scott, a general during the Mexican American War and the early stage of the Civil War.

Slavery was a divisive issue in Putnam County before and during the Civil War. In the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861, Putnam County voters elected James W. Hoge to represent them, and he voted against secession on April 17, 1861, when the convention passed the secession ordinance. He returned to Richmond for the second session in June, though, and signed the ordinance. No one from Putnam County attended the Wheeling Convention, which ultimately led to the creation of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

Two minor battles were fought in Putnam County during the Civil War. On July 17, 1861, Confederate soldiers defeated a Union force at the Battle of Scary Creek, before withdrawing to Charleston. The Confederates included a cavalry troop raised by Colonel Albert Gallatin Jenkins, who until Virginia's secession from the Union, had represented the area in Congress. Jenkins was commissioned a brigadier general in 1862, but died of wounds received at the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain in May 1864. The second skirmish occurred on October 24, 1864, after West Virginia became a Union state. Confederate troops seized and sank a Union steamboat on the Kanawha River near Winfield, then attacked the courthouse, but the "Battle of Winfield" ended as a Union victory. Putnam County's Civil War soldiers were about evenly split between Union and Confederate, with about four hundred on each side.

Putnam County was one of 50 Virginia counties admitted to the Union as the state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863. Later that year, its counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872, the townships were converted into magisterial districts. Putnam County was initially divided into six townships: Buffalo, Curry, Grant, Hutton, Scott, and Union. These became magisterial districts in 1872, and the following year, two were renamed, with Grant becoming Teays Valley, while Hutton became Pocatalico. Except for minor adjustments, these districts were largely unchanged until the 1980s, when Buffalo and Union Districts were consolidated into Buffalo-Union District, and Teays Valley's name abbreviated to "Teays".

A railroad was rebuilt through Putnam County in 1875.

Geography

The Kanawha River flows north-northwestward through the center of Putnam County. The county terrain consists of wooded hills, carved with drainages. The terrain slopes to the north, with the highest point near its southwest corner at 1,129 ft above mean sea level. The county has a total area of 350 sqmi, of which 4.7 sqmi (1.3%) are covered by water.

Major highways

• [[Image:I-64 (WV).svg|20px]] Interstate 64
• [[Image:US 35.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 35
• [[Image:US 60.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 60
• [[Image:WV-25.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 25
• [[Image:WV-34.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 34
• [[Image:WV-62.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 62
• [[Image:WV-817.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 817
• [[Image:WV-869.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 869

Adjacent counties

• Mason County - north
• Jackson County - northeast
• Kanawha County - east
• Lincoln County - south
• Cabell County - west

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 57,440. Of the residents, 22.6% were under the age of 18 and 19.1% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.1 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 92.9% White, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, 0.7% from some other race, and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.

There were 22,936 households in the county, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 24,795 housing units, of which 7.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.4% were owner-occupied and 19.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, 55,486 people, 21,981 households, and 16,176 families resided in the county. The population density was 160 /mi2. The 23,438 housing units had an average density of 67.7 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.8% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 13.2% were American, 12.9% were German, 11.3% were English, and 10.6% were Irish.

Of the 21,981 households, 33.6% had children under 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.4% were not families, and 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 40.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,618 and for a family was $63,642. Males had a median income of $51,837 versus $31,198 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,857. About 8.5% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under 18 and 6.5% of those 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, 51,589 people, 20,028 households, and 15,281 families lived in the county. The population density was 149 /mi2. The 21,621 housing units had an average density of 62.5 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 97.97% White, 0.56% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. About 0.51% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Od the 20,028 households, 35.4% had children under 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were not families. Around 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.96.

The county age distribution was 25.0% under 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,892, and for a family was $48,674. Males had a median income of $40,782 versus $23,532 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,471. About 7.1% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under 18 and 7.6% of those 65 or over.

Politics

Putnam County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic candidate.

Notable people

• Michael Barber, a former American football wide receiver, played high-school football at Winfield and college football at Marshall University. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Drafted in the fourth round (pick 112) by the San Francisco 49ers, he went on to play four seasons in the NFL. He was inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
• Frank Clayton Bowyer, born in Teays Valley, was an American businessman who served as mayor of Tampa, Florida, from June 1898 to June 1900. He was a Democrat.
• Virginia Mae Brown, born in Pliny, was a civil servant, government official, and lawyer. She was West Virginia's first female assistant attorney general. She was later the first female to hold the position of West Virginia's insurance commissioner. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Brown a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission, the first female since its inception in 1887, and later promoted her to be its first female chair.
• Samuel Simon Gordon, a native of Fraziers Bottom, West Virginia, was an American Negro League first baseman between 1908 and 1913.
• Kathie Hess Crouse is an American politician and activist serving as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 13th district, which includes part of Putnam County. Her family and she live in Buffalo.
• Minnie Buckingham Harper, born in Winfield, was an American politician and housewife. In 1928, she became the first Black woman legislator in the United States.
• Samantha Jane Atkeson Morgan, born in Buffalo (then Virginia), was a painter.
• Eric J. Tarr is a Republican member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 4th district, which includes Putnam County, since January 9, 2019.

Communities

Cities

• Hurricane
• Nitro (part)
• Winfield (county seat)

Towns

• Bancroft
• Buffalo
• Eleanor
• Poca

Magisterial districts

• Buffalo-Union
• Curry
• Pocatalico
• Scott
• Teays

Census-designated places

• Culloden (part)
• Hometown
• Raymond City
• Teays Valley

Unincorporated communities

• Black Betsy
• Confidence
• Extra
• Fraziers Bottom
• Lanham
• Liberty
• Midway
• Pliny
• Plymouth
• Red House
• Robertsburg
• Scary
• Scott Depot
• Teays

References

References

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2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. "History of Putnam County, WV".
4. [http://www.virginiamemory.com/docs/votes_on_secession.pdf How Virginia Convention Delegates Voted on Secession, April 4 and April 17, 1861, and Whether They Signed a Copy of the Ordinance of Secession]
5. Steelhammer, Rick. "Confederate troops fought, died to take Winfield 150 years ago today".
6. Sullivan, Ken (ed.), ''The West Virginia Encyclopedia'', The West Virginia Humanities Council, 2006, pg. 592, {{ISBN. 0-9778498-0-5
7. Otis K. Rice & Stephen W. Brown, ''West Virginia: A History'', 2nd ed., University Press of Kentucky, Lexington (1993), p. 240.
8. [[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Census. U.S. Decennial Census]], Tables of Minor Civil Divisions in West Virginia, 1870–2010.
9. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Putnam+County,+WV/@38.3928382,-82.4017572,138975m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8848b9c93b099939:0x426b7f82776a878c!8m2!3d38.4991939!4d-81.909826 ''Putnam County WV'' Google Maps (accessed March 20, 2019)]
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18. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
19. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Putnam County, West Virginia". [[United States Census Bureau]].
20. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Putnam County, West Virginia".
21. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Putnam County, West Virginia".
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