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| Newton County, Indiana | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Indiana |
|
 Indiana's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 8 December 1859 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Kentland |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
404 sq mi (1,046 km²) 402 sq mi (1,041 km²) 2 sq mi (5 km²), 0.42% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
14,566 36/sq mi (14/km²) |
| Website: www.newtoncountyin.com | |
Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population is 14,566. The county seat is Kentland1.
Contents |
History
The original Newton County was formed by statute on February 7, 1835, and was a roughly square area some 30 miles on a side, encompassing what is now the northern half of the county, the northern half of Jasper County, and a large sections to the north. The northern border was cut back to the Kankakee River on February 1, 1836, with all land north of the Kankakee River going to Lake and Porter counties. The county was abolished and combined with Jasper County in 1839. On December 8, 1859 the county was recreated and the borders were redrawn to essentially their current state.
Newton County is named after Sgt. John Newton, who served under Gen. Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox", in the American Revolutionary War. It is adjacent to Jasper County, which was named after Sgt. William Jasper, whose story is similar. Other states, including Texas, have adjacent Newton and Jasper Counties, as though these two were remembered as a pair.2
Newton County was the last county to be organized in Indiana.
Government
- See also: Government of Indiana
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.
County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.34
Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, the collection of revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.34
Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to terms of four years. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.4
County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serve terms of four years and oversee different parts of the county government. Members elected to any county government position are required to declare a party affiliation and be a resident of the county.4
Lake County is part of Indiana's 1st congressional district and in 2008 was represented by Pete Visclosky in the United States Congress.5
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 404 square miles (1,045 km²), of which 402 square miles (1,041 km²) is land and 2 square miles (4 km²) (0.42%) is water.
Kentland crater
Newton County is the site of the Kentland crater, a probable meteorite impact crater located between Kentland and Goodland.
Major highways
Railroads
Adjacent counties
- Lake County (north)
- Jasper County (east)
- Benton County (south)
- Iroquois County, Illinois (west)
- Kankakee County, Illinois (northwest)
Demographics
| Newton County Population by year |
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2000 14,566 |
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As of the census6 of 2000, there were 14,566 people, 5,340 households, and 3,999 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 5,726 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.33% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 2.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.6% were of German, 14.3% American, 11.8% Irish, 10.0% English and 7.7% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 5,340 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.10% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 20.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,944, and the median income for a family was $46,741. Males had a median income of $36,152 versus $20,780 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,755. About 4.80% of families and 6.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.20% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
Townships
Education
Public schools in Newton County are administered by the North Newton School Corporation and the South Newton School Corporation.
High Schools and Middle Schools
- North Newton Junior-Senior High School [1]
- South Newton High School [2]
- South Newton Middle School [3]
Elementary Schools
- Lake Village Elementary School [4]
- Lincoln Elementary School [5]
- Morocco Elementary School [6]
- South Newton Elementary School [7]
External links
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle (1875). An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. Indiana: R. S. Peale & co., 581.
- ^ a b Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
- ^ a b c d Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2". IN.gov. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
- ^ "US Congressman Pete Visclosky". US Congress. Retrieved on 2008-10-08.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. ISBN 0-934213-48-8.
- George Pence and Nellie C. Armstrong (1933). Indiana Boundaries: Territory, State, and County. Indiana Historical Society.
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 15 October 2008, at 01:47.
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