Bates County, Missouri

Bates County is a county located in the west central part of the U.S. state of Missouri , two counties south of the Missouri River and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,049.[2] Its county seat is Butler.[3] The county was organized in 1841 and named after Frederick Bates, the second Governor of Missouri.[4]

Bates County
U.S. county
Bates County Courthouse in Butler
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°16′N 94°20′W
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedJanuary 29, 1841[1]
Named forFrederick Bates
SeatButler
Largest cityButler
Area
 • Total851 sq mi (2,200 km2)
 • Land837 sq mi (2,170 km2)
 • Water15 sq mi (40 km2)  1.7%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total17,049
 • Estimate 
(2018)
16,320
 • Density20/sq mi (7.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.batescounty.net

This mostly rural county has an overwhelmingly ethnic European-American population, which has declined in number since the early 20th century as people have moved to cities.

History

The borderlands of Kansas and Missouri were battlegrounds for insurgents during the American Civil War, with raids going back and forth across the border. Bates County is noted as the site for the first combat engagement during the war of African-American soldiers serving with the Union and against Confederate forces, which occurred on October 28–29, 1862. The First Kansas Colored Division (part of the state militia) fought Confederate guerrillas at the Battle of Island Mound four miles north of present-day Rich Hill, Missouri, and the Union forces won.

The Kansas soldiers were badly outnumbered but stood their ground, fighting valiantly. The skirmish was covered by The New York Times, which noted the men's bravery at a time when many people questioned whether former slaves could make good soldiers.[5] Their heroic action preceded President Abraham Lincoln's announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863 and establishment of the United States Colored Troops.

Following a massacre of men and boys and the burning of Lawrence, Kansas, by Confederate bushwhackers in the summer of 1863, the United States General Ewing ordered the evacuation of the civilian population from rural areas of Bates and nearby counties except for within a mile of certain Union-controlled cities, in order to cut off sources of support for Confederate insurgents. This was done under Order No. 11. The county had been a base of Confederate guerrillas. But, Ewing's order generated outrage and added to support of guerrillas in some areas.

This mostly rural county continued to support agriculture in the decades after the Civil War. Since the late 20th century, population has declined as people have moved to cities for work.

Legacy and honors
  • A statue commemorating the Battle of Island Mound was installed on the north lawn of the county courthouse in Butler, seven miles from the skirmish site.
  • The skirmish area has been preserved since 2012 as the Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site, and its historic prairie is being restored.[6]
  • The Battle of Island Mound (2014) is a short documentary film made in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources; it won two Emmy Awards in 2015 for historic documentary and cinematography.[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 851 square miles (2,200 km2), of which 837 square miles (2,170 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (1.7%) is water.[8]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18503,669—
18607,21596.6%
187015,960121.2%
188025,38159.0%
189032,22327.0%
190030,141−6.5%
191025,869−14.2%
192023,933−7.5%
193022,068−7.8%
194019,531−11.5%
195017,534−10.2%
196015,905−9.3%
197015,468−2.7%
198015,8732.6%
199015,025−5.3%
200016,65310.8%
201017,0492.4%
2018 (est.)16,320[9]−4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2015[2]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 16,653 people, 6,511 households, and 4,557 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile (8/km2). There were 7,247 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.33% White, 0.61% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Approximately 1.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,511 households, out of which 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,731, and the median income for a family was $36,470. Males had a median income of $30,298 versus $19,772 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,477. About 11.50% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.30% of those under age 18 and 14.10% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools

Private schools

Public libraries
  • Butler Public Library[15]
  • Rich Hill Memorial Library[16]

Politics

Local
Bates County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Carl Bettels Republican
Circuit Clerk Shelli White Republican
County Clerk Marlene Wainscott Democratic
Commissioner
(Presiding)		 Jim Wheatley Republican
Commissioner
(Northern District)		 Ken Mooney Republican
Commissioner
(Southern District)		 Larry J. Hacker Republican
Coroner Greg Mullinax Republican
Prosecuting Attorney Hugh C. Jenkins Democratic
Public Administrator Brenda G. Doody Democratic
Recorder Danyelle Baker Republican
Sheriff Chad Anderson Republican
Surveyor W.C. “Bill” Lethcho Democratic
Treasurer/Collector Jimmy Platt Democratic

State
Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 59.64% 4,772 37.36% 2,989 3.00% 240
2012 45.46% 3,513 51.40% 3,972 3.14% 243
2008 41.75% 3,431 55.43% 4,555 2.82% 232
2004 53.22% 4,479 45.09% 3,795 1.69% 142
2000 48.88% 3,783 49.02% 3,794 2.10% 162
1996 34.70% 2,483 63.33% 4,531 1.97% 141
1992 42.06% 3,204 57.94% 4,414 0.00% 0

Bates County is divided into three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are held by Republicans.

  • District 56 — Jack Bondon (R-Belton). Consists of unincorporated areas in the northwestern quadrant of the county south of Drexel.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 56 — Bates County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Bondon 224 74.67% +10.51
Democratic DJ Rash 76 25.33% -10.51
Missouri House of Representatives — District 56 — Bates County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Bondon 111 64.16% +4.94
Democratic Patty Johnson 62 35.84% -4.94
Missouri House of Representatives — District 56 — Bates County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Chris Molendrop 183 59.22%
Democratic Patty Johnson 126 40.78%
  • District 57 — Wanda Brown (R-Lincoln). Consists of unincorporated areas in the northern part of the county south of Archie and Creighton.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 57 — Bates County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Wanda Brown 303 71.97% +15.17
Democratic William A. Grimes 118 28.03% -5.70
Missouri House of Representatives — District 57 — Bates County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Wanda Brown 96 56.80% -4.33
Democratic William A. Grimes 57 33.73% -5.14
Constitution Butch Page 16 9.47% +9.47
Missouri House of Representatives — District 57 — Bates County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Wanda Brown 162 61.13%
Democratic Don Bullock 103 38.87%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 126 — Bates County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Patricia Pike 6,188 100.00% +36.97
Missouri House of Representatives — District 126 — Bates County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Patricia Pike 2,534 63.03%
Democratic Sam Foursha 1,119 27.84% +27.84
Constitution William M. Gilmore 367 9.13% +9.13
Missouri House of Representatives — District 126 — Bates County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Randy Pike 5,897 100.00%

All of Bates County is a part of Missouri's 31st Senatorial District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Ed Emery (R-Lamar).

Missouri Senate — District 31 — Bates County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Ed Emery 5,373 71.02% +9.57
Independent Tim Wells 1,459 19.29% +19.29
Libertarian Lora Young 733 9.69% +9.69
Missouri Senate — District 31 — Bates County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Ed Emery 4,618 61.45%
Democratic Charles A. Burton 2,897 38.55%

Federal
U.S. Senate — Missouri — Bates County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Roy Blunt 4,630 58.06% +14.61
Democratic Jason Kander 2,866 35.94% -12.33
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 259 3.25% -5.02
Green Johnathan McFarland 126 1.58% +1.58
Constitution Fred Ryman 94 1.18% +1.18
U.S. Senate — Missouri — Bates County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Todd Akin 3,345 43.45%
Democratic Claire McCaskill 3,716 48.27%
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 637 8.27%

All of Bates County is included in Missouri's 4th Congressional District and is currently represented by Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 4th Congressional District — Bates County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Vicky Hartzler '5,814 73.69% +5.26
Democratic Gordon Christensen 1,470 22.05% -3.25
Libertarian Mark Bliss 336 4.26% -2.02
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 4th Congressional District — Bates County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Vicky J. Hartzler 2,943 68.43% +8.29
Democratic Nate Irvin 1,088 25.30% -11.17
Libertarian Herschel L. Young 270 6.28% +3.78
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 4th Congressional District — Bates County (2012)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Vicky Hartzler 4,599 60.14%
Democratic Teresa Hensley 2,789 36.47%
Libertarian Thomas Holbrook 191 2.50%
Constitution Greg Cowan 68 0.89%

Presidential Elections

Bates County has become increasingly Republican over the past few presidential elections. Since the 2000 election, the county has become more Republican with each election cycle. The last time a democratic candidate has carried this county was in 1996 by Bill Clinton.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 74.2% 6,001 20.0% 1,618 5.7% 464
2012 64.6% 5,020 32.9% 2,557 2.5% 194
2008 58.4% 4,833 39.5% 3,271 2.2% 179
2004 59.1% 5,004 40.1% 3,398 0.8% 64
2000 54.5% 4,245 43.5% 3,386 2.1% 161
1996 40.7% 2,904 45.2% 3,224 14.1% 1,009
1992 32.3% 2,499 38.7% 2,993 29.0% 2,238
1988 51.6% 3,574 48.1% 3,332 0.4% 24
1984 59.4% 4,223 40.6% 2,889
1980 54.0% 4,061 43.8% 3,297 2.2% 163
1976 43.6% 3,350 55.8% 4,288 0.6% 46
1972 63.8% 5,314 36.2% 3,020
1968 49.5% 4,087 40.8% 3,370 9.7% 801
1964 40.5% 3,514 59.5% 5,162
1960 58.2% 5,429 41.8% 3,906
1956 56.0% 5,467 44.0% 4,300
1952 60.0% 6,002 40.0% 3,995 0.0% 2
1948 48.7% 4,156 51.2% 4,371 0.1% 6
1944 55.5% 5,122 44.4% 4,096 0.2% 18
1940 53.3% 5,727 46.4% 4,978 0.3% 33
1936 46.6% 5,022 52.7% 5,681 0.7% 74
1932 35.0% 3,395 64.2% 6,220 0.8% 79
1928 62.7% 6,133 36.7% 3,594 0.6% 54
1924 47.1% 4,552 48.9% 4,722 4.0% 389
1920 51.9% 5,039 45.7% 4,433 2.4% 236
1916 42.9% 2,597 53.8% 3,255 3.4% 204
1912 23.0% 1,383 50.7% 3,057 26.3% 1,587
1908 44.1% 2,754 52.0% 3,248 4.0% 247
1904 47.1% 2,956 47.3% 2,967 5.6% 352
1900 39.3% 2,731 51.6% 3,591 9.1% 634
1896 32.6% 2,522 65.6% 5,073 1.7% 133
1892 27.7% 1,928 43.1% 3,007 29.2% 2,039
1888 38.1% 2,674 50.6% 3,556 11.3% 794

Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008)
  • Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 1,427, than any candidate from either party in Bates County during the 2008 presidential primary.
Bates County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain594 (37.71%)
Mike Huckabee503 (31.94%)
Mitt Romney368 (23.37%)
Ron Paul71 (4.51%)
Bates County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Clinton1,427 (63.51%)
Barack Obama676 (30.08%)
John Edwards (withdrawn)106 (4.72%)

Communities

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Bates County is divided into 24 townships:

See also
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Bates County, Missouri

References
  1. "Bates County History". Bates County. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 208.
  5. "AFFAIRS IN THE WEST.; A Negro Regiment in Action--The Battle of Island Mounds--Desperate Bravery of the Negros--Defeat of the Guerrillas--An Attempted Fraud", The New York Times, 19 November 1862, accessed 22 February 2016
  6. "Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  7. " 'The Battle of Island Mound' wins two Emmy Awards from NATAS Mid-American Chapter", 7 October 2015 Press Release, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, accessed 29 February 2016
  8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  15. Breeding, Marshall. "Butler Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  16. Breeding, Marshall. "Rich Hill Memorial Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-24.

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