Gilmer, Texas
Encyclopedia
Gilmer
is also the name of a county in West Virginia
.
Gilmer is a town in and the county seat
of Upshur County
, Texas
, United States
. It is best known for being the birthplace of popular music singer Johnny Mathis
. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census
. The town's namesake is a former United States Secretary of the Navy
, Thomas Walker Gilmer
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12.0 km²), all of it land.
Four miles west of Gilmer is Lake Gilmer
, which opened September 29, 2001
Gilmer is part of a larger area known as the "Piney Woods"
. The city and the surrounding area boasts a number of impressive specimens. The historic Trail of Tears came through this region, to this day arrow heads and other Native American artifacts can be found with little to no digging.
of 2000, there were 4,799 people, 1,926 households, and 1,300 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,038.5 people per square mile (401.1/km²). There were 2,214 housing units at an average density of 479.1 per square mile (185.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.91% White, 20.23% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.42% of the population.
There were 1,926 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples
living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,487, and the median income for a family was $39,688. Males had a median income of $32,437 versus $17,910 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,823. About 15.9% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under the age of 18 and 21.0% of those 65 and older.
Gilmer County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,160 people, 2,768 households, and 1,862 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 3,621 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
is also the name of a county in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Gilmer is a town in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Upshur County
Upshur County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,291 people, 13,290 households, and 10,033 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 14,930 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is best known for being the birthplace of popular music singer Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. The town's namesake is a former United States Secretary of the Navy
United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
, Thomas Walker Gilmer
Thomas Walker Gilmer
Thomas Walker Gilmer was an American statesman.-Personal life:Gilmer was born to George and Eliza Gilmer at their farm, "Gilmerton", in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was taught by private tutors in Charlottesville and Staunton, and studied law in Liberty , Virginia.Gilmer practiced law in...
.
Geography
Gilmer is located at 32°43'57" North, 94°56'49" West (32.732387, -94.946980).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12.0 km²), all of it land.
Four miles west of Gilmer is Lake Gilmer
Lake Gilmer
Lake Gilmer is four miles west of downtown Gilmer, Texas, in the United States. It is located at State Highway 852 .The lake opened on September 29, 2001. It is 1,010 acres in size and has another 1557 acres of land that is planned to be developed into hiking and nature trails....
, which opened September 29, 2001
Gilmer is part of a larger area known as the "Piney Woods"
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
. The city and the surrounding area boasts a number of impressive specimens. The historic Trail of Tears came through this region, to this day arrow heads and other Native American artifacts can be found with little to no digging.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,799 people, 1,926 households, and 1,300 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,038.5 people per square mile (401.1/km²). There were 2,214 housing units at an average density of 479.1 per square mile (185.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.91% White, 20.23% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.42% of the population.
There were 1,926 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,487, and the median income for a family was $39,688. Males had a median income of $32,437 versus $17,910 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,823. About 15.9% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under the age of 18 and 21.0% of those 65 and older.
Notable residents
- Kenny Pettway — Linebacker for the Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
- Manuel JohnsonManuel JohnsonManuel Johnson was a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was cut in 2011. Johnson played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.-High school:...
— Wide Receiver for the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... - Rob ChildressRob ChildressRobert Alexander Childress is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies college baseball team. Before coming to Texas A&M for the 2006 season, he served as an associate head coach and pitching coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers...
— Texas Aggies baseball coach - Freddie KingFreddie KingFreddie King , thought to have been born as Frederick Christian, originally recording as Freddy King, and nicknamed "the Texas Cannonball", was an influential African-American blues guitarist and singer. He is often mentioned as one of "the Three Kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert...
— bluesBluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitarist and singer - Johnny MathisJohnny MathisJohn Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
— multiplatinum selling popular musicPopular musicPopular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
and standardsStandard (music)In music, a standard is a tune or song of established popularity.-See also:* Blues standard* Jazz standard* Pop standard* Great American Songbook-Further reading:* Greatest Rock Standards, published by Hal Leonard ISBN 0793588391...
singer - Jason SellersJason SellersJason Sellers is an American country music artist. After several years of touring the United States in his family's band, Sellers joined the road band of Ricky Skaggs. By 1997, he was signed to a recording contract with BNA Records, for whom he recorded two studio albums: 1997's I'm Your Man and...
— country music singer-songwriter - Michelle ShockedMichelle ShockedMichelle Shocked is the stage name of Michelle Karen Johnston, an American singer-songwriter.-History:Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, particularly Britain, with her debut album The Texas Campfire Tapes .Her first U.S...
— singer-songwriter - Robert L. "Silver Fox" StephensRobert L. StephensRobert L. "Silver Fox" Stephens was an American United States Air Force test pilot who set several speed and altitude records while testing the Lockheed YF-12 and SR-71.-Early years:Robert L...
— record-setting test pilotTest pilotA test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated.... - Chris Ryan KEGL Radio Talent
- Jonathan Crabtree; U.S. Naval Helicopter AMCM aircrewman/Gunner
- Don HenleyDon HenleyDonald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
— Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, environmental activist - Billy Machen — The first U.S. Navy Seal killed in action in Vietnam