Gouverneur (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Gouverneur is a town
in St. Lawrence County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 7,418 at the 2000 census. The town is named after statesman and landowner Gouverneur Morris
.
The Town of Gouverneur contains a village named Gouverneur
. The town is near the southwest border of St. Lawrence County and is southwest of Canton
, the county seat.
The Town of Gouverneur was formed in 1810 from part of the Town of Oswegatchie
(previously an area called "Town of Cambrai").
In 1850, the community of Gouverneur set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village.
The town economy was based in part on mining marble
, talc
, and zinc
.
, the town has a total area of 72.4 square miles (187.6 km²), of which, 71.5 square miles (185.3 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (1.24%) is water.
The Oswegatchie River
flows through the town in two directions, westward in the south and eastward in the north.
US Route 11, New York State Route 58
, and New York State Route 812
converge at Gouverneur village. NY-58 and NY-812 are conjoined southwest of the village, and US-11 and NY-812 are conjoined northeast of the village. Due to the low area population and relatively little through traffic, the area's highways and the Gouverneur Town Court are not that busy.
of 2000, there were 7,418 people, 2,484 households, and 1,674 families residing in the town. The population density
was 103.7 people per square mile (40.0/km²). There were 2,724 housing units at an average density of 38.1 per square mile (14.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.43% White, 9.46% Black or African American
, 0.40% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 2.95% from other races
, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.86% of the population.
There were 2,484 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 124.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,701, and the median income for a family was $31,212. Males had a median income of $31,280 versus $19,394 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $13,820. About 18.9% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 7,418 at the 2000 census. The town is named after statesman and landowner Gouverneur Morris
Gouverneur Morris
Gouverneur Morris , was an American statesman, a Founding Father of the United States, and a native of New York City who represented Pennsylvania in the Constitutional Convention of 1787. He was a signatory to the Articles of Confederation. Morris was also an author of large sections of the...
.
The Town of Gouverneur contains a village named Gouverneur
Gouverneur (village), New York
Gouverneur is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 4,263 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Gouverneur Morris, one of the authors of the Constitution of the United States, as well as a prominent landowner and part-time resident of the area.The...
. The town is near the southwest border of St. Lawrence County and is southwest of Canton
Canton (village), New York
Canton is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The village is centrally located in both the town of Canton and the county of St. Lawrence. The population was 5,882 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of St. Lawrence County...
, the county seat.
History
The region was first settled around 1805.The Town of Gouverneur was formed in 1810 from part of the Town of Oswegatchie
Oswegatchie, New York
Oswegatchie is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 4,370 at the 2000 census. The name reportedly means "Black water" in the aboriginal language. It is on the northern border of the county and is adjacent to the city of Ogdensburg.- History :The area was first...
(previously an area called "Town of Cambrai").
In 1850, the community of Gouverneur set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village.
The town economy was based in part on mining marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
, talc
Talc
Talc is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula H2Mg34 or Mg3Si4O102. In loose form, it is the widely-used substance known as talcum powder. It occurs as foliated to fibrous masses, its crystals being so rare as to be almost unknown...
, and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
.
Famous residents
- Edward John NobleEdward John NobleEdward John Noble was an American broadcasting and candy industrialist originally from Gouverneur, New York. He co-founded the Life Savers Corporation in 1913...
, developer and marketer of Life SaversLife SaversLife Savers is an American brand of ring-shaped mints and artificially fruit-flavored hard candy. The candy is known for its distinctive packaging, coming in aluminum foil rolls.... - Brian LeonardBrian Leonard-St. Louis Rams:On April 28, 2007, Leonard was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round with the 52nd overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. Leonard signed a four-year, $2.8 million contract on July 24, 2007, that includes $1.55 million in guaranteed money. Coach Scott Linehan decided to use...
, football player for the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... - Thomas Lee PangleThomas PangleThomas Lee Pangle BA PhD FRSC is an American political scientist. He currently holds the Joe R. Long Chair in Democratic Studies in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin and from 1979 to 2004 was University Professor in the Department of Political Science at the...
, an American political scientist - Dierdre ScozzafavaDierdre ScozzafavaDierdre R. "Dede" Scozzafava is an American Republican politician in New York. She represented District 122 in the New York State Assembly, which includes most of St. Lawrence and Lewis Counties in the North Country and a small portion of Oswego County from 1999 to 2011.She was the Republican...
, North Country politician, Trustee, Mayor, New York State Assembly - Tommaso Rivellini, Engineer for Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was the lead engineer in the development of Mars Pathfinder's innovative and successful airbags - which became something of a symbol of a new way of designing and flying missions.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 town has a total area of 72.4 square miles (187.6 km²), of which, 71.5 square miles (185.3 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (1.24%) is water.
The Oswegatchie River
Oswegatchie River
The Oswegatchie River is a river in northern New York that flows north from the Adirondack Mountains to the Saint Lawrence River at the city of Ogdensburg. The river mouth was the site of a Jesuit mission, Fort de La Présentation, founded in 1749. Also a fur trading post, the village had 3,000...
flows through the town in two directions, westward in the south and eastward in the north.
US Route 11, New York State Route 58
New York State Route 58
New York State Route 58 is a north–south state highway located in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The highway runs in a northwest to southeast direction as it traverses the county. The southern terminus of the route is at a junction with NY 3 in the hamlet of Fine within...
, and New York State Route 812
New York State Route 812
New York State Route 812 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 12 and NY 26 in the Lewis County village of Lowville...
converge at Gouverneur village. NY-58 and NY-812 are conjoined southwest of the village, and US-11 and NY-812 are conjoined northeast of the village. Due to the low area population and relatively little through traffic, the area's highways and the Gouverneur Town Court are not that busy.
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 7,418 people, 2,484 households, and 1,674 families residing in the town. 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 103.7 people per square mile (40.0/km²). There were 2,724 housing units at an average density of 38.1 per square mile (14.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.43% White, 9.46% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.40% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 2.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.86% of the population.
There were 2,484 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% 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, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 124.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,701, and the median income for a family was $31,212. Males had a median income of $31,280 versus $19,394 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 town was $13,820. About 18.9% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Gouverneur
- Elmdale – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in the northwest part of the town on NY-58 and the Oswegatchie River. - GouverneurGouverneur (village), New YorkGouverneur is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 4,263 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Gouverneur Morris, one of the authors of the Constitution of the United States, as well as a prominent landowner and part-time resident of the area.The...
– The Village of Gouverneur is on US-11 at the Oswegatchie River near the eastern town line. - Halls Corners – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, south of North Gouverneur.
- Little Bow – A hamlet northwest of Gouverneur village.
- Natural Dam – A hamlet on NY-58 west of Gouverneur village, where Gouverneur Morris once had a summer home. The name arose due to a large rock, partially blocking the Oswegatchie River.
- North Gouverneur – A hamlet in the north part of the town west of County Road 11.
- Reservoir Hill – An elevation by the town line east of Gouverneur village.
- Staplin Corners – A hamlet in the north part of the town, northof North Gouverneur.