Williamson County, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

. As of 2010 US Census, the population was 183,182. The County's 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....

 is Franklin
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...

, and it is part of the Nashville-Davidson
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...

Franklin
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...

 Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is named after Hugh Williamson
Hugh Williamson
Hugh Williamson was an American politician. He is best known for representing North Carolina at the Constitutional Convention.Williamson was a scholar of international renown...

, a North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 who signed the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...

.

Geography

According to the 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 county has a total area of 584 square miles (1,513 km²), of which 583 square miles (1,510 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is water.

Adjacent Counties

  • Davidson County
    Davidson County, Tennessee
    Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...

     (north)
  • Rutherford County
    Rutherford County, Tennessee
    Rutherford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, it is the state's fifth-largest county by population with 262,604 people, an increase of 44.3 percent over the 2000 population of 182,023. Its county seat is Murfreesboro, which is also the geographic...

     (east)
  • Marshall County (southeast)
  • Maury County (south)
  • Hickman County (southwest)
  • Dickson County (northwest)
  • Cheatham County (north-northwest)

Pre Civil War

Williamson County was originally inhabited by at least five prehistoric cultures, including tribes of Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Shawnees. White settlers had settled here by 1798, and on October 26, 1799, the Tennessee General Assembly created Franklin and Williamson County. In 1800 Abram Maury laid out Franklin, the county seat, which was carved out of part of a land grant he purchased from Major Anthony Sharp. "The county was named in honor of Dr. Hugh Williamson of North Carolina who was a colonel in the North Carolina militia and served three terms in the Continental Congress."

Many of the early inhabitants of the county were recipients of Revolutionary War land grants. Those veterans who chose not to settle here often sold large sections of their land grants to speculators, who in turn subdivided the land and sold off smaller lots. Prior to the Civil War, the county was the second wealthiest in the state; its resources of timber and rich soil (farmed for a diversity of crops including rye, corn, oats, tobacco, potatoes, wheat, peas, barley, and hay) provided a stable economy, as opposed to reliance on one cash crop.

Civil War

Williamson County was severely affected by the war. During the Civil War, Williamson County saw three battles: the Battle of Brentwood
Battle of Brentwood
The Battle of Brentwood was a battle of the American Civil War, occurring on March 25, 1863, in Williamson County, Tennessee.Union Lt. Col. Edward Bloodgood held Brentwood, a station on the Nashville & Decatur Railroad, with 400 men on the morning of March 25, 1863, when Confederate Brig. Gen....

, the Battle of Thompson's Station
Battle of Thompson's Station
The Battle of Thompson's Station was a battle of the American Civil War, occurring on March 5, 1863 in Williamson County, Tennessee.In a period of relative inactivity following the Battle of Stones River, a reinforced Union infantry brigade, under Col. John Coburn, left Franklin to reconnoiter...

, and one of the bloodiest battles in the war, the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin II
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee conducted...

. The large plantations that were part of the economic foundation of the county were ravaged, and many of the county's youth were killed during the war. Many Confederate casualties of the battle of Franklin lie in the McGavock Confederate Cemetery near the Carnton plantation house. This cemetery, containing the bodies of 1,481 soldiers, is the largest private Confederate cemetery in America.

Post Civil War

The agricultural and rural nature of the county remained much the same for the first part of the 1900s. "Most residents were farmers who raised corn, wheat, cotton and livestock." One of the first manufacturers to come here was the Dortch Stove works in Franklin, which later became the Magic Chef factory, producing electric and gas ranges. After falling into disuse, this factory complex was restored in the late 1990s and is a "model historic preservation adaptive reuse project."

Since the completion of the Interstate system and the growth of Nashville, Williamson County has seen tremendous growth. Between 1990 and 2000, the county's population grew at an of increase of 56.3 percent.

Places listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 include Historic Downtown Franklin and the Factory at Franklin, as well as the Carter House and the Carnton Plantation.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
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 2010, there were 183,182 people. In 2000 there were 44,725 households, and 35,780 families residing in the county. 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 217 /sqmi. There were 47,005 housing units at an average density of 81 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 91.55% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...

, 5.18% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

, 0.20% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

, 1.25% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...

, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...

, 0.97% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. 2.52% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

The largest ancestry groups in Williamson County are English American
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....

 (19.5%), German American
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...

 (16.6%), Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...

 (15.2%), African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 (5%), Scottish American
Scottish American
Scottish Americans or Scots Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Scotland. Scottish Americans are closely related to Scots-Irish Americans, descendants of Ulster Scots, and communities emphasize and celebrate a common heritage...

 (4%) and Scots-Irish American
Scots-Irish American
Scotch-Irish Americans are an estimated 250,000 Presbyterian and other Protestant dissenters from the Irish province of Ulster who immigrated to North America primarily during the colonial era and their descendants. Some scholars also include the 150,000 Ulster Protestants who immigrated to...

(4%).

There were 44,725 households in 2000 out of which 43.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.80% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.00% were non-families. 16.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.18.
The age distribution was 29.50% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 31.60% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

In 2008, the median income for a household in the county was $88,316, and the median income for a family was $101,444. Also in 2008, the per capita income for the county was $42,786. About 3.50% of families and 4.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.40% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.

Williamson County is ranked among the wealthiest counties in the country
Highest-income counties in the United States
There are 3,141 counties in the United States. The source of the data is the U.S. Census Bureau and the data is current as of the indicated year. Independent cities are considered county-equivalent by the Census Bureau.-2011:...

. In 2006 it was the 11th wealthiest county in the country according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but the Council for Community and Economic Research ranked Williamson County as America's wealthiest county (1st) when the local cost of living was factored into the equation with median household income. In 2010, Williamson County is listed 17th on the Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...

 list of the 25 wealthiest counties in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

By 2006 Williamson County had a population of 160,781 representing 27.0% population growth since 2000.
The 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...

 lists Williamson as one of the 100 fastest growing counties in the United States for the period 2000-2005.

In the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...

, Williamson County voted 72 percent in favor of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

, 27 percent in favor of Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...

, and 1 percent in favor of Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....

. In 2008, John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....

 took the county with 69% to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

's 30%.

Government

The chief executive officer of Williamson County's government is the County Mayor
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...

, who is popularly elected for a four-year term, and is responsible for the County's fiscal management and its day-to-day business. Rogers C. Anderson has served in this capacity since 2002.

The County Mayor is assisted by directors of the Agricultural Exposition Park, Animal Control, Budget & Purchasing, Community Development, County Archives, Emergency Communications, Economic Development, Emergency Management, Employee Benefits, Human Resources, Information Technology, Property Management, Risk Management, and Solid Waste Management.

The Mayor works closely with the 24 member Board of County Commissioners, two representing each of the 12 voting districts, and whom are popularly elected by each district for a four-year term. A Chairman conducts the meetings of the Board, who is elected by the membership, annually. In addition for approval and oversight of the fiscal budget, the Board of Commissioners appoints the members of the Planning Commission, Highway Commission, Beer Board, Board of Zoning Appeals, Building Board of Adjustments, County Records Committee, Library Board and others.
Dist. Commissioner Dist. Commissioner Dist. Commissioner
1 Dwight Jones 5 Lewis W. Green Jr. 9 Mary Brockman
1 Ricky D. Jones 5 Thomas W. "Tommy" Little 9 Ernie Williams
2 Elizabeth C. "Betsy" Hester 6 Arlene Cooke 10 Bob Barnwell
2 John Hancock 6 Jeff Ford 10 Travis Hawkins
3 Judy Herbert 7 Bert Chalfant 11 Brandon Ryan
3 Judy Hayes 7 Tom Bain 11 Brian Bethard
4 Kathy Danner 8 Greg Davis 12 Doug Langston
4 Cheryl Wilson 8 Jack Walton 12 Steve Smith


The County's Assessor of Property, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Juvenile Court Clerk, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, Trustee and two judges of the General Sessions Court are popularly elected for four-year terms. Other officials including the Chancery Court Clerk, Election Administrator, and Highway Superintendent are appointed for four year terms. The latter two are appointed respectively by the Election Commission and Highway Commission, and the Chancery Court Clerk is appointed by the elected judges of Tennessee's 21st Judicial District.
Office Office Holder Office Office Holder
Chancery Court Clerk Elaine Beeler Highway Superintendent Eddie Hood
Circuit Court Clerk Debbie Barrett Juvenile Court Clerk Brenda Hyden
County Clerk Elaine Anderson Property Assessor Dennis Anglin
Election Administrator Ann Beard Register of Deeds Sadie Wade
General Sessions Judge Al Nations Sheriff Jeff Long
General Sessions Judge Denise Andre Trustee Walter "Joey" Davis

Education

K-12 public education in the county is under the jurisdiction of Williamson County Schools
Williamson County Schools
Williamson County Schools is a school district in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. There are 41 schools in the district...

, which operates 38 schools.

Cities & Towns

  • Brentwood
    Brentwood, Tennessee
    -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,445 people, 7,693 households, and 6,808 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 7,889 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.63% European American, 1.89% African American,...

  • Fairview
    Fairview, Tennessee
    Fairview is a city located in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Nashville metropolitan area. The population was 5,800 at the 2000 census...

  • Franklin
    Franklin, Tennessee
    Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...

  • Nolensville
    Nolensville, Tennessee
    Nolensville is a town in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,099 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Nolensville is located at ....

  • Spring Hill
    Spring Hill, Tennessee
    Spring Hill is a city in Maury and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, located approximately south of Nashville. The population was 7,715 at the 2000 census...

  • Thompson's Station
    Thompson's Station, Tennessee
    Thompson's Station is a town in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,283 at the 2000 census. It is the location of two places listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places: the Jacob Critz House and the Thomas L. Critz House.-Geography:Thompson's Station is...


Unincorporated communities

  • Allisona
    Allisona, Tennessee
    Allisona is an unincorporated community in Rutherford and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee.Tennessee State Route 11 runs through the community, which is the location of the James Wilhoite House, which is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.Allisona formerly had...

     (partial)
  • Arrington
    Arrington, Tennessee
    Arrington is an unincorporated town near Franklin in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States....

  • Berry's Chapel
  • Bethesda
    Bethesda, Tennessee
    Bethesda, Tennessee is an unincorporated community in rural southeastern Williamson County, Tennessee.-History:According to a 1988 study of Williamson County historical resources, conducted by staff of the Tennessee Historical Commission:Bethesda was formed along Rutherford Creek in the early 1800s...

  • Bethlehem
  • Boston
  • Burwood
  • College Grove
    College Grove, Tennessee
    College Grove is an unincorporated town near Franklin and Murfreesboro in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. College Grove is predominantly rural....

  • Clovercroft
  • Cool Springs
  • Fernvale
  • Grassland
  • Kirkland
    Kirkland, Williamson County, Tennessee
    Kirkland is an unincorporated community in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. Kirkland is located on U.S. Route 31 and U.S. Route 41 southeast of Franklin....

  • Leiper's Fork
    Leiper's Fork, Tennessee
    Leiper's Fork is an unincorporated village in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. It is located at .The village, located on the Natchez Trace Parkway, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district containing examples of late 19th century architecture.The area...

  • Liberty Hill
  • Peytonsville
  • Primm Springs
  • Rudderville
    Rudderville, Tennessee
    Rudderville is an unincorporated town near Franklin in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. It is the location of Fred J. Page High School....

  • Southall
  • Triune
    Triune, Tennessee
    Triune is an unincorporated community in eastern Williamson County, Tennessee, United States, approximately halfway between Franklin and Murfreesboro. The community is located along the Wilson Branch of the Harpeth River and at the intersection of Tennessee State Route 96 and the concurrency of U.S...


Further reading

  • Holladay, Robert, “‘Dangerous Doctrines’: The Rise and Fall of Jacksonian Support in Williamson County, Tennessee,” Southern Studies, 16 (Spring–Summer 2009), 90–121.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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