Wolsey is a town in

Beadle County Beadle County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,149, making it the 11th most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Huron. The county was created in 1879 and organized in ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

, United States. The population was 459 at the 2020 census.

History

The first settlement at Wolsey was made in 1882. A post office has been in operation in Wolsey since 1883, the same year the town was platted. The township was organized the following year, in 1884. The town of Wolsey was named for

Thomas Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( ; – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal (catholic), cardinal. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's Lord High Almoner, almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and ...

, an English cardinal.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 376 people, 165 households, and 106 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 194 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 99.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.3% Asian, and 0.5% from other races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population. There were 165 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the town was 43 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 30.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 418 people, 174 households, and 121 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 185 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 99.52%

, 0.24% Native American, and 0.24% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population. There were 174 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were

living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the town was $35,313, and the median income for a family was $42,679. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $20,288 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $14,319. About 8.0% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 18.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

* Greg Boe, a member of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

, was born and raised in Wolsey. *

Richard Warren Sears Richard Warren Sears (December 7, 1863 – September 28, 1914) was an American businessman who co-founded the department store Sears, Roebuck and Company with his partner Alvah Curtis Roebuck. Early life Sears was born in Stewartville, Minnes ...

, founder of Sears, Roebuck, and Co, began his retail sales career by selling unclaimed watches while serving as a station agent for the railroad in Wolsey in the early 1880s. * Ben H. Radcliffe, South Dakota State Senator

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Towns in Beadle County, South Dakota Towns in South Dakota