Sevier County is a
county
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 15,839. The
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
is
De Queen.
Sevier County is Arkansas's 16th county, formed on October 17, 1828, and named for
Ambrose Sevier,
U.S. Senator from Arkansas. On November 3, 2020, voters in Sevier County, AR approved alcohol sales by a vote of 3,499 (67.31 percent) to 1,699 (32.69 percent).
History
Sevier County was organized on October 17, 1828, under legislative authority. It was formed from
Hempstead and
Miller
A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalents ...
Counties. Five days later on October 22, 1828, the legislature expanded the county's border, incorporating more land south of the
Red River. Hempstead, Miller and
Crawford Counties as well as the
Choctaw Nation
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (Choctaw: ''Chahta Okla'') is a Native American reservation occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. At roughly , it is the second-largest reservation in area after the Navajo, exceeding t ...
in
Indian Territory
Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...
bound Sevier County. The establishment of Sevier County became effective on November 1, 1828.
The county seat has undergone several changes since Sevier County was organized. The first county seat was Paraclifta. After an area of Sevier County was carved away to become part of newly created Little River County in 1867, Paraclifta was no longer centrally located. Three members of a local prominent family—James, William, and Matthew Locke—offered of land, and Royal Appleton offered for the site of a new county seat to be named Lockesburg. A petition to establish
Lockesburg as the county seat was approved by the county court on January 18, 1869. After a number of local citizens were unwilling to sell land for a route for the Kansas City, Pittsburg, and Gulf Railroad in the late 1890s, the route was laid down through what would become the town of
De Queen instead of Lockesburg. In 1905, the county seat was moved to De Queen.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.8%) is water.
Known as "The Land of Lakes", "The Land of Fruits and Flowers" and "The Home of Friendly People," the county has five lakes within a radius, five rivers and mountain streams and forests.
Notable people
Current or former residents of Sevier County include:
*
Collin Raye
Floyd Elliot Wray (born August 22, 1960), known professionally as Collin Raye and previously as Bubba Wray, is an American country music singer. He initially recorded as a member of the band The Wrays between 1983 and 1987. He made his solo debut ...
,
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
singer.
*
Wes Watkins
Wesley Wade Watkins (December 15, 1938 – March 26, 2025) was an American politician from the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma. Watkins was a member of the United States House of Representatives where he represented for 14 years as a Democratic P ...
, U.S.Congressman (Republican-
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
) lived for a time in De Queen as a child.
Major highways
*
Future Interstate 49
*
U.S. Highway 59
*
U.S. Highway 70
*
U.S. Highway 71
*
U.S. Highway 371
*
Highway 24
*
Highway 27
*
Highway 41
Transit
*
Jefferson Lines
Jefferson Lines (JL or JLI) is a regional intercity bus company operating in 14 states in the Midwest and the West of the United States.
History
The company is operated by Jefferson Partners L.P., located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jefferson P ...
Adjacent counties
*
Polk County (north)
*
Howard County (east)
*
Hempstead County (southeast)
*
Little River County (south)
*
McCurtain County,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
(west)
National protected area
*
Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 15,839 people, 5,885 households, and 4,279 families residing in the county.
2000 census
As of the
2000 census,
there were 15,757 people, 5,708 households, and 4,223 families residing in the county. 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 6,434 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 79.61%
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 ...
, 4.94%
Black
Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.82%
Native American, 0.13%
Asian, 0.06%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 11.84% from
other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. 19.72% of the population were
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. 17.32% reported speaking
Spanish at home.
There were 5,708 households, out of which 36.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.30% 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, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 22.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.20% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,144, and the median income for a family was $34,560. Males had a median income of $25,709 versus $17,666 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 county was $14,122. About 14.40% of families and 19.20% 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 26.90% of those under age 18 and 14.20% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Government
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the
Constitution of Arkansas
The Constitution of Arkansas is the Constitution, primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Arkansas delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the Politics and government of Arkansas, state government. Arkansas' original ...
and the
Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called ''justices of the peace'' and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Sevier County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the ''county judge'', who serves as the
chief operating officer
A chief operating officer (COO), also called chief operations officer, is an executive in charge of the daily operations of an organization (i.e. personnel, resources, and logistics). COOs are usually second-in-command immediately after the C ...
of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions.
The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 6 Republicans and 3 Democrats. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:
* District 1: Michael Barnes (R) of DeQueen
* District 2: Walter L. Smith Jr. (R) of DeQueen
* District 3: Roxy Ann Stephens (D) of DeQueen
* District 4: Callie Efird (R) of DeQueen
* District 5: Roger Whitmore (D) of Horatio
* District 6: Angie Hughes-Walker (R) of DeQueen
* District 7: Scottie Morris (R) of Gillham
* District 8: Kenneth R. Currence (D) of Lockesburg
* District 9: Greg Wright (R) of Horatio
Additionally, the townships of Sevier County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the
Constitution of Arkansas
The Constitution of Arkansas is the Constitution, primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Arkansas delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the Politics and government of Arkansas, state government. Arkansas' original ...
. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult. The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:
* Bear Creek: Marc Logazino (R)
* Mineral: Todd Pinkerton (R)
Politics
Over the past few election cycles, Sevier County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2024) to carry this county was Arkansas native Bill Clinton in 1996.
Communities
Cities
*
De Queen (county seat)
*
Horatio
*
Lockesburg
Towns
*
Ben Lomond
*
Gillham
Townships
*
Bear Creek (contains most of
De Queen)
*
Ben Lomond (contains
Ben Lomond)
*
Buckhorn
*
Clear Creek (contains
Horatio)
*
Jefferson
*
Mill Creek
*
Mineral
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2011): Mi ...
(contains
Gillham)
*
Monroe (contains small part of
De Queen)
*
Paraclifta
*
Red Colony (contains
Lockesburg)
*
Saline
*
Washington
Source:
[
]
See also
*
List of lakes in Sevier County, Arkansas
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Sevier County, Arkansas
References
External links
Sevier County, Arkansasentry on the
Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture
{{authority control
1828 establishments in Arkansas Territory
Populated places established in 1828