Editing Hancock County, West Virginia

{{Short description|County in West Virginia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Hancock County
 | state                = West Virginia
 | ex image             = PeterTarrFurnaceSite2012.jpg
 | ex image size        = 300px
 | ex image cap         = [[Peter Tarr Furnace Site]]
 | seal                 = Seal of Hancock County, West Virginia.png
 | founded date         = January 15
 | founded year         = 1848
 | named for            = [[John Hancock]]
 | seat wl              = New Cumberland
 | largest city wl      = Weirton
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 88
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 83
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.4
 | area percentage      = 6.1
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 29095
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2021
 | population_est       = 28656 {{decrease}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | web                  = www.hancockcountywv.org
 | district             = 1st
}}

'''Hancock County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[West Virginia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 29,095.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/hancockcountywestvirginia/PST045221 |access-date=October 20, 2022 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[New Cumberland, West Virginia|New Cumberland]] and its largest city is [[Weirton, West Virginia|Weirton]].<ref name="GR6">{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was created from [[Brooke County, West Virginia|Brooke County]] in 1848 and named for [[John Hancock]], first signer of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hancock County history sources |url=http://www.wvculture.org/history/counties/hancock.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121015840/http://www.wvculture.org/history/counties/hancock.html |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |access-date=January 29, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gannett, Henry |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |publisher=Govt. Print. Off. |year=1905 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n147 148]}}</ref> Located at the tip of the state's [[Northern Panhandle of West Virginia|Northern Panhandle]], Hancock County is the northernmost point in both West Virginia and, by some definitions, the [[Southern United States]]. Hancock County is part of the [[Weirton-Steubenville metropolitan area|Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area]], which is also included in the [[Pittsburgh metropolitan area|Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-WV-OH Combined Statistical Area]].<ref>[https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b13-01.pdf www.whitehouse.gov]</ref>

==History==
Hancock County was formed from Brooke County in 1848, some 15 years before West Virginia became a state. Both counties were once part of Ohio County, Virginia, which had been formed from the [[District of West Augusta]] in 1776. Hancock County has significant Revolutionary-period roots due to its location on the Ohio River south of [[Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)|Fort Pitt]] in [[Pittsburgh]] and north of [[Fort Henry (West Virginia)|Fort Henry]] in [[Wheeling, West Virginia|Wheeling]].

Hancock County was the site of the infamous massacre of Iroquois leader [[Logan (Iroquois leader)|Chief Logan's]] family in 1774, at Baker's Tavern across the Ohio River from the mouth of Yellow Creek. The event, known as the [[Yellow Creek massacre]], sparked [[Lord Dunmore's War]]. Adam Poe had his famous fight with the Indian known as Big Foot at the mouth of Tomlinson Run in 1781. Historical markers commemorate both events. Significant Revolutionary War forts and blockhouses in Hancock County included Holliday's Cove Fort in downtown Weirton and Chapman's Blockhouse in New Cumberland.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nogay, Michael Edward |title=Every Home a Fort, Every Man a Warrior |publisher=Tri-State Publishing Co. |year=2009}}</ref>

In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into [[civil township]]s, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into [[minor civil division|magisterial districts]].<ref>Otis K. Rice & Stephen W. Brown, ''West Virginia: A History'', 2nd ed., University Press of Kentucky, Lexington (1993), p. 240.</ref>  Hancock County was divided into four districts: Butler, Clay, Grant, and Poe. Poe, the least populous district, was discontinued in the 1920s.<ref>[[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Census|U.S. Decennial Census]], Tables of Minor Civil Divisions in West Virginia, 1870–2010.</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|88|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|83|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.4|sqmi}} (6.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_54.txt |access-date=July 24, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> It is the smallest county in West Virginia by area, as well as one of the smallest in the United States. The highest point of elevation in Hancock County is approximately 1363&nbsp;ft. and located about 1800&nbsp;ft. ESE of Emmanuel Mission Church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hancock County High Point Trip Report |url=http://www.cohp.org/wv/Hancock_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050809073545/http://www.cohp.org/wv/Hancock_1.html |archive-date=August 9, 2005}}</ref>

===Major highways===
*{{jct|state=WV|US|22}}
*{{jct|state=WV|US|30}}
*{{jct|state=WV|WV|2}}
*{{jct|state=WV|WV|8}}
*{{jct|state=WV|WV|105}}

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Columbiana County, Ohio]] (northwest)
*[[Beaver County, Pennsylvania]] (east)
*[[Washington County, Pennsylvania]] (southeast)
*[[Brooke County, West Virginia|Brooke County]] (south)
*[[Jefferson County, Ohio]] (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 4050
|1860= 4445
|1870= 4363
|1880= 4882
|1890= 6414
|1900= 6693
|1910= 10465
|1920= 19975
|1930= 28511
|1940= 31572
|1950= 34388
|1960= 39615
|1970= 39749
|1980= 40418
|1990= 35233
|2000= 32667
|2010= 30676
|2020= 29095
|estyear=2021
|estimate=28656
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2021">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=October 20, 2022}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wv190090.txt |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |access-date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 32,667 people, 13,678 households, and 9,506 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|394|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 14,728 housing units at an average density of {{convert|178|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.42% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 2.30% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.12% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.35% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.12% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.74% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 13,678 households, out of which 26.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.80% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 18.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,759, and the median income for a family was $40,719. Males had a median income of $34,813 versus $19,100 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $17,724. About 9.00% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 30,676 people, 13,297 households, and 8,732 families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{Cite web |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US54029 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213010916/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US54029 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|371.3|PD/sqmi}}. There were 14,541 housing units at an average density of {{convert|176.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}.<ref name="census-density">{{Cite web |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US54029 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213162303/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US54029 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 95.7% white, 2.3% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1" /> In terms of ancestry, 21.1% were [[Germans|German]], 18.7% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 15.6% were [[Italians|Italian]], 12.5% were [[English people|English]], 8.0% were [[Polish people|Polish]], and 6.2% were [[Americans|American]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{Cite web |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US54029 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213013311/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US54029 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Of the 13,297 households, 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.80. The median age was 45.3 years.<ref name="census-dp1" />

The median income for a household in the county was $38,565 and the median income for a family was $46,978. Males had a median income of $40,961 versus $28,915 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,118. About 11.2% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{Cite web |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US54029 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213012011/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US54029 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2016 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

==Government==
Hancock County is governed by a three-member [[Government of West Virginia#Local government|County Commission]] who each serve in rotating six-year terms. The terms are designed such that one seat is up for election in even years. The County Commission annually chooses its own president. The Hancock County Commissioners in 2024 are Paul Cowey, Jeff Davis and Eron Chek.<ref name="Election">West Virginia Secretary of State; [http://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/results/index.aspx?year=2012&eid= Election Results Center]</ref>

In the [[West Virginia Circuit Courts]], Hancock County is part of the First Family Court Circuit of West Virginia, which also includes [[Brooke County, West Virginia|Brooke]] and [[Ohio County, West Virginia|Ohio]] Counties. In West Virginia, Family Court Judges were first elected to six-year terms beginning in 2002 and were elected to eight-year terms beginning in 2008. The current judges of the First Family Court Circuit are the Hon. Joyce Chernenko and the Hon. Heather Wood.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=January 16, 2024 |title=Hancock County Judiciary |url=https://www.courtswv.gov/public-resources/court-information-county/hancock |website=West Virginia Judiciary}}</ref> Additionally, Hancock County is part of the First Judicial Circuit of West Virginia, which again also includes Brooke and Ohio Counties. Circuit Judges are elected in non-partisan elections to eight-year terms. The current judges of the First Judicial Circuit are the Hon. Jason A. Cuomo, the Hon. Michael J. Olejasz, the Hon. David J. Sims, and the Hon. Ronald E. Wilson.<ref name=":0" />

Magistrates are elected in partisan elections serving four-year terms. Vacancies occurring in unexpired terms can be filled by a respective Circuit Court Judge. Unlike Circuit Court judges or Family Court judges, magistrates are not required to be attorneys. Hancock County currently has three magistrates: Ralph A. Fletcher, Omeka D. Petteway, and Stephen Svokas.<ref name=":0" />

Other elected officials are Sheriff Scott Gittings, Circuit Clerk Sandy Casto, County Clerk Karan Valenti, Assessor Joe Alongi and Prosecuting Attorney Steven E. Dragisich.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WV SOS - Elections - Election Results - Online Data Services |url=http://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/results/index.aspx?year=2012&eid=}}</ref>

===Politics===
Abutting the [[slave states and free states|free states]] of [[Ohio]] and [[Pennsylvania]], and with a largely [[German Americans|German–American]] culture unlike any other part of antebellum [[Virginia]], Hancock County and the rest of the Northern Panhandle were central to the vanguard who made West Virginia a new state during [[American Civil War|the Civil War]].<ref>MacKenzie, Scott; ‘The Fifth Border State: Slavery and the Formation of West Virginia, 1850-1868’ (thesis), ''Auburn University Electronic Theses and Dissertations''</ref><ref>Link, William A.; [https://textbooks.lib.wvu.edu/wvhistory/files/pdf/06_wv_history_reader_link.pdf ‘This Bastard New Virginia: Slavery, West Virginia Exceptionalism, and the Secession Crisis’]</ref> For the next six and a half decades the county, aided by its association with Pennsylvania's powerful ironmaster-led political machines, voted solidly [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] to the point of supporting [[William Howard Taft]] during the disastrously divided 1912 election. From the [[New Deal]] until the presidency of [[presidency of Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]], however, powerful unionization meant that Hancock County turned from solidly Republican to solidly [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]], with the exception of [[George McGovern]] in 1972. Like all of West Virginia, since 2000 a combination of declining unionization and growing differences with the Democratic Party on social issues has produced a swing back to the Republican Party.<ref>Schwartzman, Gabe; [http://www.dailyyonder.com/how-coalfields-went-gop/2015/01/13/7668/ ‘How Central Appalachia Went Right’]; ''Daily Yonder'', January 13, 2015</ref><ref>Cohn, Nate; [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/upshot/southern-whites-loyalty-to-gop-nearing-that-of-blacks-to-democrats.html ‘Demographic Shift: Southern Whites’ Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats’], ''[[New York Times]]'', April 24, 2014</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Hancock County, West Virginia|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=March 19, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>|source2=<ref>The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 557 votes, while Socialist candidate [[Eugene V. Debs|Eugene Debs]] received 125 votes.</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|9,462|3,360|208|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|9,806|3,790|206|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|8,909|3,262|631|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|7,226|4,627|297|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|7,518|5,504|198|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|7,298|6,906|117|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|6,458|6,249|765|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|4,268|7,521|2,231|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,897|7,830|3,309|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|5,882|8,338|60|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|7,326|8,708|90|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|6,610|8,784|1,081|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|6,771|10,627|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|10,634|6,727|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|6,181|10,174|2,476|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,009|14,001|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|8,031|11,176|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|8,750|9,524|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|6,520|9,772|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|4,561|8,242|170|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|4,285|7,334|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|4,997|8,515|0|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,957|7,756|58|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,328|4,603|289|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,461|1,884|29|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|3,775|1,187|349|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,768|1,435|161|West Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,434|891|117|West Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Republican|664|634|682|West Virginia}}

==Communities==

===Cities===
*[[Chester, West Virginia|Chester]]
*[[New Cumberland, West Virginia|New Cumberland]] (county seat)
*[[Weirton, West Virginia|Weirton]] (part)

===Magisterial districts===
*Butler
*Clay
*Grant

===Census-designated place===
*[[Newell, West Virginia|Newell]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
*[[Congo, West Virginia|Congo]]
*[[Fairhaven, West Virginia|Fairhaven]]
*[[Kings Creek, West Virginia|Kings Creek]]
*[[Lawrenceville, West Virginia|Lawrenceville]]
*[[Lennyville, West Virginia|Lennyville]]
*[[Moscow, West Virginia|Moscow]]
*[[New Manchester, West Virginia|New Manchester]]
*[[Sun Valley, West Virginia|Sun Valley]]
*[[Vermont Terrace, West Virginia|Vermont Terrace]]
{{div col end}}

===Population ranking===
The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] of Hancock County.

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Population (2020 Census)
!Population (2021 Estimate)
!Municipal type
|- style="background-color:#FFFF54;"
| 1
| '''[[Weirton, West Virginia|Weirton]]''' ''partially in [[Brooke County, West Virginia|Brooke County]]''
| 19,163
| 18,813
| City
|- style="background-color:#FFFF54;"
| 2
| '''[[Chester, West Virginia|Chester]]'''
| 2,208
| 2,173
| City
|- style="background-color:#ADFF2F;"
| 3
| '''[[Newell, West Virginia|Newell]]'''
| 1,203
| --
| CDP
|- style="background-color:#FFFF54;"
| 4
| '''† [[New Cumberland, West Virginia|New Cumberland]]'''
| 1,020
| 1,007
| City
|}

==See also==
* [[Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Hancock County, West Virginia]]
* [[Ohio River Trail]]
* [[Tomlinson Run State Park]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.hancockcountywv.org/ Hancock County government official website]
*[http://www.topofwv.com/ Top of WV CVB, the Convention & Visitors Bureau for Brooke and Hancock Counties and the City of Weirton]
*[http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvhancoc/ WVGenWeb Hancock County]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060818043247/http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/wv/hancock/ Hancock County Economic Development Homepage]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Hancock County, West Virginia
|North     = [[Columbiana County, Ohio]]
|Northeast = 
|East      = [[Beaver County, Pennsylvania]]
|Southeast = [[Washington County, Pennsylvania]]
|South     = [[Brooke County, West Virginia|Brooke County]]
|Southwest = 
|West      = [[Columbiana County, Ohio]] and [[Jefferson County, Ohio]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Hancock County, West Virginia}}
{{Northern Panhandle of West Virginia}}
{{Pittsburgh Metro Area}}
{{West Virginia}}

{{coord|40.52|-80.58|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WV_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Hancock County, West Virginia| ]]
[[Category:West Virginia counties on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:1848 establishments in Virginia]]