Sneedville, Tennessee Explained

Sneedville
Settlement Type:City
Nickname:Overhome[1]
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Tennessee
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Hancock
Government Footnotes:[2]
Government Type:Mayor-council
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:William Riley
Leader Title1:Vice Mayor
Leader Name1:Matthew Waddell
Established Title:Settled
Established Date:1790s
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:1850[3]
Named For:William Henry Sneed
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[4]
Area Total Km2:5.95
Area Land Km2:5.95
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Total Sq Mi:2.30
Area Land Sq Mi:2.30
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:1282
Population Density Km2:215.50
Population Density Sq Mi:558.12
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation M:357
Elevation Ft:1171
Coordinates:36.5319°N -83.2142°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:37869
Area Code:423
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:47-69460[5]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1303706[6]

Sneedville is the only city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,282 per the 2020 census.

History

Settlement began in the 1790s, following the American Revolutionary War,[7] as migrants moved into the area from the Piedmont frontiers of Virginia and North Carolina. Such migrants had formed families in colonial Virginia. Among them was a multi-racial group of settlers who became known as Melungeons. They have been documented as having primarily European and sub-Saharan African ancestry. They also have a lesser amount of Native American heritage.

The county historical society asserts that French traders noted encountering the Melungeons in the late 1600s in the area that is now east Tennessee.[8] Such early settlement is not supported by the research of Edward Price, a cultural geographer who wrote a 1950 dissertation on the Melungeons;[9] Dr. Virginia DeMarce, a professional genealogist;[10] and Paul Heinegg, a genealogist;[11] each of whom has documented the migration of ancestors of the first families known as Melungeon from Virginia and North Carolina in the late eighteenth century

When Hancock County was formed from parts of Hawkins and Claiborne counties in the 1840s, Greasy Rock was chosen as the county seat. The city was renamed in honor of William Henry Sneed (1812 - 1869), a Confederate and attorney from Knoxville who helped legally defend the new county when several residents sued in an attempt to block its creation.[12]

Geography

Sneedville is located at 36.5319°N -83.2142°W (36.532062, -83.214140).[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.3sqmi, all land. The Clinch River passes within the city limits.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Sneedville has a humid subtropical climate, typical for Tennessee. The plant hardiness zone is 6b.[14]

Demographics

2020 census

Race!scope="col"
NumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)1,19993.53%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)181.4%
Native American110.86%
Asian10.08%
Other/Mixed443.43%
Hispanic or Latino90.7%
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,282 people, 573 households, and 369 families residing in the town.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,387 people living in the city. 97.4% were White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian and 1.7% of two or more races. 0.3% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,257 people, 527 households, and 310 families living in the city. The population density was 551sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 593 housing units at an average density of 259.9sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% White, 0.64% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.72% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24% of the population. Melungeons, a so-called "tri-racial isolate", are also present in this area, especially in the Vardy Valley, on the other side of Newman's Ridge.

There were 527 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.4% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $13,281, and the median income for a family was $20,208. Males had a median income of $20,500 versus $15,461 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,173. About 32.9% of families and 36.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.9% of those under age 18 and 28.4% of those age 65 or over.

In 2010, Sneedville had the 10th-lowest median household income of all places in the United States with a population over 1,000.[15]

Arts and culture

Museums and related points of interest

The Hancock County Tennessee Historical and Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization located in the Old County Jail. The organization provides access to archival material related to the community and maintains a small museum displaying aspects of traditional mountain life, such as was practiced by the Melungeons.[16] They publish a bi-yearly newsletter called Our Mountain Heritage for members of the society.[17]

Education

There is one school district in the county, Hancock County School District.[18]

Schools in Sneedville include Hancock County Middle/High School and Hancock County Elementary School.

Infrastructure

Hancock County Hospital, which opened in 2005, is located in Sneedville.[19]

Notable people

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Historical Hancock County . Hancock County Historical Society . February 10, 2021.
  2. Web site: University of Tennessee . Municipal Technical Advisory Service . Sneedville . Municipal Technical Advisory Service . July 14, 2020.
  3. Tennessee Blue Book, 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.
  4. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. October 15, 2022.
  5. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  6. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. January 31, 2008. United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007.
  7. Will Thomas Hale and Dixon L. Merritt, A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans, Vol. 3 (Lewis Publishing Co., 1913), p. 794.
  8. Web site: 2008 . Historical Hancock County . Home . Hancock County Tennessee Historical and Genealogical Society . November 13, 2011.
  9. Price, Edward T. (1953). "A Geographic Analysis of White-Negro-Indian Racial Mixtures in Eastern United States", Annals of the Association of American Geographers 43 (June 1953): 138–155, accessed February 18, 2013
  10. http://www.genpage.com/DeMarce.pdf DeMarce, Virginia E. (1992). "'Verry Slitly Mixt': Tri-Racial Isolate Families of the Upper South – A Genealogical Study"
  11. http://www.freeafricanamericans.com Paul Heinegg, Free African Americans in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware and Maryland
  12. William G. Cook, "Hancock County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: February 18, 2013.
  13. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. April 23, 2011. February 12, 2011.
  14. Web site: Zipcode 37869 - Sneedville, Tennessee Hardiness Zones . May 6, 2022 . www.plantmaps.com.
  15. Web site: US Census. https://archive.today/20200212210359/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_12_5YR_DP03&prodType=table. dead. February 12, 2020. January 18, 2014.
  16. Web site: Kennedy . N. Brent . Hancock County, Home of the Melungeons . Hancock County Tennessee Historical & Genealogical Society . N/A . July 16, 2020.
  17. Web site: 2008 . Hancock County Tennessee Historical and Genealogical Society . Home . Hancock County Tennessee Historical and Genealogical Society . November 13, 2011.
  18. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hancock County, TN. U.S. Census Bureau. 2024-06-25. - Text list
  19. Web site: 2011 . Hancock County Hospital . . November 13, 2011.
  20. Web site: 2010 . Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver . Artists . . November 13, 2011.
  21. Web site: 2011 . Jimmy Martin . Bluegrass Masters . International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor . November 13, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111031180309/http://www.bluegrass-museum.org/general/zbioJimmyMartin.php . October 31, 2011 .
  22. News: Wilusz . Ryan . Crimson Tide parties during COVID-19: Why Morgan Wallen is trending and canceled from SNL . October 9, 2020 . . October 7, 2020.