Jackson Parish, Louisiana
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Jackson Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Jonesboro and as of 2000, the population is 15,397.
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[edit] Jackson Parish politicians
Jackson Parish is the birthplace and burial site of popular former Louisiana Democratic Governor James Houston "Jimmie" Davis, a singer by profession.
Jackson Parish is the home of current Republican Congressman Rodney Alexander, of Quitman near Jonesboro. Quitman is also the home of former Louisiana State Senate President and a 2003 Democratic gubernatorial contender, Randy Ewing.
The former Democratic Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, E.L. "Bubba" Henry, served in the House from District 13 from 1968-1980, the last eight of those years as Speaker. A Jonesboro native, Henry is an attorney and lobbyist with the Baton Rouge office of Adams and Reese.
[edit] Dr. James C. McDonald
Jonesboro native James Craig "Jim" McDonald (November 15, 1946 -- February 7, 2007) was a pharmacist, physician, and plastic surgeon in Shreveport. McDonald was born to the late Ross McDonald and Rookh C. McDonald (1920-1998). He graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1964 and attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe (then Northeast Louisiana State College), where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He graduated with a degree in pharmacy from Methodist-affiliated Emory University in Atlanta. He thereafter graduated with the first class of doctors from the Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport (formerly the Confederate Memorial Medical Center). He was board certified in otorhinolaryngology and returned to medical school at the University of Tennessee in Memphis to become a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. McDonald was an Eagle Scout and was certified to fly multi-engine airplanes. He also was active in Methodist missionary work abroad.
He is interred in Jonesboro Cemetery. He was survived by a brother, Danny Ross McDonald and wife Mary Beth of Youngsville in Lafayette Parish.The family requested memorials to the Dr. James C. McDonald Scholarship Fund at Methodist-affiliated Centenary College, 2911 Centenary Blvd., Shreveport.
[edit] Geography
The parish has a total area of 1,503 km² (580 mi²). 1,476 km² (570 mi²) of it is land and 27 km² (11 mi²) of it (1.82%) is water.
[edit] Major Highways
[edit] Adjacent parishes
- Lincoln Parish (north)
- Ouachita Parish (northeast)
- Caldwell Parish (southeast)
- Winn Parish (south)
- Bienville Parish (west)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 15,397 people, 6,086 households, and 4,302 families residing in the parish. The population density was 10/km² (27/mi²). There were 7,338 housing units at an average density of 5/km² (13/mi²). The racial makeup of the parish was 71.01% White, 27.87% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.37% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,086 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were married couples living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the parish the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $28,352, and the median income for a family was $36,317. Males had a median income of $31,977 versus $19,992 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $15,354. About 16.00% of families and 19.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.30% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.
