Logan County, Arkansas

The Arkansas General Assembly defined the state's 64th county on March 22, 1871, incorporating parts of Scott, Yell, and Pope counties (later adding part of Franklin County). They named it Sarber County for John Newton Sarber (1837–1905), an attorney and Republican state senator from Yell County. He had introduced the resolution to organize the county. Born and reared in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he had moved with his widowed father and family to Kansas in 1855. Sarber became influential in the Arkansas legislature, introducing bills to establish a public school system for the first time, and what developed as the University of Arkansas. In 1873, Sarber was appointed U.S. marshal of the U.S. Western District Court at Fort Smith.^[3]

Conservative white Democrats viewed Sarber as a carpetbagger because he was a Union Army veteran who had decided to settle in Arkansas. There he had married Susan Rebecca Rose in 1867. She was the daughter of Moreau Rose, an early pioneer and a Confederate supporter, and his wife. The Sarber couple had six children together; five survived to adulthood.

After white Democrats regained control of the state legislature in 1875, they renamed Sarber County for James Logan (1792-1859), a Kentucky-born early settler in the area who had served in the territorial legislature, from Crawford County, and the first state legislature, from Scott County (part of the latter was absorbed into Logan County).^[4]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 732 square miles (1,900 km²), of which 708 square miles (1,830 km²) are land and 23 square miles (60 km²) (3.2%) are water.^[5] The highest natural point in Arkansas, Magazine Mountain at 2,753 feet (839 m), is located in Logan County.

•   Highway 10
•   Highway 22
•   Highway 23
•   Highway 60
•   Highway 309

• Johnson County (north)
• Pope County (northeast)
• Yell County (southeast)
• Scott County (south)
• Sebastian County (west)
• Franklin County (northwest)

 

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 21,131 people, 8,417 households, and 5,839 families residing in the county.

As of the 2000 census,^[14] there were 22,486 people, 8,693 households, and 6,302 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile (12 people/km²). There were 9,942 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5.4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.46% White, 1.05% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 1.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,693 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 24.40% 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 2.53 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.90% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,344, and the median income for a family was $33,732. Males had a median income of $24,472 versus $18,681 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,527. About 11.40% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.20% of those under age 18 and 19.60% of those age 65 or over.

Over the past few election cycles, Logan County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2020) to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.

• Booneville (county seat)
• Magazine
• Paris (county seat)
• Ratcliff
• Scranton

• Blue Mountain
• Caulksville
• Morrison Bluff
• Subiaco

• New Blaine

• Carolan
• Prairie View

Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Logan County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. ^[16][17]

• Katharine Anthony, American biographer
• James Bridges, born in Paris, Arkansas, screenwriter and film director
• Dizzy Dean, born in Lucas, Arkansas, major league baseball player^[18]
• Paul Dean, born in Lucas, Arkansas, brother of Dizzy Dean and major league baseball player^[18]
• Jon Eubanks, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Paris, Arkansas; a farmer and Certified Public Accountant
• General John P. McConnell, Chief of Staff, USAF
• Robert Johnson, lived in Lucas, Arkansas, at the time of the 1920 census. Renowned Bluesman.

• List of lakes in Logan County, Arkansas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Logan County, Arkansas

• DeBlack, Thomas A. With Fire and Sword: Arkansas, 1861–1874. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2003.
• Hodges, Mary Frances. John Newton Sarber and Sarber County, Arkansas. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2009. (self-published)
• Moneyhon, Carl H. The Impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction on Arkansas. Baton Rouge: Louisiana University Press, 1994.

35°13′29″N 93°44′26″W / 35.22472°N 93.74056°W / 35.22472; -93.74056