Ellis County is a county located on the western border of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,749, making it the fifth-least populous county in Oklahoma. Its county seat is Arnett.

The county was named for Albert H. Ellis, vice president of the 1906 Constitutional Convention.

History

This area was used by indigenous tribes that included the Comanche, Kiowa, Apache, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. In 1820, an expedition led by Stephen Long passed through the area while exploring the Canadian River all the way to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Conflicts broke out between the Native Americans and the white settlers that were rapidly moving into Texas. In May 1858, the governor of Texas sent a force of Texas Rangers, militia and allied Indians (notably the Tonkawas), led by Captain John S. "Rip" Ford into Indian Territory. Ford's command fought a battle known as either the Battle of Little Robe Creek or the Battle of Antelope Hills inside the present Ellis County. The battle was notable because it resulted in killing the Comanche chief, Iron Jacket, father of Peta Nocona and grandfather of Quanah Parker. The county is mostly within the Great Plains physiographic region.

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| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<br />1790-1960 1900-1990<br />1990-2000 2010

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, the county had a population of 3,749. Of the residents, 22.9% were under the age of 18 and 23.7% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 44.2 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 87.2% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 1.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 2.7% from some other race, and 7.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 9.1% of the population. of 2000, there were 4,075 people, 1,769 households, and 1,218 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 2,146 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.29% White, 0.05% Black or African American, 1.20% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.74% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. 2.60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 96.6% spoke English, 2.0% Spanish and 1.4% German as their first language.

There were 1,769 households, out of which 25.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.80% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 21.60% from 25 to 44, 28.60% from 45 to 64, and 22.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,951, and the median income for a family was $33,750. Males had a median income of $27,237 versus $17,772 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,472. About 9.20% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.50% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

{| class=wikitable

! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023

|-

! colspan = 2 | Party

! Number of Voters

! Percentage

|-

|

| Democratic

| align = center | 320

| align = center | 12.89%

|-

|

| Republican

| align = center | 1,900

| align = center | 76.52%

|-

|

| Others

| align = center | 263

| align = center | 10.59%

|-

! colspan = 2 | Total

! align = center | 2,483

! align = center | 100%

|}

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Economy

From the time of its founding, the economy of Ellis County has been based on farming and ranching. The most important crops have been wheat, cotton and broomcorn. In 1907, the town of Shattuck shipped more broomcorn than any other shipping point in the nation. Cattle raising had become important right after the Civil War. A major player locally was the Dominion Cattle Company, part of the Cherokee Strip Livestock Association. Although grazing leases ended with the land run, ranching and cattle feeding remained important. In the 1970s, dairying proved profitable.

Communities

Towns

  • Arnett (county seat)
  • Fargo
  • Gage
  • Shattuck

Unincorporated communities

  • Catesby
  • Harmon

Ghost towns

  • Grand
  • Ioland

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Ellis County, Oklahoma

References

  • Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Ellis County
  • Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory