Arkansas County, Arkansas Genealogy
Guide to Arkansas County, Arkansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 Description
- 2 County Courthouse
- 3 Arkansas County, Arkansas Record Dates
- 4 Record Loss
- 5 Boundary Changes
- 6 Populated Places
- 7 History Timeline
- 8 Resources
- 8.1 Bible Records
- 8.2 Biographies
- 8.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 8.4 Cemeteries
- 8.5 Census Records
- 8.6 Church Records
- 8.7 Court Records
- 8.8 Directories
- 8.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 8.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 8.11 Funeral Homes
- 8.12 Genealogies
- 8.13 Guardianship
- 8.14 Land and Property Records
- 8.15 Local Histories
- 8.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 8.17 Migration
- 8.18 Military Records
- 8.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 8.20 Newspapers
- 8.21 Obituaries
- 8.22 Other Records
- 8.23 Periodicals
- 8.24 Probate Records
- 8.25 School Records
- 8.26 Social Security Records
- 8.27 Tax Records
- 8.28 Vital Records
- 8.29 Voter Records
- 9 Research Facilities
- 10 Societies
- 11 Websites
- 12 Research Guides
- 13 References
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named after the Arkansas Indian tribe. It is located in the southeast central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Arkansas County Courthouse
101 Court Square
DeWitt, AR 72042
Phone: 870.946.4349
Arkansas County Website
County Clerk has probate records from 1809 and marriage records from 1838;
Clerk Circuit Court has land records, divorce and court records from 1803 and military discharge records from 1917.[2]
Arkansas County, Arkansas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
1813--Arkansas County was created 31 December 1813. County seat: DeWitt. [4] Its existence predates the state of Akansas which was admitted to the union in 1836. Arkansas County was created from New Madrid County, Missouri Territory. Arkansas County was part of the Missouri Territory from 1813 to 1819 and part of the Arkansas Territory from 1819 to 1836.
- Historical boundary changes at Newberry Library site . For animated maps illustrating Arkansas county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Arkansas County Boundary Maps" (1813-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
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Unincorporated communities | ||
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Townships | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were taken from the Arkansas County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture[6]
- 1686 - Henri de Tonti established Arkansas Post at the Quapaw village of Osotouy. It was the first semipermanent French settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley and the first step in a long struggle between France, Spain, and England over the interior of North America.
- 1813 - December 13 - Arkansas County was created and comprised about two-thirds of what is now Arkansas and part of eastern Oklahoma. More than half the state’s counties were formed from this original county.
- 1824 - the dwindling remnant of Quapaw Indians at last yielded their lands for $4,000 and an annuity of $1,000 a year for the next eleven years. Thus, a good deal of what is now fine cotton land changed hands at a figure estimated at one dollar per 1,000 acres.
- 1862 - June 17 - Civil War naval and land battle that disabled the Union USS Mound City was located at St. Charles.
- After the war, towns and villages sprang up across the prairie. The people who settled here were largely of German origin, including some who came directly from Prussia, some who came by way of Illinois, and some whose ancestors had lived in Russia..
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
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Census | Pop. | %± |
1830 | 1,426 | — |
1840 | 1,346 | −5.6% |
1850 | 3,245 | 141.1% |
1860 | 8,844 | 172.5% |
1870 | 8,268 | −6.5% |
1880 | 8,038 | −2.8% |
1890 | 11,432 | 42.2% |
1900 | 12,973 | 13.5% |
1910 | 16,103 | 24.1% |
1920 | 21,483 | 33.4% |
1930 | 22,300 | 3.8% |
1940 | 24,437 | 9.6% |
1950 | 23,665 | −3.2% |
1960 | 23,355 | −1.3% |
1970 | 23,347 | −0.0% |
1980 | 24,175 | 3.5% |
1990 | 21,653 | −10.4% |
2000 | 20,749 | −4.2% |
2010 | 19,019 | −8.3% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1875-1899 - Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- Court records began in 1819 [7]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans[edit | edit source]
- 1867-1868 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, South Bend at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; letters, Proceedings of cases
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
- 1817 – 1979 Arkansas Probate Records 1817-1979 at FamilySearch — images; includes guardianships
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Arkansas County. They may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more about local histories, see Arkansas Local Histories.
- Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas. 1890. Chicago, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- A Topographical Description and History of Arkansas County, Arkansas From 1541 to 1875. c1978. By W.H. Halli-Burton. Easley, South Carolina : Southern Historical Press. Online at: Hathitrust, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Men in Arkansas County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company H and Company K
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)
- - 5th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)
- - 6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate) , Company E
- - 6th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 8th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)
- - 13th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies E and F
- - 26th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company I
Online Records
- 1890-1963 - Arkansas Confederate Soldier Home,1890-1963 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1891-1939 - Arkansas Ex-Confederate Pension Records, 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1901-1929 - Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — Index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 - Arkansas Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battles were fought in Arkansas County:
- June 17, 1862 = Saint Charles[8]
- January 9-11, 1863 = Arkansas Post also known as Fort Hindman[9]
- Map showing Civil War battles in Arkansas.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Arkansas Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites. Includes newspapers for Arkansas County.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Records
- 1783 – 1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1817 – 1979 Arkansas Probate Records 1817-1979 at FamilySearch — images; includes guardianships - How to Use this Collection
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- Arkansas County Vital Records and Indexes at FamilySearch
Birth[edit | edit source]
Y | M | |
Name of Child | ![]() |
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Birth Date and Place | ![]() |
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Parent's Names | ![]() |
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Mother's Maiden Name | ![]() | |
Parent's Ages | ![]() |
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Father's Occupation | ![]() |
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Current Residence | ![]() |
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Name of Doctor or Midwife | ![]() |
In 1877, a few county and city clerks[10] started keeping birth and death records.
In 1914, the state law required all county clerks to record births and forward them to the state.
- Arkansas Births and Christenings, 1812-1965 at FamilySearch. (Free, index only)
- Small file, but worth searching. Most entries were user-submitted.
See also: • Arkansas Online Genealogy Records, • How to Find Arkansas Birth Records and • Arkansas Vital Records—Birth.
See Also How to Find Arkansas Birth Records
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1779-1966 - Arkansas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1797-1921 - Arkansas County Marriage Books B-S Index 1797-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[11]
- 1860-1976 - Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1882-1947 - Arkansas County Marriage Books F-Z, A1-B1 Index 1882-1947 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - free. - How to Use this Collection[12]
- 1837-1957 - Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch Historical Records — Free; Index - How to Use this Collection
- 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1969 Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
- 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index and images ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
Voter Records[edit | edit source]
- 1868-1910 - Arkansas, County Voter Registration Records, 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in {{{1}}} County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Arkansas County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
- Arkansas Libraries -
- Libraries-listed by City, Colleges, Obituaries, Presidential Libraries, Public Records, US State Libraries
- Select tabs on top of the library page to see listed libraries
- Arkansas State Library
- State Library
- Genealogy
- Location
- Special or Unique Collections (help needed from each branch)
- Major catalogs for books, microfilm, or collections pertaining to Arkansas County
- FamilySearch Catalog - Select Places within... for cities and towns
- WorldCat - Click an item for libraries near you. For more information, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
- Allen County Public Library - Located in Indiana, they are heavily involved in digitizing much of their collection.
- Arkansas Digital Archives - Select the county - Arkansas state agency involved in organizing, digitizing, and maintaining the records of state and local history.
- Local libraries and Arkansas Archives and Libraries may suggest other catalogs
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Arkansas County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Websites[edit | edit source]
Sites with online indexes or images of records
- ARGenWeb Arkansas County - Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
- USGenWeb Archives Arkansas County - Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
- resources at RootsWeb - Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Arkansas County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_County,_Arkansas.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), p. 66.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Arkansas County, Arkansas. Page 67 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 65.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors,"Arkansas County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_County,_Arkansas#Communities, accessed 28 August 2018.
- ↑ Bill Shrum, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=745&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent= : accessed January 6, 2016), “Arkansas County.”
- ↑ Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 65-67. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 15 August, 2012)
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 26 April 2012).
- ↑ such as Sebastian County (Fort Smith) and Pulaski County (Little Rock) (No entry in FamilySearch Catalog found for Pulaski County nor for Little Rock, Aug 2014)
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/5/5c/Igiarkansasad.pdf.
- ↑ FamilySearch Wiki contributors, "Arkansas County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records," in FamilySearch Wiki, accessed 18 April 2013.