Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy
Guide to Jefferson 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 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 2.29 Voter Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for President Thomas Jefferson.[2] It is located in the centre of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Jefferson County Courthouse
101 W Barraque Street
Pine Bluff, AR 71601
Phone: 870.541.5360
Jefferson County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1830 and probate records from 1845;
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.[4]
Jefferson County, Arkansas[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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914* | 1830 | 1914* | 1837 | 1830 | 1845 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| 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 Jefferson County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [8]
- 1818 August 24 - The Quapaw ceded their lands to the U.S. government.
- 1800s (early) - One of the first permanent settlers of record in Jefferson County was Joseph Bonne, who brought his Quapaw family from to live on a pine tree–covered bluff on the Arkansas River.
- 1890s - Jefferson County entered what historian Jim Leslie has referred to as the Golden Era. Because of its prodigious cotton production and location near the Arkansas River, the county attracted many industries, businesses, and public institutions.
- 1927-1930s - The Flood of 1927 is considered Jefferson County’s worst natural disaster, killing dozens of people and destroying tens of thousands of acres of cotton and hundreds of farmsteads and homes. With the Great Depression of the 1930s, it took the county decades to reclaim the economic status it was gaining before the flood.
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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 772 | — |
| 1840 | 2,566 | 232.4% |
| 1850 | 5,834 | 127.4% |
| 1860 | 14,971 | 156.6% |
| 1870 | 15,733 | 5.1% |
| 1880 | 22,386 | 42.3% |
| 1890 | 40,881 | 82.6% |
| 1900 | 40,972 | 0.2% |
| 1910 | 52,734 | 28.7% |
| 1920 | 60,330 | 14.4% |
| 1930 | 64,154 | 6.3% |
| 1940 | 65,101 | 1.5% |
| 1950 | 76,075 | 16.9% |
| 1960 | 81,373 | 7.0% |
| 1970 | 85,329 | 4.9% |
| 1980 | 90,718 | 6.3% |
| 1990 | 85,487 | −5.8% |
| 2000 | 84,278 | −1.4% |
| 2010 | 77,435 | −8.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places
- 1875-1899 - Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans[edit | edit source]
- 1865-1871 - Jefferson County Colored Marriage Books I-II Index 1865-1871 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - free.[9] - How to Use this Collection
- 1864-1868 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Pine Bluff at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Copies of marriage certificates, Register of marriages, Register of abandoned property, letters
- 1866-1867 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Pine Bluff (Superintendent of Arkansas River District) at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; persons hired, letters
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- Biographies from The History of Jefferson County, Arkansas (1889) published by Goodspeed Publishing Company are available free on the My Genealogy Hound website.
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
- Probate Records 1830-1930 Jefferson County portion of the collection: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images) - How to Use this Collection
- Includes Administration and guardian bonds 1850-1859; Administration bonds and letters 1862-1906; Administration records 1856-1862; Administration, executor and guardian bonds 1859-1862; Dockets 1830-1889; Executor bonds and letters 1862-1930; Probate records 1863-1890; Wills 1839-1927
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Jefferson 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 Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland and Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas. 1889. Chicago ; St. Louis : Goodspeed Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
- 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 Jefferson County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company D
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)
- - 2nd Battalion, Arkansas Calvalry (Confederate) , Company D
- - 6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate) , Company G
- - 8th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 15th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Josey's) (Confederate)
- - 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate) Companies A, D and K
- - 26th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies C and K
- - Pine Bluff Artillery, Arkansas (Confederate)
Online Records
- 1861-1865 - Arkansas Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 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
Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Jefferson County.
- October 25, 1863 = Pine Bluff[10]
- Map showing Civil War battles in Arkansas.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Finding More Arkansas Newspapers Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Jackson newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see, FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
- Fayetteville Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Fayetteville Daily Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Daily Fayetteville Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Northwest Arkansas Times at Ancestry.com ($)
- Courier Times at Ancestry.com ($)
Obituary Index from the following from 1866 to current time:
- Pine Bluff Commercial
- Pine Bluff Graphic
- Pin Bluff News
- Pine Bluff Eagle
- White Hall Journal
- Pine Bluff Dispatch
- The Negro Spokesman
- The Jefferson Republican
- Weekly Echo
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 - How to Use this Collection
- Probate Records 1830-1930 Jefferson County portion of the collection: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images) - How to Use this Collection
- Includes Administration and guardian bonds 1850-1859; Administration bonds and letters 1862-1906; Administration records 1856-1862; Administration, executor and guardian bonds 1859-1862; Dockets 1830-1889; Executor bonds and letters 1862-1930; Probate records 1863-1890; Wills 1839-1927.
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]
Birth[edit | edit source]
| Y | M | |
| Name of Child | Green check.png | |
| Birth Date and Place | Green check.png | |
| Parent's Names | Green check.png | |
| Mother's Maiden Name | Green check.png | |
| Parent's Ages | Green check.png | |
| Father's Occupation | Green check.png | |
| Current Residence | Green check.png | |
| Name of Doctor or Midwife | Green check.png | |
In 1877, a few county and city clerks[11] 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.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1779-1966 - Arkansas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1830 - 1950 - Jefferson County Marriage Books A-Z, I-VIII, AA-ZZ Index 1830-1950 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - free.[9] - How to Use this Collection
- 1830 - 1920 - Jefferson County Marriage Books 1-8, A-Z, AA Index 1830-1920 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[12]
- 1860 - 1976 - Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Death[edit | edit source]
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Voter Records[edit | edit source]
- 1868-1910 - Arkansas, County Voter Registration Records, 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images - [[
Arkansas, County Voter Registration Records - FamilySearch Historical Record|How to Use this Collection]]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Jefferson 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 Libraries
- Pine Bluff Arkansas Family History Center
2501 Ridgeway Rd, Pine Bluff
AR 71603 United States
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Jefferson County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Jefferson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Jefferson County Genealogical Society Jefferson County Museum 4th and State Street Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 71613
Websites[edit | edit source]
- ARGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
- USGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
- Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
- CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
- FamilySearch Catalog - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ark/jeff/
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Arkansas
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Jefferson County, Arkansas. Page 68 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), 66.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Arkansas, accessed 18 September 2018.
- ↑ Russell E. Bearden, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=779&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent= : accessed January 13, 2016), “Jefferson County.”
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 FamilySearch Wiki contributors, "Arkansas County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records," in FamilySearch Wiki.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 15 August, 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/0/0d/Igiarkansasem.pdf.
