Clark County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas Clark County

Guide to Clark County, Arkansas ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
Clark County Courthouse Courthouse Square 401 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 Phone: 870.246.4491 County Clerk has marriage records from 1821, land records from 1819, and probate records from 1800. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.

History
Clark County was created by the legislature of Missouri Territory, 15 December, 1818. It was named for the territorial governor, William Clark. At its creation it included most of the present counties of Clark, Hot Spring, Garland, Pike and Dallas.

The Caddo, Little Missouri and Ouachita rivers flow through the county. Clark County has hilly terrain in the north, and rolling, pine-covered hills in the south. DeGray Lake, located in the northern part of the county, along with DeGray State Park, attracts a half million visitors each year.

The county seat, Arkadelphia, is home to two universities, Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State.

Parent County

 * 1818--Clark County was created 15 December 1818 from Arkansas County. County seat: Arkadelphia

Boundary Changes

 * Boarder with Pulaski changed 30 October 1823
 * Union County created in 1829
 * Hot Spring County created in 1829
 * Pike County created in 1833
 * Dallas County created in 1845
 * Boarder with Hot Spring and Dallas changed 3 April 1868
 * Part of Clark added to Pike 22 April 1873
 * Boarder with Montgomery changed 24 April 1873
 * Boarder with Pike changed 8 March 1877

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.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



Communities

 * Gravel Junction
 * Midway

Neighboring Counties
Dallas •  Hot Spring  •  Montgomery  •  Nevada  •  Ouachita  •  Pike

History Timeline
Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were taken from the Clark County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.
 * 1700s - Europeans continued to explore and occupy the area, but Indians had largely vacated.
 * 1803 - Permanent settlement by Americans occurred soon after the Louisiana Purchase.
 * 1818 - December 15, Clark County was founded as part of Missouri Territory.
 * 1860 - The county had become a thriving community of agriculture, commerce, and education.
 * 1932 - Clark County suffered along with the rest of Arkansas from the effects of the Great Depression.
 * 1939-1945 - World War II stimulated the development of small industry in the county.
 * 1930-1970 - The county lost 13.6 percent of its population.
 * 1980s - Clark County’s economy declined.

African Americans

 * 1865-1868 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Arkadelphia at FamilySearch.org — (browsable images only); register of marriage, labor contracts, letters, complaints

Cemeteries

 * Clark County Arkansas Cemeteries has an extensive list of Clark County cemeteries including location, and links to many transcriptions and photos.
 * Interment.net has some Clark County Cemetries
 * Find-A-Grave has some Clark County Cemeteries
 * Clark County Arkansas USGenWeb page lists some transcriptions.
 * Clark County, Arkansas USGenWeb Archives has some transcriptions.
 * Clark County Cemeteries (vi, 500, [151] p. : ill., map.) available from

Census
Federal Census reports for Clark County are available for 1830-1930 including Industry and Agriculture Schedules 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880; Slave Schedules for 1850 &amp; 1860; and Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.


 * 1820 is missing
 * 1830 and 1840 - Check the Arkansas Census page for availability. Searchable index on Ancestry.
 * 1850 - 1920 Census- Searchable index on FamilySearch
 * 1890 Census substitution was compiled by William L. Newberry from the Tax Receipt Book for 1890.

For more information about the using the census in Arkansas, please refer to the Arkansas Census page.

Court
Clark County Court Clerk has court records beginning in 1838.

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1822-1957 Clark County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian bonds 1869-1909; Bonds 1827-1873; Dockets 1875-1901; Letters of administration 1827-1883; Probate records 1822-1957; Wills 1855-1867.

Land and Property
Clark County Court Clerk has land records beginning in 1819. Remember that original land sales and grants were often with the US Government and are part of the General Land Office Records not the local county records.

Local Histories

 * "History of Clark County" by Laura Scott Butler. Publications of the Arkansas Historical Association - v. 2 (1908). Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing, 1890. Online at:Ancestry.com ($)

Maps

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Revolutionary War

 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Arkansas section begins on page 439.]

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company B
 * - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)
 * - 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Companies E and F
 * - 6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate), Company F
 * - 8th Battalion, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company A
 * - 33rd Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies E and H


 * Men from this county served in the 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), Companies A and C


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1901-1929 - at FamilySearch — images only

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Clark County.


 * April 3-4, 1864 = Elkin’s Ferry, also known as Okolona
 * Map showing Civil War battles in Arkansas.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1783 – 1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1817 – 1979 at FamilySearch — images
 * Probate Records 1822-1957 Clark County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian bonds 1869-1909; Bonds 1827-1873; Dockets 1875-1901; Letters of administration 1827-1883; Probate records 1822-1957; Wills 1855-1867.

The county clerk has probate records starting in 1840.

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Statewide registration of births and deaths began 1 February 1914, and have a limited availability through the Arkansas Vital Records Departmentof the Arkansas Health Department. The Arkansas History Commissionkeeps an alphabetical listing of deaths in Arkansas dating from 1914 through 1949, but they do not have the actual death records. They have shared this listing of deaths with Ancestry.com $ (Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950)

Clark County, Arkansas records compiled by Mrs. Frank Austin Gerig. Includes some vital, property, and probate records with index.)

Marriage
Clark County Court Clerk has marriage records beginning in 1821. Many of these have been microfilmed and are available through the Family History Library, Salt Lake, UT:


 * Marriage records, 1818-1970; indexes, 1818-1987 by Clark County (Arkansas). County Clerk. (Microfilm of original records in the Clark County courthouse; and at the Ouachita Baptist University Library, Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Indexes include Male and female indexes 1821-1975; Indexes to marriage records, v. 1-3, 1840-1987; Index to loose marriage licenses, 1818-1970. Marriage record volumes C - Z 1845 - 1931 and volumes 1 - 10 1931 - 1951. Marriage Record volumes A, B, and J are missing. Also Loose marriage licenses, 1818-1970 arranged alphabetically)  **This title is currently (May 2010) being digitized and indexed for inclusion in Arkansas Vital Records Index
 * Arkansas Department of Health also has marriage records dating from January 1917 and divorce records dating from January 1923.
 * 1845-1922 - Clark County Marriage Books C-U Index 1845-1922 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1870-1970 - Clark County Marriage Books F-Z, 1-10 and Loose Marriage Licenses Index 1870-1970 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * Ancestry.com. $ Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939. Original data: Vital Records Division, Arkansas Department of Health. Marriage Record Index, 1933-1939. Arkansas, USA: Arkansas Genealogical Society. Microfiche.
 * Ancestry.com. $ Arkansas Marriages, 1851-1900. Original data: Clark County, Arkansas Marriages, 1851 - 1875. County court records located at Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Family History Library film # (1009945 - 1009946 &amp; 1010121-1010123)
 * Ancestry.com. $ Arkansas Divorce Index, 1923-1939. Original data: Arkansas Divorce Index 1923-1939. Arkansas, USA: Arkansas Genealogical Society. Microfiche.
 * Clark County, Arkansas Obituary Collection And Surrounding Howard and Pike Counties From GenealogyBuff.com ~ Free. From Various Funeral Homes.
 * Clark County, Arkansas : a genealogical source book compiled by Pauline Williams Wright, Barbara McDow Caffee (Contents: vol. 1. Marriages thru 1900; divorce petitions thru 1900; Probate records, May 1827-Oct. 1838 and more)
 * Clark County, Arkansas, marriage records, 1821-1879 compiled by Bobbie Jones McLane. (Contains "Deaton family of Clark Co., Arkansas." Marriages are on file in the county clerk's office at Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Includes index of brides.)
 * Clark County, Arkansas marriage records, 1821-1837 : marriage record book A, March 22, 1821 to February 12, 1837 compiled and edited by David L. Kelley.
 * Marriage licenses of Clark County, Arkansas (unclaimed) by Newberry, William L. (The dates for this vol. run from ca. 1873-1959. Names are in alphabetical order.)
 * Marriages of Clark County, Arkansas, 1821-1837 compiled by James Logan Morgan.
 * Records of Clark County, Arkansas by Daughters of the American Revolution (Arkansas) (Microreproduction of original typescript (58, 132 leaves) written in 1972. Includes index. Includes marriages, a cemetery (Mt. Tabor in Montgomery Co.) and bible records.)

Death

 * Clark County, Arkansas : Arkadelphia &amp; environs, a journal by James A. Fortson, recorded, 1875-1897 by Fortson, James A, 1829-1898 transcribed and edited by Linda Shaddock Rogers. (45 pages; Includes vital record information, primarily deaths. Includes full-name index.)

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * List of Arkansas Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers