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United States Arkansas Lawrence County

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

County Courthouse
Lawrence County Courthouse PO Box 553, 315 W Main; Walnut Ridge, AR 72476 Phone: 870.886.1111 County Clerk has marriage and probate records.

Government and Related Websites
 * County-clerk.net (unofficial site) — Clerks have jurisdiction over birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, land use, land rights, real estate, and other court records. Site provides links to unofficial websites with online records
 * PublicRecords.com (unofficial site) — Provides links to County officials and public records

Record Loss

 * For record loss in Arkansas counties, see ARGenWeb

Boundary Changes

 * 1815--Lawrence County was created 15 January 1815 from New Madrid County, Missouri.

County seat: Walnut Ridge

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.

Cities and Towns

 * Click and select the link Places within... for cities and towns (most counties)

History Timeline
Events below gleaned from Lawrence County The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
 * Arkansas became United States territory with the Louisiana Purchase.
 * 1800s (early) - White settlers first inhabited the county’s western regions
 * 1815 January 15 - Lawrence County was created. The “Mother of Counties,” Lawrence County once covered a majority of north Arkansas, an enormous stretch of land ultimately forming thirty-one counties.
 * 1816 - The earliest important settlement was at Davidsonville along the Black River. Named for territorial legislator John Davidson, the town served as the first county seat. Yellow fever ended the settlement.
 * 1861-1865 - During the Civil War, Lawrence County escaped damage.
 * 1800s (mid) - Powhatan experienced explosive growth and soon sported mills, shops, and hotels. Because of this growth, it became the county seat in 1869.
 * 1940-2010 - Lawrence County population hit its high mark in 1940 (22,600) and has a slow decline to a prsent (2010) low mark of 17,400.

Cemeteries

 * Lawrence County Cemeteries Lawrence County ARGenWeb
 * Lawrence County Cemeteries Find A Grave
 * Lawrence County Cemeteries Nancy's Lawrence County Corner

Census Records
1820 is missing


 * 1850 Lawrence County Sharp County ARGenWeb

Court Records

 * Court records began in 1816

Land and Property Records
Lawrence County Federal Land Records USGenWeb Archives


 * Lawrence County Assessor's Searchable Public Records Database
 * Lawrence County Landmarks

Local Histories

 * Early Lawrence County History Nancy's Lawrence County Corner
 * Settlement of Lawrence County and Powhatan 1803-1890 Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
 * Arkansas Territorial Papers Part 1 USGenWeb Archives
 * Arkansas Territorial Papers Part 2 USGenWeb Archives
 * Arkansas Territorial Papers Part 3 USGenWeb Archives
 * Arkansas Territorial Papers Part 4 USGenWeb Archives
 * Arkansas Territorial Papers Part 5 USGenWeb Archives
 * See also Cities and towns for resources in the FamilySearch Catalog

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Family Maps of Lawrence County, Arkansas Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Arkansas Maps and Atlases

Revolutionary War

 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at Google Books. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Arkansas, Lawrence County on page 191.]

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Company E
 * - 7th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 8th Battalion, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies Cand G
 * - 38th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate),
 * - 45th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate) ,
 * - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), Companies C and E


 * Edward Gerdes' Arkansas Civil War Rosters

Newspapers

 * The Times Dispatch
 * Jonesboro Sun

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1818 — 1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1818-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1817 – 1979, an at FamilySearch — images; includes guardianships

Marriage

 * 1821-1967 - Lawrence County Marriage Index (1821-1901), Western District Index (1901-1967), Eastern District Index (1904-1944) in at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1821-1926 - Lawrence County Marriage Index 1821-1926 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * Lawrence County Arkansas Marriages Lawrence County ARGenWeb
 * 1837-1957 - an  at FamilySearch - Free; Index

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Libraries

 * Lawrence County Historical Society

Major catalogs for books, microfilm, or collections pertaining to Lawrence County
 * - 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 History Commission 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

Websites
Sites with online indexes or images of records
 * USGenWeb Archives - Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * RootsWeb - Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions

More Lawrence County genealogy links
 * Linkpendium - Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * CyndisList - Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)