User:AdkinsWH/Sandbox Temp

United States Arkansas St. Francis County

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

County Information
When St. Francis County was formed in 1827 the county seat was temporarily located in the home of William Strong, a prominent citizen, until it could be moved to the new town of Franklin. It remained in Franklin until 1840 when it was moved to Madison. In 1855 it was moved to Mt. Vernon. In 1856 the courthouse burned and the county seat was moved back to Madison until 1874 when a vote was taken to move once again to the rapidly expanding Forrest City that began as a railroad construction camp for Nathan Bedford Forrest.

After the original frame courthouse in Forrest City burned in 1874 a brick building was constructed that was used until the current building was built. Many of the earlier record books in the current courthouse are laminated derivatives and a number of originals are stored at the St. Francis County Museum, 603 Front Street, Forrest City, Arkansas.

County Courthouse
Saint Francis County Courthouse 313 S Izard Street Forrest City, AR 72335-3856 Phone: 870-261-1715

County Clerk has marriage records from 1875, probate records from 1910 and tax records; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.

Government and Related Websites

Record Loss
The county records have been burned three times. The first time was in Mt. Vernon in 1856. During the War Between the States the records were moved to a frame home in the woods. The woods caught fire and the home and records burned. After the records were moved from the brick courthouse in Madison in 1874 to a frame building in Forrest City, they were burned again, ostensibly by someone trying to destroy criminal evidence.

Some deeds have been reconstructed back to the 1860's, but most county records begin in 1873 or 1874.


 * For record loss in Arkansas counties, see ARGenWeb

Boundary Changes

 * 1827--St. Francis was created 13 October 1827 from Phillips County. County seat: Forrest City

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.


 * ST.Francis County History

Cities and Towns

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

Populated Places See also:
 * Historical Sites

History Timeline
Events below gleaned from St. Francis County The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture

Biographies

 * All of the family biographies from St. Francis County, Arkansas included in The Biographical and Historical Memoirs of St. Francis County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890 are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.

Court Records

 * Court records began in 1872

African Americans

 * 1867-1868 — ''Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Madison at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Register of contracts, narative reports, letters

Guardianship

 * 1817 – 1979, an at FamilySearch — images; includes guardianships

Local Histories

 * Pioneer Time in St.Francis County Arkansas
 * Early Families
 * See also Cities and towns for resources in the FamilySearch Catalog

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Map of 1889 St. Francis County, Arkansas (My Genealogy Hound)

Military Records

 * Veterans of St. Francis County

Civil War

 * - 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company G

Newspapers

 * Early Newspapers
 * Newspapers

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
 * 1817 – 1979, an at FamilySearch — images; includes guardianships

Marriage

 * 1875-1923 - St. Francis County Marriage Books D-N Index 1875-1923 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1875-1951 - St. Francis County Marriage Books D-X Index 1875-1951 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1837-1957 - an  at FamilySearch - Free; Index

Death

 * St. Francis County, Arkansas Obituary Collection From GenealogyBuff.com ~ Free. From Various Funeral Homes in Forrest City, Hughes, Madison, Palestine, Wheatley, Widener, Caldwell, and Colt.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Libraries
Major catalogs for books, microfilm, or collections pertaining to St. Francis 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
 * ARGenWeb - Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives - Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions

More St. Francis County genealogy links
 * RootsWeb resources - Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * Linkpendium - Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * CyndisList - Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)