Lawrence County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

Description
Lawrence County was created on 1 March 1815 and was named for Captain James Lawrence who fought in the War of 1812. Its county seat is Walnut Ridge. It is located in the northeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lawrence County Courthouse P.O. Box 553 315 W Main Walnut Ridge, AR 72476 Phone: 870-886-1111 Lawrence County Website County Clerk has marriage and probate records.

Populated Places
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:

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 Lawrence County page on the website, 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.

Biographies

 * Biographies at My Genealogy Hound

Census Records
1820 is missing


 * 1850 Lawrence County Sharp County ARGenWeb

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Court Records

 * 1816-1871 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1818-1830 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1818-1846 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1818-1880 (*); County and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1852-1956 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1854-1906 (*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1876-1883 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Funeral Homes

 * Bryan Funeral Home in Hoxie and Imboden
 * Cox Funeral Home in Walnut Ridge
 * House-Gregg Funeral Home in Walnut Ridge

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Lawrence County Federal Land Records USGenWeb Archives
 * Lawrence County Assessor's Searchable Public Records Database
 * Lawrence County Landmarks

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889. Online at: Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vols. I & II - HathiTrust, Internet Archive. Lawrence County, Vol II, Ch XXIV, pp762-831.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Family Maps of Lawrence County, Arkansas Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Arkansas Maps and Atlases
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Arkansas State Archives State Maps Collection at Arkansas Digital Archives

Revolutionary War

 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). 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

'''Online Records


 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890-1963 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * Edward Gerdes' Arkansas Civil War Rosters

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * The Times Dispatch
 * Jonesboro Sun

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
 * 1817-1927 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1817-1979 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1919-1969 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1820-1885 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1821-1873 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1833-1906 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1839-1927 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1845-1859 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1883-1904 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1821-1926 Lawrence County Marriage Index 1821-1926 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1821-1967 Lawrence County Marriage Index (1821-1901), Western District Index (1901-1967), Eastern District Index (1904-1944) in  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Lawrence County Arkansas Marriages Lawrence County ARGenWeb - How to Use this Collection
 * 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)

Death

 * 1914-1969 Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
 * 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)

Divorce

 * 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)

Voter Records

 * 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

FamilySearch Centers

 * Jonesboro Arkansas FamilySearch Center
 * Greene County Historical & Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Societies
Lawrence County Historical Society P.O. Box 261 Walnut Ridge, AR 72476 Email: [mailto:info@lchsar.org info@lchsar.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Lawrence County, ARGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Linkpendium
 * Cyndi's List
 * - 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