Monroe County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas  Monroe County

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

County Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse 123 Madison Street Clarendon, AR 72029-2794 Phone: 870.747.3921 County Clerk has marriage records from 1850 and probate records from 1839; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce records from 1839, court records from 1830 and land records from 1829.

Parent County

 * 1829--Monroe County was created 2 November 1829 from Phillips and Arkansas Counties.

County seat: Clarendon

Boundary Changes
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
For a list of record loss in Arkansas counties see: Arkansas Counties with Burned Courthouses

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog'

Neighboring Counties
Arkansas • Lee • Phillips • Prairie • St. Francis • Woodruff

Presbyterian
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarendon


 * 1869-1885 - Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Baptism Index 1869-1885. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1885-1915 - Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Marriage Index 1885-1915. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon


 * 1870-1885 - First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Baptism Index 1870-1885. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1904-1909 - First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Marriage Index 1904-1909. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

History Timeline
Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Arkansas County - The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History &amp; Culture


 * Various Indian groups including the Quapaw, the Plum Bayou Culture, and the Hopewell Culture have lived in the area that became Monroe County for 100s of years.
 * 1799 - Europeans had already arrived in what became Monroe County by 1799 when Antoine Tessier and Joseph de Plasse, thought to be hunters and trappers, were living at the mouth of the Cache River.
 * 1815 October - Federal surveyors Prospect Robbins and Joseph Brown came to Arkansas to begin the survey of the Louisiana Purchase by establishing the initial survey point or base line.
 * 1829 November 2 - Monroe County was establishhed.
 * 1870-1930 - From about 1870 to about 1930, the timber business became important for much of the county as lumber mills were established around the county
 * 1900s - Two natural disasters between 1900 and 1930 devastated large sections of the county. First was a massive tornado on March 8, 1909,. Second was the Flood of 1927.
 * 1920-2010 - The population of Monroe County peaked at 21,600 in 1920 and has dropped to 8,149 today (2010).

Maps

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)

Civil War

 * - 13th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 15th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Josey's) (Confederate)

Probate Records

 * Probate Records 1839-1949 Part of: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration bonds and letters 1861-1899; Dockets 1873-1888; Executor records 1865-1945; Guardian bonds and letters 1866-1894; Letters of administration and guardianship 1877-1899; Probate records 1839-1890; Wills 1830-1949.

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Marriage

 * 1850-1951 - Monroe County Marriage Books B-Z, CC-HH Index 1850-1951 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1850-1922 - Monroe County Marriage Books B, D-T Index 1850-1922 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

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

Monroe County Library 270 Madison St Clarendon, AR 72029 (870) 747-5593

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers