Cleveland County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

Description
Cleveland County was created on 17 April 1873 and was named for President Grover Cleveland. Its county seat is Rison. It is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cleveland County Courthouse Main and Magnolia Streets P.O. Box 348 Rison, AR 71665 Phone: 870-325-6521 Cleveland County Website County Clerk has marriage records from 1880, along with divorce, probate and court 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 Cleveland County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.


 * 1834 - The third Quapaw Treaty ratified by the U.S. Senate was the beginning of the end of the Indians treaty lands in Arkansas.
 * 1864 April 25 - The most important event in what became Cleveland County during the Civil War was the Battle of Marks’ Mills.
 * 1873 April 17 - Cleveland County was established.
 * 1910 - The high point for population of the county.
 * 1970 - The low point for population of the county.

Biographies

 * Biographies at My Genealogy Hound

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

Court Records

 * 1873-1882 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1873-1885 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1889-1952 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Funeral Homes

 * Buie Funeral Home in Rison

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1873-1974 Cleveland County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)- How to Use this Collection
 * Includes Administration records 1876-1908; Guardian records 1877-1909; Inventories 1877-1974; Letters of guardianship 1909-1938; Probate records 1873-1893; Wills 1877-1947.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas. 2 volumes. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing, 1890. Online at:  Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); . Cleveland County history begins on Page 592 in Vol. 2.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Civil War

 * 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

Civil War Battle

The following Civil War battle was fought in Cleveland County:
 * April 25, 1864 - Marks' Mill.
 * Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1818–1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1818-1998 at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
 * 1817-1979 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1873-1974 (*); 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 $
 * 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images- How to Use this Collection
 * 1873-1922 Cleveland County Marriage Books 3-6 Index 1873-1922 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1873-1956 Cleveland County Marriage Books A, 1, 3-12 Index 1873-1956 in  at FamilySearch - 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

 * Hot Springs Arkansas FamilySearch Center
 * Pine Bluff Arkansas FamilySearch Center
 * Pine Bluff/ Jefferson County Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * 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