Independence County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas  Independence County

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

County Courthouse
Independence County Courthouse 192 East Main Street; Batesville, AR 725091 Phone: 870.793.8828 County Clerk has marriage records from 1826 and probate records from 1839; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records; County Library has burial records.

Parent County

 * 1820--Independence County was created 23 October 1820 from Lawrence and Arkansas Counties.

County seat: Batesville

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'

Populated Places
Batesville, Newark, Sulphur Rock, Southside, Magness, Pleasant Plains, Desha, Locust Grove, Bethesda, Cushman, Hickory Valley, Rosie, Oil Trough

Neighboring Counties
Cleburne • Izard • Jackson • Lawrence • Sharp • Stone • White

African Americans

 * 1865-1868 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Batesville at FamilySearch.org — (browsable images only); persons hired, letters

Cemeteries

 * Cemeteries in Independence County

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1830-1923 Independence County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian bonds and letters 1853-1902; County Court records 1830-1849; Guardian bonds and letters 1868-1895; Letters of administration 1846-1881; Probate records 1839-1881; Wills 1833-1923.

Local Histories

 * Neill, Robert. "Reminiscences of Independence County". Publications of the Arkansas Historical Association - v. 3 (1911).
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Mosier, Susan. Hutchinson Mountain Vol. 2. Floral, Arkansas : S. Mosier, 1997.
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Mosier, Susan. Hutchinson Mountain Vol. 1. Floral, Arkansas : S. Mosier, 1997.
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (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


 * For ten millennia or more, Native Americans lived in the area, and sites from all early cultural periods are numerous.
 * 1539-1542 - In recent years, the route of Hernando de Soto and his Spanish army's expedition through the Southeast (1539–1542) has been re-charted by scholars, and Independence County is on the newly mapped path.
 * 1700s - When European observers returned to the area, the White River valley was no longer inhabited.
 * 1815 - Missouri Territory established Lawrence County, a huge area that encompassed most of what became north Arkansas.
 * 1820 October 20 - Independence County established.
 * 1828 - Independence County became an international border zone. The Cherokee traded the land back to the United States and moved west.
 * 1800s (late) - The county moved into the modern era with an economy based on agriculture, timber, and timber products

Maps

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)

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, Independence County on page 91.]

Civil War

 * - 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Volunteers (Confederate), Company C
 * - 7th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 38th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), Companies A, C, K, and M
 * - 4th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Union)


 * Men from this county enlisted in the 4th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), 7th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), 31st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies F and I, 38th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), 45th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate), and the 1st Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Company K.
 * - 3rd Regiment, Missouri Cavalry - Confederate, Company B
 * - 3rd Regiment, Missouri Cavalry - Confederate, Company B

Newspapers

 * Batesville Guard

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
 * Probate Records 1830-1923 Independence County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian bonds and letters 1853-1902; County Court records 1830-1849; Guardian bonds and letters 1868-1895; Letters of administration 1846-1881; Probate records 1839-1881; Wills 1833-1923.

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Marriage

 * 1826-1951 - Independence County Marriage Books [A]-Z, A1-F1 Index 1826-1951 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1826-1921 - Independence County Marriage Index 1826-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * List of Arkansas Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
 * Independence County Historical Society
 * White River Regional Library
 * Lyon College
 * UACCB
 * Old Independence Regional Museum

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers