Franklin County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Benjamin Franklin. It is located in the northwest of the state.

County Courthouse
Franklin County Courthouse 211 W Commercial Street Ozark, AR 72949 Phone: 501.667.3607 Franklin County Website County Clerk has marriage records from 1850, probate records from 1838 and land records from 1899.

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 Franklin County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.


 * 1819-1828 - By treaty, the Cherokee controlled the county
 * 1828 - the Cherokee were removed to Indian Territory and the area was opened to settlement, people came from Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, and surrounding states.
 * 1837 December 19 - was formed from Crawford County.
 * 1875 - The railroad came to Franklin County, and towns grew up along the line.
 * 1880s - The climate and terrain in northern Franklin County were suited to grape growing, and a group of Swiss and German farmers came to Altus and established wineries.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places


 * 1875-1899 - at FamilySearch — index- How to Use this Collection

Court Records

 * 1838-1967 (*); Arkansas. Probate Court (Franklin County) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1852-1879, 1867-1881 (*); Arkansas. Circuit Court (Franklin County) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1852-1890 (*); Arkansas. County Court (Franklin County) at FamilySearch Catalog — Index and images
 * 1855-1869 (*); Arkansas. County Court (Franklin County) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1866-1878 (*); Arkansas. Circuit Court (Franklin County) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1866-1957 (*); Arkansas. Chancery Court (Franklin County. Ozark District) at FamilySearch Catalog — Index and images
 * 1869-1872 (*); Arkansas. Justice of the Peace Court (Franklin County) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1891-1953 (*); Arkansas. Chancery Court (Franklin County. Charleston District) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home in Charleston
 * Shaffer Funeral Home in Ozark
 * Smith Mortuary, Inc in Charleston

Genealogies

 * Family biographies from The History of Franklin County, Arkansas (1889) published by Goodspeed are available free on the My Genealogy Hound website.

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1835-1958 Franklin County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)- How to Use this Collection
 * Includes Administration and guardian record index no date; Administration bonds 1866-1918; Administration bonds and letters 1891-1935; Administration settlements 1866-1878; Chancery Court records 1891-1953; County Court records 1847-1860; General index 1852-1890; Guardian bonds and letters 1891-1940; Guardian settlements 1866-1891; Letters of administration 1865-1918; Letters of testamentary 1865-1936; Minutes 1870-1874; Probate packet index 1835-1958; Probate packets 1835-1958; Probate record index 1860-1898; Probate records 1838-1915; Wills 1892-1947.

Local Histories

 * History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. 1889. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Google Books, Ancestry ($);.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Family Maps of Franklin 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

 * - 7th Battalion, Arkansas Infantry (Desha) (Confederate)
 * - 34th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company I
 * - 35th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company E


 * Men from this county served in the 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), Company G, and the 7th Regiment, Arkansas Militia.

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

Newspapers

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1817-1979 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1835-1958 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1838-1967 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1852-1890 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1866-1878 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1870-1873 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1876-1904 (*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1891-1947 (*); 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.

Birth

 * 1947 - 1965 - Franklin County Birth Index 1947-1965. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 - Arkansas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1850 - 1951 - Franklin County Marriage Books A-Q, 2-4 (including both Ozark and Charleston locations) Index 1850-1951 in at FamilySearch - free.- How to Use this Collection
 * 1850 - 1931 - Franklin County Marriage Books A-J Index 1850-1931 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1860 - 1976 - at FamilySearch — index and images- How to Use this Collection
 * 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Death

 * 1914-1969 Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1954 - Franklin County Death Index 1954. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index and images ($)

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

Family History Centers

 * Clarksville Arkansas Family History Center
 * Fort Smith Arkansas Family History Center
 * Jacksonville Arkansas Family History Center
 * Russellville Arkansas Family History Center


 * Jim G Ferguson Searcy County Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * ARGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * RootsWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * - 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