St. Francis County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas St. Francis County

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

County Courthouse
Saint Francis County Courthouse 313 S Izard Street Forrest City, AR 72335-3856 Phone: 870-261-1715

County Clerk has marriage records from 1875, probate records from 1910 and tax records; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.

Government and Related Websites

 * PublicRecords.com (unofficial site) Provides links to County officials and public records.

History
When St. Francis County was formed in 1827 the county seat was temporarily located in the home of William Strong, a prominent citizen, until it could be moved to the new town of Franklin. It remained in Franklin until 1840 when it was moved to Madison. In 1855 it was moved to Mt. Vernon. In 1856 the courthouse burned and the county seat was moved back to Madison until 1874 when a vote was taken to move once again to the rapidly expanding Forrest City that began as a railroad construction camp for Nathan Bedford Forrest.

After the original frame courthouse in Forrest City burned in 1874 a brick building was constructed that was used until the current building was built. Many of the earlier record books in the current courthouse are laminated derivatives and a number of originals are stored at the St. Francis County Museum, 603 Front Street, Forrest City, Arkansas.

Parent County

 * 1827--St. Francis was created 13 October 1827 from Phillips County. County seat: Forrest City

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.


 * ST.Francis County History

Record Loss
The county records have been burned three times. The first time was in Mt. Vernon in 1856. During the War Between the States the records were moved to a frame home in the woods. The woods caught fire and the home and records burned. After the records were moved from the brick courthouse in Madison in 1874 to a frame building in Forrest City, they were burned again, ostensibly by someone trying to destroy criminal evidence.

Some deeds have been reconstructed back to the 1860's, but most county records begin in 1873 or 1874.

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
See also:
 * Historical Sites

Neighboring Counties
Crittenden •  Cross  •  Lee  •  Monroe  •  Woodruff

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

African Americans

 * 1867-1868 — ''Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Madison at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Register of contracts, narative reports, letters

Biographies

 * All of the family biographies from St. Francis County, Arkansas included in The Biographical and Historical Memoirs of St. Francis County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890 are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1862-1949 St. Frances County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian settlements 1865-1899; Administration bonds 1862-1892; Appraisements 1881-1944; Claims against estates 1865-1905; Executor bonds 1876-1949; Guardian bonds and letters 1887-1908; Probate records 1865-1886; Wills 1865-1931.

Local Histories

 * Pioneer Time in St.Francis County Arkansas
 * Early Families

Maps

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Map of 1889 St. Francis County, Arkansas (My Genealogy Hound)

Military

 * Veterans of St. Francis County

Civil War

 * - 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company G

Newspapers

 * Early Newspapers
 * Newspapers

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 1862-1949 St. Frances County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian settlements 1865-1899; Administration bonds 1862-1892; Appraisements 1881-1944; Claims against estates 1865-1905; Executor bonds 1876-1949; Guardian bonds and letters 1887-1908; Probate records 1865-1886; Wills 1865-1931.

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Marriage

 * 1875-1923 - St. Francis County Marriage Books D-N Index 1875-1923 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1875-1951 - St. Francis County Marriage Books D-X Index 1875-1951 in at FamilySearch - free.

Death

 * St. Francis County, Arkansas Obituary Collection From GenealogyBuff.com ~ Free. From Various Funeral Homes in Forrest City, Hughes, Madison, Palestine, Wheatley, Widener, Caldwell, and Colt.

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

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

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers