Fulton County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

Description
Fulton County was created on 01 January 1843 and was named for William Fulton. Its county seat is Salem. It is located in the northern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Fulton County Courthouse PO Box 278 123 S. Main Salem, AR 72576-0278 Phone: 870-895-3310 Fulton County Website County Clerk has marriage records from 1887; divorce, land, probate and court records from 1891.

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


 * 1830s - The first legally recognized white resident of Fulton County, William P. Morris, used his land grant to acquire 160 acres in the present Salem area.
 * 1842 December 21 - Fulton County was created, by the state legislature, carving out part of Izard County and present-day Baxter County.
 * 1869-1865 - The American Civil War made a huge impact on Fulton County. Settlers who lived in the rocky uplands of the county did not own slaves, but the settlers living along the fertile valleys of the rivers and creeks did.
 * 1865-1868 - Fulton County residents lived in a guerrilla warfare state for the next three years. Bands of thieves known as “bushwhackers” and “jayhawkers” roamed the area, raiding local farms, and terrorizing the citizens; they also burned the county courthouse, destroying land and census records.
 * 1940s - Industrialization in other parts of the United States attracted Fulton County youth to leave home in search of economic opportunities.

Biographies

 * Biographies at My Genealogy Hound

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

Court Records

 * 1870-1886 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1871-1973 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1871-1973 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

African Americans

 * 1866-1888 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Union at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; letters

Funeral Homes

 * Barker Funeral Home in Salem
 * Clary Funeral Home in Mammoth Spring
 * Doty Family Funeral Service in Salem

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive; . Fulton County history begins on Page 259 in Vol. 1.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Family Maps of Fulton 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 Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 14th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Powers') (Confederate)
 * - 27th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company B (new)

'''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 & images ($)
 * 1817-1979 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1870-1894 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1874-1940 (*); 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 $
 * 1887-1925 Fulton County Marriage Index 1887-1925 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1887-1952 Fulton County Marriage Books [A]-T Index 1887-1952 in at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images- 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

 * Harrison Arkansas FamilySearch Center
 * Mountain Home Arkansas FamilySearch Center
 * Mountain View Arkansas FamilySearch Center
 * West Plains Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * Jim G Ferguson Searcy 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