Randolph County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas  Randolph County

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

County Courthouse


Randolph County Courthouse 107 W Broadway Pocahontas, AR 72455 Phone: 870.892.5822

County Clerk has marriage and probate records from 1837; Circuit Clerk has divorce, land, military, and court records 1836.

Parent County

 * 1832--Randolph County was created 18 December 1832 from Lawrence County. County seat: Pocahontas

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

Neighboring Counties
Clay • Greene • Lawrence • Oregon County, Missouri • Ripley County, Missouri • Sharp •

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1836-1920 Randolph County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration bonds and letters 1852-1903; Chancery Court records 1858-1880; County Court records 1836-1861; Dockets 1868-1904; Guardian bonds 1858-1887 and 1891; Probate record index 1867-1920; Probate records 1837-1890; Wills 1836-1918.

Local Histories

 * Cherokee Bay Post Office
 * History of Randolph County at Ancestry.com ($)
 * "Arkansas border towns". The Ripley County heritage - v. 13 (2004) - v. 13, no. 4 (winter 2004).
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Dalton, Lawrence. History of Randolph County, Arkansas. Little Rock, Arkansas : Democrat Print. and Lithographing, 1946?.
 * 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 taken from the Randolph County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.

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, Randolph County on page 191.]
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Arkansas section begins on page 439.]

Civil War

 * Men from this county served in the 7th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate).
 * Men from this county served in Captain Ballard's Company, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * Men from Pocahantas, Randolph County served in Anderson's Unattached Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate) and Fagan's Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)
 * Men from this county served in the 45th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry.
 * Men from this county served in the 38th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate).
 * Men from this county served in the 31st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies A and B.

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 1836-1920 Randolph County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration bonds and letters 1852-1903; Chancery Court records 1858-1880; County Court records 1836-1861; Dockets 1868-1904; Guardian bonds 1858-1887 and 1891; Probate record index 1867-1920; Probate records 1837-1890; Wills 1836-1918.

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Marriage

 * 1836-1951 - Randolph County Marriage Books 1-42 Index 1836-1951 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1837-1947 - Arkansas County Marriage Books F-Z, A1-B1 Index 1882-1947 in at FamilySearch - free.

Genealogy Societies and Libraries
List of Arkansas Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies 111 W. Everett Pocahontas, AR 72455 (870) 892-5617 (Randolph County Library)

Riley-Hickingbotham Library Ouachita Baptist University OBU Box 3742 Arkadelphia, AR 71998 870/245-5119

Official depository for records of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. See the every-name index to association records through the year 1900 (PDF). The index can be downloaded for off-line research.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Societies
Randolph County Historical and Genealogical Society 111 W. EVERETT POCAHONTAS, AR 72455 (870) 892-5617 (Randolph County Library)