Conway County, Arkansas Genealogy

Guide to Conway 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 Henry Wharton Conway, who was the territorial delegate to the U.S. Congress. It is located in the central of the state.

County Courthouse
Conway County Courthouse 117 South Moose Street; Morrilton, AR 72110 Phone 501.354.9621 Conway County Website County Clerk has marriage records from 1858 and probate records. The Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and land records.

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


 * 1803 - Up to about 1803 Conway County’s early settlers came by way of the Arkansas River and included trappers, traders, and fugitives.
 * 1803 The county was under French and Spanish rule before the Louisiana Purchase put it under American control.
 * 1825 October 20 - Conway County was created by the Arkansas General Assembly.
 * 1817-1828 - Tthe Western Cherokee occupied a reservation in Arkansas that included a great deal of Conway County.
 * 1828 - The Cherokee in Arkansas signed a treaty swapping this reservation for lands west of the territorial border.
 * 1872 - The Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad was completed through the county.
 * 1910 - The population of Conway County hit its peak.

Bible Records

 * Arkansas Bible Records at Arkansas Genealogy
 * Conway County Bible Records at Arkansas USGenWeb Project Archives

Biographies

 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Conway County at Ancestry.com ($)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1875-1899 - Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1842-1876 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1842-1961 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1849-1877 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1851-1952 (*); Recorder, Court of Common Pleas, and County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

African Americans

 * 1864-1872  at FamilySearch — Free, browse images. Labor contracts, amnesty oaths, and marriage certificates, letters.- How to Use this Collection

Funeral Homes

 * Bob Neal and Sons Funeral Home in Morrilton
 * Harris Funeral Home in Morrilton
 * Larry G. Acklin Funeral Homes in Morrilton
 * Vance-Wilson and Jarrett Funeral Directors in Morrilton

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1826-1937 Conway 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 bonds and letters 1859-1904; Probate record index 1840-1873; Probate records 1837-1886; Wills 1826-1937.

Local Histories

 * Historical Reminiscenses and Biographical Memoirs of Conway County, Arkansas. 1960. Ed. by Hugh Park. Van Buren, Arkansas : Press-Argus. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($); . Reprint. Originally published: Little Rock, Arkansas : Arkansas Historical Pub. Co., 1890. Title also known as: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Conway County, Arkansas.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

 * - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate), Company I
 * - 10th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 36th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies F and I

Men from this county served in the 1st Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Company I; 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), Companies A, B, C, D, G, H, K, and L; 31st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies C and G.

'''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
 * 1826-1937 (*); 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.

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 - Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1851 - 1952 - Conway County Marriage Books 1-3, A-Z, 27-37 Index 1851-1952 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1851 - 1923 - Conway County Marriage Books C-W Index 1851-1923 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 ($)
 * 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index and images ($)

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
 * Conway Arkansas Family History Center
 * Russellville Arkansas Family History Center


 * Central Arkansas Library System - Adolphine Fletcher Terry Library - an affiliate library
 * Central Arkansas Library System - Dee Brown Library - an affiliate library
 * Central Arkansas Library System - Hillary Rodham Clinton's Children Library and Learning Center - an affiliate library
 * Central Arkansas Library System - Max Milam Library - an affiliate library
 * Central Arkansas Library System - Sidney S. McMath Library - an affiliate library
 * Central Arkansas Library System - Sue Cowan Williams Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Conway County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 865 Morrilton, Arkansas 72110 E-mail: [mailto:conwaycountygenealogy@yahoo.com conwaycountygenealogy@yahoo.com] Website River Valley Genealogy Society Farm Bureau Building 201 E. Shady Lane Morrilton, Arkansas Telephone 501-208-4213 or 501-354-4428 E-mail:[mailto:rivervalleygenealogysociety@gmail.com rivervalleygenealogysociety@gmail.com] Website Covers: Conway, Faulkner, Perry, Pope, Yell and Van Buren counties.

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