Jackson County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas  Jackson County

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

County Courthouse
Jackson County Courthouse 208 Main Street Newport, AR 7212 Phone: 870.523.7420 County Clerk has marriage records from 1843 and probate records from 1845; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records from 1845 and land records.

History


The county is named after President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845).

Parent County

 * 1829--Jackson County was created 5 November 1829 from Independence County. County seat: Newport

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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Neighboring Counties
Craighead • Cross • Independence • Lawrence • Poinsett • White • 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 Jackson County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.


 * 1760-1800 - French and Spanish trappers hunted in what would become Jackson County.
 * 1822 - Early explorer Obediah Cartwright and his Indian guide, Leauteau, explored what would later be known as Jack’s Creek at the future town of Jacksonport.
 * 1829 November 5 - Jackson County was created.
 * 1829 - Because no towns existed in Jackson County, the first county seat was at the house of early pioneer Thomas Wideman, the house being about centrally located in the county.
 * 1930-2010 - The population of Jackson County hit its high mark in 1930 (27,900) and has gone down to a present (2010) count of 17,900.

African Americans

 * 1865-1867 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Jacksonport (Upper White River District) at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Letters, Register of Contracts
 * 1865-1868 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Jacksonport at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Register of contracts and a register of marriages, letters

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1830-1945 Jackson County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian dockets 1879-1887; Administration bonds 1846-1861; Administration bonds and letters 1858-1913; County Court records 1830-1843 and 1858-1862; Dockets 1850-1882; Executor records 1863-1945; Guardian bonds and letters 1885-1898 and 1920; Probate case files 1835-1890; Probate records 1836-1886; Wills 1845-1928.

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, Jackson County on page 191.]

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company G
 * - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)
 * - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Company D
 * - 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Volunteers (Confederate), Company A
 * - 7th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 31st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies A, B and H
 * - 45th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)
 * - Ford's Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate), Company C


 * - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), Companies G and I

Online Records


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1891-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1901-1929 - at FamilySearch — images only

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 1830-1945 Jackson County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian dockets 1879-1887; Administration bonds 1846-1861; Administration bonds and letters 1858-1913; County Court records 1830-1843 and 1858-1862; Dockets 1850-1882; Executor records 1863-1945; Guardian bonds and letters 1885-1898 and 1920; Probate case files 1835-1890; Probate records 1836-1886; Wills 1845-1928.

Taxation
Online Tax Records


 * 1865-1874 US IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry.com - $, indexes and images, incomplete for all counties and years for Arkansas

Tax Records on Microfilm


 * 1830-1855 - microfilm available to order at your local Family History Center.

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Marriage

 * 1846 - 1923 - Jackson County Marriage Index 1846-1923 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1860 - 1976 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1923 - 1951 - Jackson County Marriage Books K-Q Index 1923-1951 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * Jackson County Clerk website - complete Marriage Index database available for download as an Access or Excel file.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers