Jackson County, Arkansas Genealogy

Guide to Jackson 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 President Andrew Jackson. The County Seat is Newport and was founded November 5, 1829. It is located in the north of the state.

County Courthouse
Jackson County Courthouse 208 Main Street Newport, AR 72112 Phone: 870.523.7420 Jackson County Website 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.

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 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.

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

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 and Gazetteers

 * 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
 * 1890-1963 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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.

Tax Records
'''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.

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 - Arkansas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 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 Family History Centers

Websites

 * [www.argenweb.net/jackson/ 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
 * 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