Prairie County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas  Prairie County

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

County Courthouse
Prairie County Courthouse PO Box 278; Des Arc, AR 72040-0278 Phone: 870.256.3741

County Clerk in Devalls, Bluff, Arkansas has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1885, naturalization records 1907-1912 and military discharge records from 1917

Parent County

 * 1846--Prairie County was created 25 November 1846 from Pulaski and Monroe Counties. County seat: Des Arc
 * History of Prairie County Marilyn Sickel Prairie Co. ARGenweb

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
1854  A fire at Brownsville on September 16, 1854 destroyed records.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Neighboring Counties
Arkansas • Lonoke • Monroe • 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 Prairie County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.

African Americans

 * 1865-1868 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Devall's Bluff at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Labor contracts, persons hired, letters

Cemeteries

 * Index to Prairie County Burials this also has links to cemetery histories and listing.

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1851-1951 Prairie County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and executor bonds and letters 1851-1866; Administration and executor dockets 1852-1895; Administration and executor settlements 1854-1867; Administration and guardian bonds and letters 1885-1951; Administration bonds 1865-1894; Administration, executor and guardian dockets 1885-1925; Executors bonds and letters 1886-1949; Guardian bonds 1866-1894; Guardian dockets 1853-1896; Letters of administration 1866-1894; Letters of guardianship 1866-1891; Letters of testamentary 1865-1933; Probate records 1854-1907; Wills 1852-1932.

Land and Property

 * Federal Land Records in Prairie County ARGenweb

Maps

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Map of Prairie County - 1895 Prairie Co.ARGenweb

Civil War

 * - Louis' Company, Arkansas Militia (Confederate),
 * - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Company B


 * - 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Company C
 * - 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Volunteers (Confederate), Company B
 * - 6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate), Companies AandE
 * - 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company C
 * - 36th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company C


 * Confederate Patriots' Index Marilyn Sickel Prairie Co. ARGenweb
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

Newspapers

 * Batesville Guard

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 1851-1951 Prairie County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and executor bonds and letters 1851-1866; Administration and executor dockets 1852-1895; Administration and executor settlements 1854-1867; Administration and guardian bonds and letters 1885-1951; Administration bonds 1865-1894; Administration, executor and guardian dockets 1885-1925; Executors bonds and letters 1886-1949; Guardian bonds 1866-1894; Guardian dockets 1853-1896; Letters of administration 1866-1894; Letters of guardianship 1866-1891; Letters of testamentary 1865-1933; Probate records 1854-1907; Wills 1852-1932.


 * Wills and Probate Prairie County ARGenweb

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Marriage

 * 1854-1962 - Prairie County Marriage Books A-O Index 1854-1962 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1854-1924 - Prairie County Marriage Books A-K Index 1854-1924 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * Marriages  ARGenweb

Death

 * Index to Prairie County Death Certificates beginning Feb 1, 1914 to 1947 - Marilyn Sickel Prairie County ARGenweb

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * List of Arkansas Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
 * Independence County Historical Society
 * White River Regional Library
 * Lyon College
 * UACCB
 * Old Independence Regional Museum

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers