St. Francis County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas St. Francis County

County Courthouse
Saint Francis County Courthouse 313 S Izard Street Forrest City, AR 72335-3856 Phone: 870-261-1715

County Clerk has marriage records from 1875, probate records from 1910 and tax records; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records

History
When St. Francis County was formed in 1827 the county seat was temporariliy located in the home of William Strong, a prominant citizen, until it could be moved to the new town of Franklin. It remained in Franklin until 1840 when it was moved to Madison. In 1855 it was moved to Mt. Vernon. In 1856 the courthouse burned and the county seat was moved back to Madison until 1874 when a vote was taken to move once again to the rapidly expanding Forrest City that began as a railroad construction camp for Nathan Bedford Forrest.

After the original frame courthouse in Forrest City burned in 1874 a brick building was constructed that was used until the current building was built. Many of the earlier record books in the current courthouse are laminated derivitives and a number of originals are stored at the St. Francis County Museum, 603 Front Street, Forrest City, Arkansas.

Pioneer Times

 * Pioneer Time in St.Francis County Arkansas
 * Early Families
 * Early Newspapers

Parent County

 * 1827--St. Francis was created 13 October 1827 from Phillips County. County seat: Forrest City

Boundary Changes

 * ST.Francis County History

Record Loss
The county records have been burned three times. The first time was in Mt. Vernon in 1856. During the War Between the States the records were moved to a frame home in the woods. The woods caught fire and the home and records burned. After the records were moved from the brick courthouse in Madison in 1874 to a frame building in Forrest City, they were burned again, ostensibly by someone trying to destroy criminal evidence.

Some deeds have been reconstructed back to the 1860's, but most county records begin in 1873 or 1874.

Populated Places

 * Historical Sites

Neighboring Counties

 * Crittenden
 * Cross
 * Lee
 * Monroe
 * Woodruff

Cemeteries

 * List of Cemeteries

Military

 * Veterans of St. Francis County

Newspapers

 * Newspapers

Vital Records

 * St. Francis County, Arkansas Obituary Collection From GenealogyBuff.com ~ Free. From Various Funeral Homes in Forrest City, Hughes, Madison, Palestine, Wheatley, Widener, Caldwell, and Colt.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * St. Francis County, Arkansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * St. Francis County, Arkansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)