Conway County, Arkansas Genealogy

United States Arkansas  Conway County

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

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

Parent County

 * 1825--Conway County was created 20 October 1825 from Pulaski County. County seat: Morrilton

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
1899 Fire about 1899 destroyed and damaged some records. Lewisburg, situated on the Arkansas River, was subject to periodic floods, also resulting in some record loss.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



Neighboring Counties
Faulkner •  Perry  •  Pope  •  Van Buren  •  Yell

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.

African Americans

 * 1864-1872 an  at FamilySearch — Free, browse images. Labor contracts, amnesty oaths, and marriage certificates, letters

Biographies

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

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1826-1937 Conway County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian bonds and letters 1859-1904; Probate record index 1840-1873; Probate records 1837-1886; Wills 1826-1937.

Local Histories

 * Park, Hugh. Historical reminiscenses and biographical memoirs of Conway County, Arkansas. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976.
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Historical Reminiscences and Biographical Memoirs of Conway County, Arkansas. Little Rock, AR: Arkansas Historical Publishing, 1890. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Biographical and Historical Memoris of Conway County at Ancestry.com ($)

Maps

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

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.

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 1826-1937 Conway County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Administration and guardian bonds and letters 1859-1904; Probate record index 1840-1873; Probate records 1837-1886; Wills 1826-1937.

Vital Records
See also How to order Arkansas Vital Records

Marriage

 * 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.

Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * List of Arkansas Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Societies
Conway County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 865 Morrilton, Arkansas 72110 E-Mail: conwaycountygenealogy@yahoo.com

River Valley Genealogy Society Researchers interested in CONWAY, FAULKNER, PERRY, POPE, YELL AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES. Farm Bureau Building 201 E. Shady Lane Morrilton, Arkansas


 * Website has a list of researched Surnames and suggested links.