Montgomery County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

Description
Montgomery County was created 1 July 1843 and was named for Richard Montgomery, Revolutionary War General. Its county seat is Mount Ida. It is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Montgomery County Courthouse 1 George Street Mount Ida, AR 71957 Phone: 870-887-3521 Montgomery County Website County Clerk has marriage, probate, land and court records from 1845. County Agent has burial 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 Montgomery County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.


 * 1803 - Montgomery County was included in land claimed by Spain and then France before becoming American property as part of the Louisiana Purchase.
 * 1812 - Kentuckians Martin and Mary Belle Collier were the first recorded white settlers.
 * 1842 December 9 - Montgomery County was organized out of Hot Spring County.
 * 1905 - With the Missouri Pacific Railroad’s arrival, Caddo Gap and Black Springs thrived.
 * 1937 - Mauldin was dismantled and carried off by rail. The lumber company, picking up its tracks as it left, had depleted the virgin timber; this, together with the Depression, had a devastating economic impact on the county.
 * 1910-2010 - Montgomery County population hit its high mark in 1910 (12,400) its low in 1960 (5,400) and now (2010) stands at 9,487.

Biographies

 * Biographies at My Genealogy Hound

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Court Records

 * 1845-1880 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1845-1883 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1973 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Funeral Homes

 * Thornton Funeral Home in Mount Ida

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1845-1954 Montgomery County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images) - How to Use this Collection
 * Includes Guardian bonds 1858-1909; Letters of administration 1859-1912; Probate records 1845-1903; Wills 1863-1954.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Chicago: Southern Publishing Co., 1891. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive. Montgomery County, Ch XXI, pp. 466-497.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Family Maps of Montgomery County, Arkansas Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Arkansas State Archives State Maps Collection at Arkansas Digital Archives

Civil War

 * - 4th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 33rd Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company I

'''Online Records


 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890-1963 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
 * 1817-1979 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1845-1954 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1845-1923 Montgomery County Marriage Books 1, A-G Index 1845-1923 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1851-1958 Montgomery County Marriage Books 1, A-M Index 1851-1958 in  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)

Death

 * 1914-1969 Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
 * 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)

Divorce

 * 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)

Voter Records
Arkansas, County Voter Registration Records - FamilySearch Historical Record|How to Use this Collection]]
 * 1700-Onward Arkansas Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images - [[

FamilySearch Centers

 * Hot Springs Arkansas FamilySearch Center

Websites

 * ARGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Linkpendium
 * Cyndi's List
 * - 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