St. Francis County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

Description
St. Francis County was named for St. Francis River. It is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Saint Francis County Courthouse 313 S Izard Street Forrest City, AR 72335-3856 Phone: 870-261-1715 Saint Francis County Website County Clerk has marriage records from 1875, probate records from 1910 and tax records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court 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 St. Francis County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.

Biographies

 * All of the family biographies from St. Francis County, Arkansas included in The Biographical and Historical Memoirs of St. Francis County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890 are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.

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

Court Records

 * 1860-1930 (*); Chancery and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1872-1880 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

African Americans

 * 1867-1868 — ''Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Madison at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Register of contracts, narative reports, letters

Funeral Homes

 * Clay Funeral Home, Inc in Forest City
 * Miles J. Kimble Mortuary and Cremation in Forest City
 * Morgan Funeral Home in Forest City
 * Stevens Funeral Home in Forest City

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1862-1949 St. Frances County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images) - How to Use this Collection
 * Includes Administration and guardian settlements 1865-1899; Administration bonds 1862-1892; Appraisements 1881-1944; Claims against estates 1865-1905; Executor bonds 1876-1949; Guardian bonds and letters 1887-1908; Probate records 1865-1886; Wills 1865-1931.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas. Chicago, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1890. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive;.
 * History of St. Francis County, Arkansas. By Robert W. Chowning. Forrest City, Arkansas : Times-Herald Pub. Co., 1954. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * Map of 1889 St. Francis County, Arkansas (My Genealogy Hound)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Veterans of St. Francis County

Civil War

 * - 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company G

'''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 ($)
 * Early Newspapers
 * Newspapers

Obituaries

 * 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.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1817-1979 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1862-1949 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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 $
 * 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1875-1923 St. Francis County Marriage Books D-N Index 1875-1923 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1875-1951 St. Francis County Marriage Books D-X Index 1875-1951 in  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Death

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

Divorce

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

Voter Records

 * 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Societies
St. Francis County Historical Society Email: [mailto:sfchistoricalsociety@gmail.com sfchistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Facebook

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