Baxter County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Elisha Baxter, the tenth governor of Arkansas. The County Seat is Mountain Home and was founded March 24, 1873. It is located in the northern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Baxter County Courthouse Courthouse Square 1 E 7th Street Mountain Home, AR 72653 Phone: 870.425.3475 Baxter County Website County Clerk has marriage, divorce, land and court 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 Baxter County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.


 * 1808 - The Osage relinquished their claims to this area to the United States.
 * Most of the pioneers moving into the area before the Civil War were from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
 * 1819 - The county’s earliest recorded town was Big Clarkridge.
 * Baxter was not yet a county during the Civil War
 * 1873 - March 24 - Governor Baxter formed Baxter County.

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1873-1949 Baxter County portion of the collection:
 * Includes Accounts 1874-1889; Administration records 1873-1944; Guardian records 1890-1949; Wills 1873-1931.

Local Histories

 * Cothren, Zac. "Baxter County Courthouse," Baxter County history - v. 31-32 (2005-2006) - v. 31, no. 2 (Apr./June 2005).
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Fleming, Louise. "The good old days in Baxter County," Baxter County history - v. 31-32 (2005-2006) - v. 31, no. 4 (Oct./Dec. 2005).
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Messick, Mary Ann. History of Baxter County, 1873-1973. Mountain Home, Arkansas:Montain Home Chamber of Commerce, c1973.
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Andrewson, Jane Messick. "Post offices in Baxter County," Baxter County history - v. 31-32 (2005-2006) - v. 31, no. 2 (Apr./June 2005).
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)
 * Acklin, Emmit Dolan. "Slaves &amp; free blacks in this area 1819-1900" Baxter County history - v. 31-32 (2005-2006) - v. 32, no. 2 (Apr./June 2006).
 * Online at FamilySearch Catalog (Free)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1890-1963 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1891-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1901-1929 - at FamilySearch — images only

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 1873-1949 Baxter County portion of the collection:
 * Includes Accounts 1874-1889; Administration records 1873-1944; Guardian records 1890-1949; Wills 1873-1931.
 * 1837-1931 - Baxter County Arkansas list of will book testators SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills. - free

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 - Arkansas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1837 - 1957 — at FamilySearch Historical Records — Free; Index
 * 1873 - 1921 - Baxter County Marriage Index 1873-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1860 - 1976 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1873 - 1921 - Baxter County Marriage Index 1873-1921 in at FamilySearch - free.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Mountain Home Arkansas Family History Center100 Western Hills DR., Mountain Home, AR 72653 United States

Societies
Baxter County Historical and Genealogical Society Baxter County Heritage Center 808 South Baker Street Mountain Home, AR Telephone: 870.425.2551 Website
 * Their website links to: Sheriffs Biographies; Archival Program, which includes County, Township, and Local Government Records, School Records, Birth, Marriage and Death Records and much more.

Websites

 * USGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * resources at RootsWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * CyndisList (no link for Baxter County). Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * - 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