Dallas County, Arkansas Genealogy

Guide to Dallas 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 Vice President George M. Dallas. The County Seat is Fordyce and was founded January 1, 1845. It is located in the south central of the state.

County Courthouse
Dallas County Courthouse 206 W 3rd Street Fordyce, AR 71742 Phone: 870.352.7179 Dallas County Website County Clerk has marriage records from 1855, land records from 1845, probate, divorce 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 Dallas County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.


 * 1812 - White settlement of the Ouachita River valley had begun.
 * 1840 - Very little settlement was in the area now known as Dallas County, but even those settlers were mostly farmers and their slaves.
 * 1845 January 1 - Dallas County was created from parts of Bradley and Clark counties.
 * 1860-1865 - About a third of the population left the area for Texas and Louisiana to avoid the fighting during the war. Many never returned.
 * 1881 - The construction of four major railroads began in Dallas County.
 * 1930-2010 - The population of Dallas County peaked in 1930 with more than 14,500 people. In 2010 the population had dropped to just over 8,000.

African Americans

 * 1866-1874 - Dallas County Colored Marriage Book A Index 1866-1874 in at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1866-1868 — Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Princeton at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only; Contracts and monthly statements of property,

Local Histories
Dallas County argenweb.net has many local and online resources including transcriptions of all the Goodspeed Biographies.

The site also has a list of towns and communities with short descriptions.


 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing, 1890. Online at:Ancestry.com ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)

Revolutionary War

 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Arkansas section begins on page 439.]

Civil War

 * - 2nd Battalion, Arkansas Calvalry (Confederate), Company C
 * - 3rd Consolidated Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate),
 * - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate), Company A
 * - 6th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate),
 * - 12th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate),
 * - 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company B
 * - 26th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company F
 * - 33rd Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company C


 * Men from this county served in the 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), Company F; and the 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate).

'''Online Records


 * 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

Newspapers
U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present from "Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers" by the Library of Congress; results of search for Dallas County, Arkansas

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 1843-1921 Dallas County portion of the collection: : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * Includes Appraisements 1845-1890; Probate records 1845-1896; Wills 1843-1921.

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 - Arkansas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1838 - 1924 - Dallas County Marriage Books A-N Index 1838-1924 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1845 - 1954 - Dallas County Marriage Books A-X and Loose Marriage Records Index 1845-1954 in at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1846 - present - Marriage Records, 1846-present (available online).
 * 1860 - 1976 - at FamilySearch — index and images

All others are available from the Dallas County Courthouse.

Death

 * 1918 - 1922 - Dallas County Death Index 1918-1922. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Libraries

 * Dallas County Library; Main Branch : Online Catalog 501 East 4th Street, Fordyce, AR 71742-0584 (870)352-5600, (870) 352-3598 Fax.
 * Dallas County Library; Fohrell Public Library : 186 Dallas 208, Sparkman, AR 71763-8720 (870) 352-2592, (870) 352-3598 Fax.

Websites

 * ARGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * 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 ($)
 * CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * - 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