Benton County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
This county was named for Samuel Benton. Benton County is located in the north central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Benton County Courthouse Main St PO Box 218 Ashland, MS 38603-0000 Phone: 662-224-6300 Benton County Website Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate and land records from 1871.

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:

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at Benton County Historical Society, Archive Records

Census Records
Federal Census
 * 1660-1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry$
 * 1792-1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry$
 * 1805-1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry$
 * 1850  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1850 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1860 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places


 * 1910-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans 
 * 1863-1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * The Freedmen's Bureau Marriage Records at Mississippi Department of Archives and History - index and transcription

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Deed records, 1870-1887; index to deeds, 1870-1892
 * Benton County, Mississippi Land Patents Database, Surnames A-L USGenWeb Archvies
 * Benton County, Mississippi Land Patents Database, Surnames M-Z USGenWeb Archives

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Maps of Mississippi (1643-1947)

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1775-1941 Military grave registrations - Benton County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Mexican-American War 
 * 1846-1848  How to Use this Collection;  at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry free index
 * 1889-1942  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1900-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1936-1939 Civil war records a Memorial list of those that served in the Civil War -  Benton County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

World War I 
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * World War I Registrants, Birth Information, Benton County, Mississippi, USGenWeb Archives

World War II 
 * World War II Enlistees, Surnames Adair - Kyle USGenWeb Archives
 * World War II Enlistees, Surnames Lakey - Young USGenWeb Archives

Other Records
 State Archives
 * 1820-1951   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images - incomplete - Topics covered: Ex Slave Narratives, list of military veterans,  Military grave registrations, Naturalizations and some Land records.

VOTER List
 * 1871-1967  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1780-1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1781-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1871-1972 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

School Records

 * 1850-1892; 1908-1957   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and 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

Tax Records

 * 1870-1896 County tax rolls - Benton County Collection images only

Marriage

 * 1776-1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry$
 * 1800-1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry$
 * 1800-1911  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1826-1850 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry$
 * 1826-1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry$
 * 1858-1979 at FamilySearch for various counties - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1870-1881 Benton County Marriage Books 1 and 2 Index 1870-1881. Batch  at FamilySearch
 * 1870-1922 Marriage records, 1870-1922 at FamilySearch
 * 1881-1898 Benton County Marriage Books 3 and 4 Index 1881-1898. Batches  and  at FamilySearch

Death

 * 1822-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1912-1943 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1912-1943 Reclaim the Records: Mississippi Death Index at Archive.org - images of index

FamilySearch Centers

 * Booneville Mississippi FamilySearch Center
 * Florence Alabama FamilySearch Center
 * Oxford Mississippi FamilySearch Center


 * Florence-Lauderdale Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Benton County Library 247 Court St PO Box 216 Ashland, MS 38603-0216 662-224-6400 Fax 662-224-6304 Email: [mailto:benton.co.library@gmail.com benton.co.library@gmail.com] Website Facebook Hickory Flat Public Library 1067 Spruce St Hickory Flat, MS 38633 662-333-7663 Website Facebook

Societies
Ashland-Benton County Historic Preservation Commission and Historical Society PO Box 733 Ashland, MS 38603 662-224-9100 E-mail: [mailto:bentonhistoricalsocietymuseum@gmail.com bentonhistoricalsocietymuseum@gmail.com] Facebook Benton County Historical and Genealogical Society PO Box 683 Ashland, MS 38603-0683 662-556-8996

Websites

 * Benton County Mississippi Genealogy & History Network
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Benton County, MSGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * – 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.