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Clark County, Arkansas Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Arkadelphia
Organized: December 15, 1818
Parent County(s): Arkansas [1]
Neighboring Counties
Dallas • Hot Spring • Montgomery • Nevada • Ouachita • Pike
See County Maps
Courthouse
ArkansasClarkCourthouse.jpg
Location Map
Ar-clark.png

Little Missouri River Bridge, Prescott in Clark County, AR

County Information

Description

Clark County was created on 01 June 1819[2] and was named after William Clark, then Governor of the Missouri Territory, which included present-day Arkansas.[3] Its county seat is Arkadelphia.[4] It is located in the southwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse

Clark County Courthouse
Courthouse Square
401 Clay Street
Arkadelphia, AR 71923
Phone: 870-246-4491
Clark County website

County Clerk has marriage records from 1821, land records from 1819, and probate records from 1800.
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.[5]

Clark County, Arkansas

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[6]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1914 1821 1914 1838 1819 1800 1830
*State birth and death records began in 1914. Limited compliance until the 1920s

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

  • 1818--Clark County was created 15 December 1818 from Arkansas County.
  • County seat: Arkadelphia[7]
  • Border with Pulaski changed 30 October 1823
  • Union County created in 1829
  • Hot Spring County created in 1829
  • Pike County created in 1833
  • Dallas County created in 1845
  • Border with Hot Spring and Dallas changed 3 April 1868
  • Part of Clark added to Pike 22 April 1873
  • Border with Montgomery changed 24 April 1873
  • Border with Pike changed 8 March 1877

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:[8]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
  • Adams
  • Alpine
  • Antoine
  • Anvil
  • Ashton (or Joslyn)
  • Atlee
  • Beech Creek
  • Beirne
  • Bradsha
  • Copeland Ridge
  • Curtis
  • Elm Point
  • Flanagans
  • Gravel Junction
  • Graysonia
  • Greenville
  • Gurdon Junction
  • Hardages
  • Hearn
  • Hebron
  • Keyton
  • Leard
  • Manchester
  • Midway
  • Mill Creek
  • Raymond
  • Reeves
  • Rome
  • Scotts
  • Shawmut
  • Sloan
  • Tate
  • Terre Noir
  • Tupelo Springs
  • Weaver
Census-designated places
  • Barringer
  • Bethel
  • Boswell
  • Burtsell
  • Central
  • Clear Spring
  • Daleville
  • De Gray
  • Dobyville
  • Fendley
  • Griffithtown
  • Halfway
  • Haretown
  • Hollywood
  • Joan
  • Kansas
  • Knoxville
  • Lenox
  • Love Creek
  • Majors
  • Meeks Settlement
  • Pike Junction
  • Red Springs
  • Richwoods
  • Shakertown
  • Smithton
  • Smyrna
  • Sycamore
  • Trace
  • Vaden
Townships
  • Caddo


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 Clark County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [9]

  • 1700s - Europeans continued to explore and occupy the area, but Indians had largely vacated.
  • 1803 - Permanent settlement by Americans occurred soon after the Louisiana Purchase.
  • 1818 - December 15, Clark County was founded as part of Missouri Territory.
  • 1860 - The county had become a thriving community of agriculture, commerce, and education.
  • 1932 - Clark County suffered along with the rest of Arkansas from the effects of the Great Depression.
  • 1939-1945 - World War II stimulated the development of small industry in the county.
  • 1930-1970 - The county lost 13.6 percent of its population.
  • 1980s - Clark County’s economy declined.

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Clark, Arkansas online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Arkansas Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1830 1,369 —
1840 2,309 68.7%
1850 4,070 76.3%
1860 9,735 139.2%
1870 11,953 22.8%
1880 15,771 31.9%
1890 20,997 33.1%
1900 21,289 1.4%
1910 23,686 11.3%
1920 25,632 8.2%
1930 24,932 −2.7%
1940 24,402 −2.1%
1950 22,998 −5.8%
1960 20,950 −8.9%
1970 21,537 2.8%
1980 23,326 8.3%
1990 21,437 −8.1%
2000 23,546 9.8%
2010 22,995 −2.3%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Federal Census reports for Clark County are available for 1830-1930 including Industry and Agriculture Schedules 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880; Slave Schedules for 1850 & 1860; and Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.

  • 1820 is missing
  • 1830 and 1840 - Check the Arkansas Census page for availability. Searchable index on Ancestry.
  • 1850 - 1920 Census- Searchable index on FamilySearch
  • 1890 Census substitution was compiled by William L. Newberry from the Tax Receipt Book for 1890.[10]

For more information about the using the census in Arkansas, please refer to the Arkansas Census page.

Church Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes- How to Use this Collection

Court Records

Clark County Court Clerk has court records beginning in 1838.

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Clark County Court Clerk has land records beginning in 1819. Remember that original land sales and grants were often with the US Government and are part of the General Land Office Records not the local county records.

Online Land Indexes and Records


Local Histories

Local histories are available for Clark County. They may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more about local histories, see Arkansas Local Histories.

Maps and Gazetteers

Montgomery CountyGarland CountyHot Spring CountyDallas CountyOuachita CountyNevada CountyHempstead CountyPike CountyAR CLARK.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

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." FS Catalog Collection 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Arkansas section begins on page 439.]

Civil War

Regiments. Men in Clark County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:

- 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company B
- 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)
- 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Companies E and F
- 6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate) , Company F
- 8th Battalion, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company A
- 33rd Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies E and H

Online Records

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Clark County:[12]

World War II

  • We were there : Clark countians in World War II. Editors, H.B. Arnold, Jr., Norma S. Arnold, Wendy Bradley Richter ; book committee, Azalee Tallant Duke ... et al. Arkadelphia, Arkansas : Clark County Historical Association (Arkansas), c1995. FS book 976.749 M2w.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

Finding More Arkansas Newspapers Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Clark newspapers in online catalogs like:


Obituaries

Other Records

Periodicals

  • "History of Clark County" by Laura Scott Butler. Publications of the Arkansas Historical Association - v. 2 (1908), p. 362-394. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Probate Records

Online Probate Indexes and Records


School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

Vital Records

Statewide registration of births and deaths began 1 February 1914, and have a limited availability through the Arkansas Vital Records Department of the Arkansas Health Department. The Arkansas Digital Archives has an alphabetical listing of deaths in Arkansas dating from 1812 through 2006, but they do not have the actual death records. They have shared this listing of deaths with Ancestry.com $ (Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950)

Clark County, Arkansas records compiled by Mrs. Frank Austin Gerig. Includes some vital, property, and probate records with index.) FS Library US/CAN Film 844407 Items 4-5

Birth

Birth Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒
 Y M
Name of Child Green check.png
Birth Date and Place Green check.png
Parent's Names Green check.png
Mother's Maiden Name Green check.png
Parent's Ages Green check.png
Father's Occupation Green check.png
Current Residence Green check.png
Name of Doctor or Midwife Green check.png

In 1877, a few county and city clerks[13] started keeping birth and death records.

In 1914, the state law required all county clerks to record births and forward them to the state.

ArrowGreen.svg.png

See also: • Arkansas Online Genealogy Records, • How to Find Arkansas Birth Records and • Arkansas Vital Records—Birth.

Marriage

Clark County Court Clerk has marriage records beginning in 1821. Many of these have been microfilmed and are available through the FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake, UT.

Death

Divorce

Voting Records

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Clark County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.

Riley-Hickingbotham Library
Ouachita Baptist University
410 Ouachita Street
Arkadelphia, AR 71998
Phone: 870-245-5000
Website
Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Clark County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.

Museums

Societies

Listed below are societies in Clark County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.

Clark County Historical Association and Museum
750 S 5th Street
P.O. Box 516
Arkadelphia, AR 71923
Phone: 870-230-1360
Email: info@clarkcountyarhistory.org
Website
Facebook

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  2. ↑ Arkansas: Individual County Chronologies, https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/AR_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clark County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_County,_Arkansas
  4. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  5. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  6. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Clark County, Arkansas. Page 67 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 65.
  7. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  8. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clark County, Arkansas" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_County,_Arkansas#Communities, accessed 31 August 2018.
  9. ↑ Norma S. Arnold, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=754&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent=+%3a+accessed+January+6%2c+2016)%2c : accessed January 11, 2016), “Clark County.”
  10. ↑ William L. Newberry, 1890 census of Clark County, Arkansas, (Arkadelphia, Arkansas: Clark County Historical Association, c1988)FS Library US/CAN Book 976.749 R48n
  11. ↑ Desmond Walls Allen, Third Arkansas Union Cavalry, (Conway, Arkansas : Arkansas Research, c1987), pp. 33-92 FS Catalog book 976.7 M28dc
  12. ↑ National Park Service, Civil War Battles. Filter by state or battle name.
  13. ↑ such as Sebastian County (Fort Smith) and Pulaski County (Little Rock) (No entry in FamilySearch Catalog found for Pulaski County nor for Little Rock, Aug 2014)
  14. ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/5/5c/Igiarkansasad.pdf.
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