Clay County, Arkansas Genealogy
(Redirected from Clay County, Arkansas)
Guide to Clay County, Arkansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Clay County (originally named Clayton) was created on 24 March 1873[2] and was named after John M. Clayton, then a member of the Arkansas Senate and a brother of then-U.S. Senator Powell Clayton, though some sources suggest it may have been named for Powell Clayton instead.[3] Its county seat is Piggott.[4] It is located in the northeastern area of the state.
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Clay County Courthouse
PO Box 306
Piggott, AR 72454
Phone: 870-598-2813
Clay County website
Clerk Circuit Court has land, divorce and court records from 1893.
County Clerk has marriage and probate records from 1893.[5]
Clay County, Arkansas[edit | edit source]
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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914 | 1893 | 1914 | 1893 | 1893 | 1893 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
|
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
|
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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 | ||
| Townships | ||
|
|
|
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were taken from the Clay County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [9]
- 1800s - early, European settlement in the Clay County area began with Pierre LeMieux, a Frenchman who settled east of the Black River.
- 1800s - Veterans of the War of 1812 who were given land grants in Arkansas began to settle in the area.
- 1849-1850 - Congress passed the Swamp Land Acts of 1849 and 1850. Public swampland was transferred to Arkansas, and then the land was sold cheaply.
- 1873 - March 24, During Reconstruction, Clayton County was created by the Arkansas legislature taking portions of Greene and Randolph counties.
- 1875 - Arkansas General Assembly of 1875 changed the name of Clayton County to Clay County.
- 1883 - Railroads did more than provide a new avenue for export and import of raw and finished products. They also brought more settlers into the area.
- 1900s - At the start of the twentieth century, the timber industry reached its zenith.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographies at My Genealogy Hound
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1880 | 7,213 | — |
| 1890 | 12,200 | 69.1% |
| 1900 | 15,886 | 30.2% |
| 1910 | 23,690 | 49.1% |
| 1920 | 27,276 | 15.1% |
| 1930 | 27,278 | 0.0% |
| 1940 | 28,386 | 4.1% |
| 1950 | 26,674 | −6.0% |
| 1960 | 21,258 | −20.3% |
| 1970 | 18,771 | −11.7% |
| 1980 | 20,616 | 9.8% |
| 1990 | 18,107 | −12.2% |
| 2000 | 17,609 | −2.8% |
| 2010 | 16,083 | −8.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1875-1899 Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index- How to Use this Collection
- Hopewell Baptist Church, near Reyno
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1871-1908 Court Records, 1871-1908(*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1881-1889 Court Records, 1881-1889(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1885-1888 Court Records, 1885-1888(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1893-1962 Chancery Books 1897-1957; Index, 1893-1962(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1893-1962 Court Records, 1893-1962(*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Various Court Records of Clay County at ArGenWeb.net
(Western District)
Clay County Clerk's Office
Western District
800 W 2nd St
Corning AR 72422
870-857-3480
(Eastern District)
Office of the County Clerk
PO Box 306
Piggott AR 72454-0306
870-598-2813
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Ermert Funeral Home in Corning
- Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home in Piggott
- Irby-Mitchell Funeral Homes and Piggot Mortuary in Piggot and Rector
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
- Probate Records 1881-1955 Clay County portion of the collection: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)- How to Use this Collection
- Includes Administration bonds and letters 1881-1955; Guardian bonds and letters 1893-1938; Inventories and appraisements 1881-1919; Minutes 1881-1918; Probate records 1893-1906; Sale bills 1881-1920; Wills 1884-1944.
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Clay County. They may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more about local histories, see Arkansas Local Histories.
- Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat). Clay County history begins page 189 in Vol. 1.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
- Township Maps
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
- 1861-1865 Arkansas Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index- How to Use this Collection
- 1890-1963 Arkansas Confederate Soldier Home,1890-1963 at FamilySearch — index & images- How to Use this Collection
- 1891-1939 Arkansas Ex-Confederate Pension Records, 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index & images- How to Use this Collection
- 1901-1929 Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — index & images- How to Use this Collection
Civil War Battle
The following Civil War Battle was fought in Clay County:[10]
- May 1-2, 1863 - Chalk Bluff.
- Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-Current Arkansas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Finding More Arkansas Newspapers Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Clay newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Clay County, Arkansas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see, FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
- Fayetteville Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Fayetteville Daily Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Daily Fayetteville Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Northwest Arkansas Times at Ancestry.com ($)
- Courier Times at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Clay County Newspapers
- Various Excerpts from the Clay County Courier
- Various Obituaries of Clay County Residents
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- Arkansas State Penitentiary Records, Clay County Residents
- Clay County Home
- Elected Officials who have served Clay County
- Pauper Deaths in Clay County
- Piggott Mayors
- Road System in Northeastern Arkansas
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1783–1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1817-1979 Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1881-1930 Court Records, 1881-1930(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1881-1955 Administrators and Guardians Bonds and Letters, 1881-1955(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1884-1944 Wills, 1884-1944(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1893-1918 Administrators and Guardians Bonds and Letters, 1893-1918(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1893-1919 Court Records, 1893-1919(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1893-1939 Wills, 1893-1939(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Birth[edit | edit source]
| Y | M | |
| Name of Child | 
|
|
| Birth Date and Place |
|
|
| Parent's Names |
|
|
| Mother's Maiden Name |
| |
| Parent's Ages |
|
|
| Father's Occupation |
|
|
| Current Residence |
|
|
| Name of Doctor or Midwife |
|
|
In 1877, a few county and city clerks[11] started keeping birth and death records.
In 1914, the state law required all county clerks to record births and forward them to the state.
- Arkansas Births and Christenings, 1812-1965 at FamilySearch. (Free, index only)
- Small file, but worth searching. Most entries were user-submitted.
See also: • Arkansas Online Genealogy Records, • How to Find Arkansas Birth Records and • Arkansas Vital Records—Birth.
- 1947 - 1958 - Clay County Birth Index 1947-1958. Batch C734491 at FamilySearch - free.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1800-Onward Arkansas Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1860-1976 Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index & images- How to Use this Collection
- 1881-1923 Clay County Marriage Books A-I, 1-11 Index 1881-1923 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[12]
- 1893-1950 Clay County Marriage Books 1-57, A-U Index 1893-1950 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1812-Onward Arkansas Deaths at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1914-1969 Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
- 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
- 1947-1958 Clay County Death Index 1947-1958. Batch B734489 at FamilySearch - free.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
Voting Records[edit | edit source]
- 1700-Onward Arkansas Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1868-1910 Arkansas, County Voter Registration Records, 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index & images- How to Use this Collection
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Clay County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
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
- Blytheville Arkansas FamilySearch Center
- Poplar Bluff Missouri FamilySearch Center
- Dunklin County Library - an affiliate library
- Greene County Historical & Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Clay County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Corning Public Library
613 Pine Street
Corning, AR 72422
Phone: 870-857-3453
Email: corning@mylibrarynow.org
Website
Facebook
Piggott Public Library
361 W Main
Piggott, AR 72454
Phone: 870-598-3666
Email: piggott@mylibrarynow.org
Website
Facebook
Rector Public Library
121 W 4th Street
Rector, AR 72461
Phone: 870-595-2410
Email: rector@mylibrarynow.org
Website
Facebook
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Clay County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Clay County Genealogical and Historical Society
361 W Main St
Piggott, AR 72454
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- ARGenWeb
- USGenWeb Archives
- Linkpendium
- Cyndi's List
- FamilySearch Catalog - 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
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Arkansas: Individual County Chronologies, https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/AR_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clay County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_County,_Arkansas
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Clay 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.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clay County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, URL,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_County,_Arkansas accessed 2 September 2018.
- ↑ Tracy L. Johnson, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=755&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent=+%3a+accessed+January+6%2c+2016)%2c : accessed January 11, 2016), “Clay County.”
- ↑ National Park Service, Civil War Battles. Filter by state or battle name.
- ↑ 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)
- ↑ 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.