Hot Spring County, Arkansas Genealogy
Guide to Hot Spring County, Arkansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Hot Spring County was created on 02 November 1829[2] and was named for the hot springs at Hot Springs, Arkansas, which were within its boundaries until Garland County was formed in 1873.[3] Its county seat is Malvern.[4] It is located in the southwestern area of the state.[5]
County Courthouse
Hot Spring County Courthouse
210 Locust Street
Malvern, AR 72104
Phone: 501-332-2291
Hot Spring County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1825 and probate records from 1834.
Clerk Circuit Court has court and divorce records.[6]
Hot Spring 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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914 | 1825 | 1914 | 1843 | 1831 | 1834 | 1830 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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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:[9]
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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 Hot Spring County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [10]
- 1818 - The Quapaw tribe ceded control of the lands surrounding the forty-three hot springs to the United States.
- 1829 November 2 - Hot Spring County was established by an act of the territorial legislature with land taken from Clark County.
- 1865 (and after) - Hot Springs thrived after the Civil War, unlike many other Arkansas towns.
- 1850s-1870s - River transportation was becoming less important as the railroad moved west.
- 1879 October 15 - The popularity of river travel yielded to the efficiency of rail, and fast-growing Malvern officially replaced neighboring Rockport as the county seat.
- 1945 - World War II brought an unprecedented demand for the barite found in Hot Spring County—the solid deposits of barite were useful in oil-well drilling. Following the war, various industries were established in the county.
Additional Information
- The county was named for the hot springs at Hot Springs, located within the county.
- The county is a "dry county", no alcohol allowed.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Biographies at My Genealogy Hound
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 458 | — |
| 1840 | 1,907 | 316.4% |
| 1850 | 3,609 | 89.3% |
| 1860 | 5,635 | 56.1% |
| 1870 | 5,877 | 4.3% |
| 1880 | 7,775 | 32.3% |
| 1890 | 11,603 | 49.2% |
| 1900 | 12,748 | 9.9% |
| 1910 | 15,022 | 17.8% |
| 1920 | 17,784 | 18.4% |
| 1930 | 18,105 | 1.8% |
| 1940 | 18,916 | 4.5% |
| 1950 | 22,181 | 17.3% |
| 1960 | 21,893 | −1.3% |
| 1970 | 21,963 | 0.3% |
| 1980 | 26,819 | 22.1% |
| 1990 | 26,115 | −2.6% |
| 2000 | 30,353 | 16.2% |
| 2010 | 32,923 | 8.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places
- 1875-1899 Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Court Records
- 1847-1953 Circuit Court Records, 1847-1953; Index ca. 1847-1918(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1862-1880 County Court Record, v. E-F, 1862-1880(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Atkinson Funeral Home in Malvern
- Brandon's Mortuary, Inc in Malvern
- J.A. Funk Funeral Home in Malvern
- Regency Funeral Home in Malvern
- Samuel L. Vance and Sons Funeral Directors in Malvern
Genealogies
Guardianship
- Probate Records 1834-1945 Hot Spring 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 and guardian bonds 1866-1869; Administration, executor and guardian records 1858-1945; Guardian bonds and letters 1834-1850; Letters of administration 1862-1871; Probate record index 1883-1887; Probate records 1839-1895; Wills 1879-1930
Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Hot Spring 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 the Central Counties of Arkansas. Chicago; St. Louis: Goodspeed Pub. Co., 1889. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). Hot Spring County is in Ch. XVIII, pp. 319-360.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Arkansas State Archives State Maps Collection at Arkansas Digital Archives
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
Regiments. Men in Hot Spring County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 3rd Consolidated Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate), Company F
- - 19th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Dockery's) (Confederate),
- - 20th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company D
Men from this county served in the 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union)[11] and the 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate).[12]
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Arkansas Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1890-1963 Arkansas Confederate Soldier Home,1890-1963 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1891-1939 Arkansas Ex-Confederate Pension Records, 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1901-1929 Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Arkansas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Finding More Arkansas Newspapers Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Hot+Springs newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Hot Spring County, Arkansas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see, FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
- Fayetteville Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Fayetteville Daily Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Daily Fayetteville Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- Northwest Arkansas Times at Ancestry.com ($)
- Courier Times at Ancestry.com ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1817-1979 Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1834-1930 Probate Records, 1834-1930(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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
Vital Records
Birth
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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.
- 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.
Marriage
- 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1800-Onward Arkansas Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1825-1947 Hot Spring County Marriage Books A-J, 4-6 Index 1825-1947 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[14]
- 1825-1951 Hot Spring County Marriage Books 1-6, A-W Index 1825-1951 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1860-1976 Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
Death
- 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 ($)
Divorce
- 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
Voting Records
- 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
Archives
Listed below are archives in Hot Spring County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
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 Hot Spring County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Hot Spring County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Hot Spring County, Arkansas Historical Society
118 W 2nd St
P.O. Box 674
Malvern, AR 72104
Phone: 501-229-1600
Email: hschistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Websites
- 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
References
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Individual County Chronologies, https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/AR_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Hot Spring County, Arkansas Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ark/hotspring/
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hot Spring County, Arkansas," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hot_Spring_County,_Arkansas&oldid=1168059341 (accessed August 26, 2023).
- ↑ 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), Hot Spring County, Arkansas. Page 68 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), 66.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hot Spring County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Spring_County,_Arkansas, accessed 15 September 2018.
- ↑ Jennifer Atkins-Gordeeva, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=774&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent= : accessed January 13, 2016), “Hot Spring County.”
- ↑ Desmond Walls Allen, Third Arkansas Union Cavalry, (Conway, Arkansas: Arkansas Research, c1987), pp. 33-92. FS Catalog book 976.7 M28dc
- ↑ Calvin L. Collier, They'll do to Tie To: the story of the Third Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, C.S.A.,(Little Rock, Arkansas: Civil War Round Table Associates, 1959) p. 10. FS Catalog book 976.7 M2c
- ↑ 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/0/0d/Igiarkansasem.pdf.