Johnson County, Arkansas Genealogy
(Redirected from Johnson County, Arkansas)
Guide to Johnson County, Arkansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Johnson County was created on 25 December 1833[2] and was named for Benjamin Johnson, who was appointed one of the territorial judges in 1820 and held the office until the state was admitted in 1836.[3] Its county seat is Clarksville.[4] It is located in the northwestern area of the state.[5]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Johnson County Courthouse
215 W Main Street
P.O. Box 57
Clarksville, AR 72830
Phone: 501-754-3967
Johnson County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1855 and probate records from 1844.
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.
Extension office has burial records.[6]
Johnson 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 | 1855 | 1914 | 1841 | 1836 | 1844 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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:[9]
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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 Johnson County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [10]
- 1700-1730s - .Early white settlers started arriving , first by keel boat and later by steamboat; many were likely illegal squatters, who were a constant source of annoyance and complaint to the Cherokee.
- 1833 November 16 - Johnson County was created.
- 1920-2010 - The population of Johnson County hit a peak of just over 21,000 in 1920. It then took a dive to just 12,400 in 1960 but has rebounded to 25,500 in 2010.
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. | %± |
| 1840 | 3,433 | — |
| 1850 | 5,227 | 52.3% |
| 1860 | 7,612 | 45.6% |
| 1870 | 9,152 | 20.2% |
| 1880 | 11,565 | 26.4% |
| 1890 | 16,758 | 44.9% |
| 1900 | 17,448 | 4.1% |
| 1910 | 19,698 | 12.9% |
| 1920 | 21,062 | 6.9% |
| 1930 | 19,289 | −8.4% |
| 1940 | 18,795 | −2.6% |
| 1950 | 16,138 | −14.1% |
| 1960 | 12,421 | −23.0% |
| 1970 | 13,630 | 9.7% |
| 1980 | 17,423 | 27.8% |
| 1990 | 18,221 | 4.6% |
| 2000 | 22,781 | 25.0% |
| 2010 | 25,540 | 12.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
- 1841-1956 Johnson County, Arkansas Circuit and Chancery Court Records, 1841-1956(*); Circuit, Chancery and Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1848-1871 County Court Records, 1848-1871(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1869-1876 Justice of the Peace Court Records, 1869-1876(*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
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]
- Hardwicke Funeral Home in Clarkville
- Roller-Cox Funeral Homes in Clarkville
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- All of the family biographies from Johnson County, Arkansas included in The Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Johnson County, Arkansas published by Southern Publishing Company in 1891 are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
- Guardian bonds and letters 1856-1913 vol A-C at FamilySearch (Free, browse images)
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 Johnson 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 Western Arkansas. Chicago : Southern Publishing Co., 1891. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive. Johnson County, Ch XVII, pp. 272-321.
- History of Johnson County, Arkansas: The First Hundred Years. By Ella Molloy Langford. Clarksville, Arkansas: Sallis, Threadgill & Sallis, printers, 1921. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- Johnson County Township map at Wikipedia.
- Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925) by MapofUS.org
- 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[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). 1967 reprint: FS Catalog Collection 973 X2pc 1840. See Arkansas, Johnson County on page 191.
- Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." FS Catalog Collection 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans from this county; Arkansas section begins on page 439.
Mexican-American War[edit | edit source]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Company C
- - 16th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company A, B and C
- - 26th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company H
- - 35th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company I
- - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union)[11], Companies D, E, and I
- Men from this county served in the 10th Regiment, Arkansas Militia and the 62nd Regiment, Arkansas Militia.
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[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 ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Finding More Arkansas Newspapers Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Johnson newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Johnson 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 ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
- Johnson County Historical Society Journal published by Johnson County Historical Society.
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1817-1979 Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1841-1956 Johnson County, Arkansas Circuit & Chancery Court Records, 1841-1956(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1845-1949 Probate Court Records, 1845-1949(*); 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 | |
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| Parent's Names |
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| Mother's Maiden Name |
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| Father's Occupation |
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In 1877, a few county and city clerks[12] 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.
- 1861 - Johnson County Birth Index 1861. Batch C586522 at FamilySearch - free.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1800-Onward Arkansas Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1855-1924 Johnson County Marriage Books N-W Index 1855-1924 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[13]
- 1855-1957 Johnson County Marriage Books N-Z, 1-2 Index 1855-1957 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1860-1976 Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
Death[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 ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
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 Johnson 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
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Johnson County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Johnson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Johnson County Historical Society
The Heritage Center and Museum
133 W Main St
Clarksville, AR
Phone: 479-754-3334
Email: JCHS1833@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- USGenWeb Archives
- Johnson County ARGenWeb
- 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).
- ↑ Individual County Chronologies, https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/AR_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Johnson County, Arkansas Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ark/john/
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Johnson County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Arkansas
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), p. 68.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Johnson 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, "Johnson County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Arkansas, accessed 18 September 2018.
- ↑ Jennifer S. Koenig, The Encyclopedia of Johnson History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=780&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent= : accessed January 13, 2016), “Johnson County.”
- ↑ Desmond Walls Allen, Third Arkansas Union Cavalry, (Conway, Arkansas: Arkansas Research, c1987), p. 33-92. FS Catalog book 976.7 M28dc
- ↑ 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.