Lonoke County, Arkansas Genealogy
Guide to Lonoke 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
Lonoke County was created on 16 April 1873[2] and was named for a "lone oak" tree that stood on the site of the present county seat and was used as a local landmark.[3] Its county seat is Lonoke.[4] It is located in the central area of the state.[5]
County Courthouse
Lonoke County Courthouse
3rd & N Center Street
P.O. Box 431
Lonoke, AR 72086-0431
Phone: 501-676-2368
Lonoke County Website
County Clerk has marriage and probate records.[6]
Lonoke 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 | 1873 | 1914 | 1873 | 1873 | 1873 | 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]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
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 Lonoke County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [10]
- 1821 - The first known white settlement was on Moss Prairie, founded by Sampson Gray from Williamson County, Tennessee.
- 1849 August 9 - To encourage more people to settle in Brownsville, an ad was placed in the Arkansas Gazette. It read, “The site is a beautiful and elevated situation and persons wishing to make an investment in town prosperity will do well to attend this sale."
- 1865 - As the soldiers returned home from the Civil War, they found that land, homes, and businesses had been destroyed. They began the task of rebuilding homes and businesses and getting the land ready to plant crops for the next year.
- 1873 April 16 - Governor Elisha Baxter signed the act creating Lonoke County from the parent counties Prairie and Pulaski.
- 2010 - Lonoke County has had a steady increase in population from its very beginning and now (2010) tops 68,300.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Biographies at My Genealogy Hound
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1880 | 12,146 | — |
| 1890 | 19,263 | 58.6% |
| 1900 | 22,544 | 17.0% |
| 1910 | 27,983 | 24.1% |
| 1920 | 33,400 | 19.4% |
| 1930 | 33,759 | 1.1% |
| 1940 | 29,802 | −11.7% |
| 1950 | 27,278 | −8.5% |
| 1960 | 24,551 | −10.0% |
| 1970 | 26,249 | 6.9% |
| 1980 | 34,518 | 31.5% |
| 1990 | 39,268 | 13.8% |
| 2000 | 52,828 | 34.5% |
| 2010 | 68,356 | 29.4% |
| 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
- 1873-1880 Court Records, 1873-1880(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1873-1917 Justice Record, 1873-1917(*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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
- Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke
- Colonial Southern Services in Carlisle and Lonoke
- Moore's Cabot Funeral Home in Cabot
- Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot
- Wilson-Robison Funeral Home in England
- 1934-1982 Records of Wilson Funeral Home : England, Arkansas, 1934-1982(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Genealogies
Guardianship
- Probate Records 1861-1949 Lonoke County portion of the collection: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979: Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images) - [[
Arkansas Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
- Includes Administration records 1873-1884; Administration, executor and guardian dockets 1861-1886; Executor bonds and letters 1873-1949; Guardian records 1873-1892; Probate records 1873-1891; Wills 1873-1939.
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 Lonoke 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 ($). Lonoke County, Ch. XX, pp. 573-658.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Arkansas State Archives State Maps Collection at Arkansas Digital Archives
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
Regiments. Men in Lonoke County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Volunteers (Confederate), Company B
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Arkansas Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1890-1963 Arkansas Confederate Soldier Home,1890-1963 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1891-1939 Arkansas Ex-Confederate Pension Records, 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1901-1929 Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Arkansas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Finding More Arkansas Newspapers Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Lonoke newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Lonoke County, Arkansas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see, FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
- Fayetteville Democrat at Ancestry.com ($)
- 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 ($)
- 1817-1979 Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1861-1949 Probate Records, 1861-1949(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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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| Parent's Names |
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| Mother's Maiden Name |
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| Parent's Ages |
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| Father's Occupation |
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| Current Residence |
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| Name of Doctor or Midwife |
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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.
Marriage
- 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1800-Onward Arkansas Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1860-1976 Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1868-1921 Lonoke County Marriage Books A-U Index 1868-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[12]
- 1873-1951 Lonoke County Marriage Books A-Z, 27-41 Index 1873-1951 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
Death
- 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 Lonoke 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
- Jacksonville Arkansas FamilySearch Center
- Quitman Arkansas FamilySearch Center
- Central Arkansas Library System - multiple locations - an affiliate library
- White County Regional Library System - Searcy Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Lonoke County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Lonoke County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
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, “Lonoke County, Arkansas Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ark/lonoke/
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lonoke County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonoke_County,_Arkansas
- ↑ 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), Lonoke County, Arkansas. Page 69 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, "Lonoke County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonoke_County,_Arkansas, accessed 5 September 2018.
- ↑ Shirley McGraw, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=787&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent= : accessed January 14, 2016), “Lonoke County.”
- ↑ 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.