Monroe County, Arkansas Genealogy
Guide to Monroe 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
Monroe County was created 1 January 1830[2] and was named for James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. Its county seat is Clarendon.[3] It is located in the east-central area of the state.[4]
County Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse
123 Madison Street
Clarendon, AR 72029-2794
Phone: 870-747-3921
Monroe County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1850 and probate records from 1839.
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce records from 1839, court records from 1830 and land records from 1829.[5]
Monroe 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 | 1850 | 1914 | 1830 | 1829 | 1839 | 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:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Townships | ||
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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 Monroe County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [9]
- 1815 October - Federal surveyors Prospect Robbins and Joseph Brown came to Arkansas to begin the survey of the Louisiana Purchase by establishing the initial survey point or base line.
- 1829 November 2 - Monroe County was established.
- 1870-1930 - From about 1870 to about 1930, the timber business became important for much of the county as lumber mills were established around the county
- 1900s - Two natural disasters between 1900 and 1930 devastated large sections of the county. First was a massive tornado on March 8, 1909,. Second was the Flood of 1927.
- 1920-2010 - The population of Monroe County peaked at 21,600 in 1920 and has dropped to 8,149 today (2010).
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Biographies at My Genealogy Hound
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 461 | — |
| 1840 | 936 | 103.0% |
| 1850 | 2,049 | 118.9% |
| 1860 | 5,657 | 176.1% |
| 1870 | 8,336 | 47.4% |
| 1880 | 9,574 | 14.9% |
| 1890 | 15,336 | 60.2% |
| 1900 | 16,816 | 9.7% |
| 1910 | 19,907 | 18.4% |
| 1920 | 21,601 | 8.5% |
| 1930 | 20,651 | −4.4% |
| 1940 | 21,133 | 2.3% |
| 1950 | 19,540 | −7.5% |
| 1960 | 17,327 | −11.3% |
| 1970 | 15,657 | −9.6% |
| 1980 | 14,052 | −10.3% |
| 1990 | 11,333 | −19.3% |
| 2000 | 10,254 | −9.5% |
| 2010 | 8,149 | −20.5% |
| 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
Presbyterian
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarendon
- 1869-1885 - Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Baptism Index 1869-1885. Batch C586751 at FamilySearch - free.</ref>
- 1885-1915 - Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Marriage Index 1885-1915. Batch M586751 at FamilySearch - free.
First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon
- 1870-1885 - First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Baptism Index 1870-1885. Batch C586761 at FamilySearch - free.</ref>
- 1904-1909 - First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Marriage Index 1904-1909. Batch M586761 at FamilySearch - free.
Court Records
- 1830-1885 Circuit Court Records (Monroe County, Arkansas), 1830-1885(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1839-1879 County Court Record, vol. A-E, 1839-1879(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1845-1850 Court Records, 1845-1850(*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1859-1928 Chancery Court Records (Monroe County, Arkansas), 1859-1928(*); Chancery and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1875-1901 J. P. Docket (Monroe County, Arkansas), 1875-1901(*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Bob Neal and Sons Funeral Home in Brinkley and Clarendon
- Branscumb Johnson and Gilchrest Funeral Home in Brinkley
- Fowler Brown Funeral Home in Brinkley and Clarendon
- Lockwood and Boyd Funeral Home in Clarendon
- McNeal-Coleman Funeral Home Inc in Brinkley
Genealogies
Guardianship
- Probate Records 1839-1949 Monroe 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 1861-1899; Dockets 1873-1888; Executor records 1865-1945; Guardian bonds and letters 1866-1894; Letters of administration and guardianship 1877-1899; Probate records 1839-1890; Wills 1830-1949.
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 Monroe 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 Eastern Arkansas. St. Louis: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1890. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive. Monroe County, Ch. XX, pp. 507-565.
- Pages from the Past, Historical Notes on Claredon, Monroe County and Early Arkansas. By Jo Claire English. Claredon, AR: J.C. English, 1976. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
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 Monroe County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 13th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 15th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Josey's) (Confederate)
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 Monroe newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Monroe 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
- 1830-1949 Probate Records, 1830-1949(*); 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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| 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[10] 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 ($)
- 1850-1922 Monroe County Marriage Books B, D-T Index 1850-1922 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[11]
- 1850-1951 Monroe County Marriage Books B-Z, CC-HH Index 1850-1951 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1860-1976 Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index & images
- 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
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
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Monroe 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
- Quitman Arkansas FamilySearch Center
- White County Regional Library System - Searcy Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Monroe County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Monroe County Library, Jacobs Memorial Library
270 Madison Street
Clarendon, AR 72029
Phone: 870-747-5593
Website
Facebook
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Monroe County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Tri-County Genealogical Society
405 S Midway
P.O. Box 580
Marvell, AR 72366
Phone: 870-829-2971
Email: cndavison4@gmail.com
Website
Covers Lee, Monroe, and Phillips Counties, Arkansas. Publication: Tri-County Genealogy.
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
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Monroe County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_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), Monroe 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, "Monroe County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_County,_Arkansas, accessed 5 September 2018.
- ↑ Louise Mitchell, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=792&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent= : accessed January 14, 2016), “Monroe 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.