Union County, Arkansas Genealogy
Guide to Union 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
Union County was created 02 Nov 1829[2] and was named in recognition of the citizens' petition for a new county. Its county seat is El Dorado. It is located in the south-central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Union County Courthouse
101 N Washington
El Dorado, AR 71730
Phone: 870-864-1910
Union County Website
County Clerk has marriage and probate records from 1846.
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.[4]
Union 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 | 1846 | 1914 | 1830 | 1830 | 1846 | 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:[7]
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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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 Union County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [8]
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 640 | — |
| 1840 | 2,889 | 351.4% |
| 1850 | 10,298 | 256.5% |
| 1860 | 12,288 | 19.3% |
| 1870 | 10,571 | −14.0% |
| 1880 | 13,419 | 26.9% |
| 1890 | 14,977 | 11.6% |
| 1900 | 22,495 | 50.2% |
| 1910 | 30,723 | 36.6% |
| 1920 | 29,691 | −3.4% |
| 1930 | 55,800 | 87.9% |
| 1940 | 50,461 | −9.6% |
| 1950 | 49,686 | −1.5% |
| 1960 | 49,518 | −0.3% |
| 1970 | 45,428 | −8.3% |
| 1980 | 48,573 | 6.9% |
| 1990 | 46,719 | −3.8% |
| 2000 | 45,629 | −2.3% |
| 2010 | 41,639 | −8.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records
- 1875-1899 Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index
List of Churches and Church Parishes - How to Use this Collection
Court Records
- 1830-1882 Circuit Court Records, 1830-1882(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1839-1877 County Court Record, 1839-1877(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1840-1882 Chancery Record, vol. A-D, 1840-1882(*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1844-1928 Deeds and Mortgages, 1844-1890; Indexes, 1845-1928, 1844-1928(*); Recorder and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1883-1951 Chancery Records, 1st & 2nd Divisions, 1883-1951(*); Chancery 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
- Andrew's Funeral Home Inc in El Dorado
- Bailey Funeral Home in El Dorado
- Perry's Funeral Chapels in El Dorado
- Sims Mortuary in El Dorado
- Young's Funeral Directors in El Dorado
Genealogies
Guardianship
- Probate Records 1839-1927 Union 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 1868-1923; Administration, executor and guardian bonds; wills 1845-1927; Letters of administration 1868-1924; Letters of guardianship 1869-1923; Probate records 1839-1889.
Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Federal land records for Union County Union Co. AR Archives
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Union 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 Southern Arkansas. 2 volumes. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing, 1890. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. 1 & 2 - Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat). Union County history begins on Page 817 in Vol. 2.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
- Family Maps of Union County, Arkansas Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- 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
Indian Wars
- Indian Wars at Union Co. Archives
War of 1812
- War of 1812 Land Grants at Union Co. Archives
Civil War
Regiments. Men in Union County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company A
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)
- - 3rd Consolidated Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)[9]
- - 6th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 8th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
- - 19th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Dockery'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
Korean War
- Korean War Casualties at Union Co. Archives
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 Union newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Union 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
- 1830-1889 Deeds, vol. A-B, 1830-1845, 1887-1889(*); Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1839-1893 Probate Court Records, 1839-1893(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1845-1924 Probate Records, 1845-1924(*); 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 ($)
- 1829-1870 Marriage Bonds 1829-1870 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
- 1847-1920 Union County Marriage Books A-X Index 1847-1920 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[11]
- 1847-1951 Union County Marriage Books A-Z, 2-34 Index 1847-1951 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 Union 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 Union County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Union County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Union County Genealogy Society
Barton Library
200 E 5th St
El Dorado, AR 71730
Phone: 870-863-5447
Email: ucgs1976@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
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Union County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_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), Union County, Arkansas. Page 70 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), 67.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Union County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_County,_Arkansas, accessed 1 October 2018.
- ↑ Ben Johnson, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=812&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent=+%3a+accessed+January+6%2c+2016)%2c : accessed January 15, 2016), “Union County.”
- ↑ 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, 1988), p. 10. FS Catalog Collection
- ↑ 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/d/d7/Arkansasnz.pdf.