Washington County, Arkansas Genealogy
Guide to Washington County, Arkansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for George Washington.[2] It is located in the northwest area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Washington County Courthouse
280 N College Ave #300
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone: 501-444-1711
Washington County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1845 and probate records from 1828;
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records;
City Librarian has cemetery records[4]
Washington 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 | 1845 | 1914 | 1835 | 1834 | 1828 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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1861 thru 1864 Some records missing.
Also, probate and will records, A and B, have been stolen.
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Arkansas county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Arkansas County Boundary Maps" (1813-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
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:[7]
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
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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 Washington County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. [8]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Washington County Bible Records at Arkansas Genealogy
- Washington County Bible Records at Arkansas USGenWeb Project Archives
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Family Biographies from The History of Washington County, Arkansas (1889) published by Goodspeed are available free on the My Genealogy Hound website.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
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Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 2,182 | — |
| 1840 | 7,148 | 227.6% |
| 1850 | 9,970 | 39.5% |
| 1860 | 14,673 | 47.2% |
| 1870 | 17,266 | 17.7% |
| 1880 | 23,844 | 38.1% |
| 1890 | 32,024 | 34.3% |
| 1900 | 34,256 | 7.0% |
| 1910 | 33,889 | −1.1% |
| 1920 | 35,468 | 4.7% |
| 1930 | 39,255 | 10.7% |
| 1940 | 41,114 | 4.7% |
| 1950 | 49,979 | 21.6% |
| 1960 | 55,797 | 11.6% |
| 1970 | 77,370 | 38.7% |
| 1980 | 100,494 | 29.9% |
| 1990 | 113,409 | 12.9% |
| 2000 | 157,715 | 39.1% |
| 2010 | 203,065 | 28.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1830 Census - Genealogy Trails
- 1840 Census - My Heritage
- 1850 Census with Index - USGenWeb Washington County Archives
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1875-1899 Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Churches in Fayetteville AR - ChurchAngel
- Churches in Springdale, AR - ChurchAngel
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1833-1889 Judgement Docket, 1833-1889(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1835-1878 Court Records 1835-1878(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1839-1877 Chancery Court Records (Washington County, Arkansas0, 1839-1877(*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1877-1951 Chancery Records, 1877-1951(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Records Inventory and Retention Schedule, Circuit Clerk and Recorder at WashingtonCountyAR.gov
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Beard's Funeral Chapel in Fayetteville
- Epting Funeral Home in Fayetteville
- Moore's Chapel Funeral Home in Fayetteville
- Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory of Fayetteville in Fayetteville
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- Biographies from The History of Washington County, Arkansas (1889) published by Goodspeed Publishing Company are available free on the My Genealogy Hound website.
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Federal Land Patents, Homestead and Cash Entry Patents Before 1908 - USGenWeb Washington County Archives, Land Records 1834-1991, Fayetteville Public Library Land Index, 1830-1903
Washington County Archives Land Records
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Washington County. They may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more about local histories, see Arkansas Local Histories.
- History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. 1889. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Google Books, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
- Family Maps of Washington County, Arkansas Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- Gold Bug Historic Maps - reflect changes in county boundaries
- Interactive Battle Map for Arkansas
- Map of 1909 Washington County, Arkansas with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
- 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
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at Google Books. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Arkansas, Washington 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." FHL Collection 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Arkansas section begins on page 439.]
Mexican War
- Fayetteville Roster Mexican War - Washington County ARGenWeb
Civil War
Civil War service men from Washington County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Washington County.
- - 1st Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Stirman's) (Confederate), Companies D and E
- - 16th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Company G
- - 17th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Griffith's) (Confederate), Companies D and E
- - 34th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate), Companies A, B, C, H and K
- - Witherspoon's Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union)
- - 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Union)[9]
- - 3rd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union)[10]Company C
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 and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1891-1939 Arkansas Ex-Confederate Pension Records, 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1901-1929 Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- Confederate Soldiers Buried in Washington County - Washington County ARGenWeb
- Arkansas Civil War Biographies - Washington County ARGenWeb
- United Daughters of Confederacy - Prairie Grove, Arkansas
Also see Arkansas in the Civil War
Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battles were fought in Washington County.
- November 28, 1862 = Cane Hill also known as Canehill, Boston Mountains[11]
- December 7, 1862 = Prairie Grove also known as Fayetteville[12]
- Map showing Civil War battles in Arkansas
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Historical online newspapers
- Northwest Arkansas Times, July 1937 - December 1977 at Ancestry.com ($)
- Fayetteville Democrat, August 1917 - October 1923 at Ancestry.com ($)
- Daily Fayetteville Democrat (Fayetteville, Arkansas), July 1915 - July 1916 at Ancestry.com ($)
- Fayetteville Daily Democrat (Fayetteville, Arkansas), February 1921 - July 1936 at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Current online newspapers
Finding More Arkansas Newspapers Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Washington newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Washington County, Arkansas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see, FamilySearch Catalog Places 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 ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Obituaries submitted to Washington County ARGenWeb
- Obituary Records: 1868-2010 | Courtesy of the Fayetteville Public Library | This index covers three newspapers: Northwest Arkansas Times, Fayetteville Weekly Democrate and the Fayetteville Daily Democrate
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- Penny Postcards from Washington County - USGenWeb Washington County Archives
- National Register of Historic Places for Washington County AR
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- 1817-1979 Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1829-1916 Washington County, Arkansas Wills Records at SamPubCo - Browsable index of testators of wills - free
- 1829-1931 Probate Records, 1829-1931(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1837-1887 Probate Court Records, 1837-1887(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
School Records[edit | edit source]
- St. John's College of Arkansas - Washington County ARGenWeb
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.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Birth[edit | edit source]
| Y | M | |
| Name of Child | 
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| Birth Date and Place |
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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[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.
- 1900 - 1953 - Washington County Birth Index 1900-1953. Batch C750893 at FamilySearch - free.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1845-1869 Marriages 1845-1869 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
- 1845 - 1941 Washington County Archive Marriage Record Search, 1845-1941
- 1845 - 1922 - Washington County Marriage Books D-R Index 1845-1922 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[14]
- 1860 - 1976 Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1887 - 1949 - Washington County Marriage Books I-Z, A1-C1 Index 1887-1949 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - free.[15] - How to Use this Collection
- Washington County Marriages - submitted to Washington County ARGenWeb
- Arkansas Marriage Records - GenWed.com
- 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1969 Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
- 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index and images ($)
- Obituaries submitted to Washington County ARGenWeb
Washington County Death Records Index 1914-1923
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
Voter Records[edit | edit source]
- 1868-1910 Arkansas, County Voter Registration Records, 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Washington County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Washington County. For state-wide library facilities, see Arkansas Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Washington County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Arkansas Societies.
Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society
Benton Public Library
405 S. Main St.
Bentonville, AR 72712
Telephone: (479) 271-6820
E-mail: genealogy@bentonvillear.com
Webpage
Facebook
Serving Benton, Washington, Carroll, and Madison Counties
Websites[edit | edit source]
- ARGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
- USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
- RootsWeb resources. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
- Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
- CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
- 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).
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Washington County, Arkansas Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ark/wash/
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Washington County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_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), Washington County, Arkansas. Page 71 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL 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, "Washington County, Arkansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_County,_Arkansas, accessed 3 October 2018.
- ↑ Matthew Bryan Kirkpatrick, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, (http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=813&type=Category&item=Counties&parent=Counties%2c+Cities%2c+and+Towns&grandparent=+%3a+accessed+January+6%2c+2016)%2c : accessed January 18, 2016), “Washington County.”
- ↑ Arkansas, Adjutant General's Office, Report of the Adjutant General of Arkansas, for the period of the late rebellion, and to November 1, 1866, (Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, c1990) FHL fiche 6082312
- ↑ Desmond Walls Allen, Third Arkansas Union Cavalry, (Conway, Arkansas: Arkansas Research, c1987) FHL book 976.7 M28dc
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 2 August 2012).
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 15 August 2012).
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ FamilySearch Wiki contributors, "Arkansas County Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records," in FamilySearch Wiki.