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.

Description
The county was named for James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. It is located in the central east area of the state.

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.

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:

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.


 * 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).

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 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 at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1885-1915 - Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Marriage Index 1885-1915. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

'''First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon


 * 1870-1885 - First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Baptism Index 1870-1885. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1904-1909 - First Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Marriage Index 1904-1909. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Court Records

 * 1830-1885 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1839-1879 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1845-1850 (*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1859-1928 (*); Chancery and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1875-1901 (*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

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

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1839-1949 Monroe County portion of the collection: : 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.

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas. (Monroe County, Ch. XX, pp507-565). 1890. St. Louis: The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive.


 * Pages from the Past, Historical Notes on Claredon, Monroe County and Early Arkansas. 1976. by Jo Claire English. Claredon, AR: J.C. English. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library


 * A Pictorial History of Arkansas, From Earliest Times to the Year 1890, (Monroe County, pp956-962). 1890. by Faye Hempstead. St. Louis: N.D. Thompson Publishing Co. Online at: Internet Archive

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 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

Civil War

 * - 13th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 15th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Josey's) (Confederate)

'''Online Records


 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index -How to Use this Collection
 * 1890-1963 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1891-1939 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1901-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1783-1998 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1817-1979 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1830-1949 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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.

Marriage

 * 1779-1966 Arkansas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1850 - 1951 - Monroe County Marriage Books B-Z, CC-HH Index 1850-1951 in Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1850 - 1922 - Monroe County Marriage Books B, D-T Index 1850-1922 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1860 - 1976 Arkansas Church Marriages, 1860-1976 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1917-1969 Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Death

 * 1914-1969 Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1935-1961 Arkansas, Death Index, 1935-1961 at MyHeritage - index and images ($)

Divorce

 * 1923-1969 Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969 at Ancestry.com - index ($)

Voter Records

 * 1868-1910 Arkansas, County Voter Registration Records, 1868-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images

Libraries
Monroe County Library 270 Madison St Clarendon, AR 72029 Telephone 870-747-5593
 * List of Arkansas Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Societies
Tri-County Genealogical Society Midway and Remley Streets PO Box 580 Marvell, AR 72366 Telephone 870-829-2971 Email: [mailto:cndavison4@gmail.com cndavison4@gmail.com] Webpage Covers Lee, Monroe, and Phillips Counties, Arkansas. The society publishes Tri-County Genealogy.

Websites

 * 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 ($)
 * CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * - 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