Baxter County, Arkansas Genealogy

Guide to Baxter County, Arkansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The county was named for Elisha Baxter, the tenth governor of Arkansas. It is located in the northern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Baxter County Courthouse Courthouse Square 1 E 7th Street Mountain Home, AR 72653 Phone: 870.425.3475 Baxter County Website County Clerk has marriage, divorce, land and court records.

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 Baxter County page on the website, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.


 * 1808 - The Osage relinquished their claims to this area to the United States.
 * Most of the pioneers moving into the area before the Civil War were from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
 * 1819 - The county’s earliest recorded town was Big Clarkridge.
 * Baxter was not yet a county during the Civil War
 * 1873 - March 24 - Governor Baxter formed Baxter County.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1875-1899 - at FamilySearch — index- How to Use this Collection
 * FamilySearch Places

Guardianship

 * Probate Records 1873-1949 Baxter County portion of the collection:
 * Includes Accounts 1874-1889; Administration records 1873-1944; Guardian records 1890-1949; Wills 1873-1931.

Local Histories

 * History of Baxter County. [1939?] By Frances H. Shiras. S.l. : J. W. Daniel and Shiras Bros. Print Shop. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * History of Baxter County, 1873-1973. c1973. By Mary Ann Messick. Mountain Home, Arkansas : Montain Home Chamber of Commerce. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places


 * Arkansas State Archives State Maps Collection at Arkansas Digital Archives

Civil War

 * 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; Index and images.
 * 1837-1931 - Baxter County Arkansas list of will book testators SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills. - free


 * 1873-1949 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — 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 $
 * 1837 - 1957 — at FamilySearch Historical Records — Free; Index- How to Use this Collection
 * 1873 - 1921 - Baxter County Marriage Index 1873-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1860 - 1976 - at FamilySearch — index and images- How to Use this Collection
 * 1873 - 1921 - Baxter County Marriage Index 1873-1921 in at FamilySearch - free. - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 - at FamilySearch — index and images- How to Use this Collection

Family History Centers

 * Mountain Home Arkansas Family History Center

Societies
Baxter County Historical and Genealogical Society Baxter County Heritage Center 808 South Baker Street Mountain Home, AR Telephone: 870.425.2551 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * resources at RootsWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * CyndisList (no link for Baxter County). Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * - 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