Arkansas Public Records
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To Search Public and Vital Records -
Vital records are records of life events important enough that
some level of government acquires, organizes, and preserves
them. While the term "vital records" is often applied
to a wide variety of life events... Read
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Arkansas Vital Records
Statewide registration of births and deaths in Arkansas did not begin
until February, 1914. Compliance was not complete, however, for another
thirty years. Statewide registration of marriage did not begin until
1917, but individual counties usually recorded marriages prior to
that date. For birth and death records prior to 1914, and marriage
records prior to 1917, write to the clerk of the county in question.
For birth and death records after 1914, marriage records after 1917,
and divorce records after 1923 write:
Division of Vital Records
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44
Little Rock, AR 72205-3867
Tel: 501-661-2336
http://health.state.ar.us/htm/webasci.htm#VITALRECO
Arkansas Land Records
Arkansas is a federal-land state. Lands were generally bought from
the government or from other individuals. For government purchases,
consult the Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States Office's patent
indexes available on CD-ROM through various genealogical vendors
and through:
Government Printing Office
Superintendent of Documents
P.O. Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
This patent index is also found among the database
searches available at Ancestry Home Town web site (ancestry.com).
Early settlers in Arkansas also received land under Spanish and
French governments. Case files for most private land claims (the
settling of property ownership by the government of the United States
for lands previously acquired under a different sovereign) are housed
at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.. For transactions between
individuals, consult the local county Circuit Court Clerk. For further
reference to all transactions, consult the publications below. Hone,
E. Wade. Land and Property Research in the United States. Salt Lake
City: Ancestry, Inc., 1997.
Christensen Katheren. Arkansas Military Bounty Grants:
War of 1812. N.p.: Arkansas Ancestors, 1971.
Arkansas Court Records
Court records entail probate records , guardianship, naturalization,
and a wide variety of other sources, ranging from criminal trials
to simple road orders. All contain information about individuals
within the area. It should be remembered that there are different
levels of jurisdiction for courts in the United States, all of which
should be considered for research under various circumstances. Court
of Common Pleas, Orphan's Court, Probate Court, District Court,
Superior Court, Supreme Court, and other titles are among those
encountered. To study more about court records in general, see:
"Research in Court Records" by Arlene H. Eakle, found
in Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, eds., The
Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy, rev. ed. (Salt Lake City:
Ancestry, 1997).
Arkansas Military Records
The Arkansas History Commission possesses microfilmed indexes to
many of the National Archives compiled service records, such as
those for the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and various Indian
Wars. The Commission also has compiled service records for Arkansas
men for the Mexican War, Civil War (both Union and Confederate),
and Spanish-American War; returns from United States Military Posts,
1800–1916, including reports, rosters, and related papers;
Confederate States Army Casualties: Lists and Narrative Reports,
1861–65; Register of Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Citizens
Who Died in Federal Prisons and Military Hospitals in the North,
1861–65; and Registers of Confederate Prisoners Held in the
Military Prison at Little Rock, Arkansas, 1863–65. In addition,
the commission has the state's Confederate veteran or widow's pension
applications and indexes to Confederate pension records for Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The commission's pamphlet, "Historical
and Genealogical Source Materials," available upon request
with a self addressed stamped envelope, describes these holdings.
Also consult the following:
Allen, Desmond Walls. Arkansas' Mexican War Soldiers.
Conway, AR: Arkansas Research, 1988.
Index to Arkansas Confederate Soldiers. 3 vols. Conway,
AR: Arkansas Research 1990.
Arkansas' Damned Yankees: An Index to Union Soldiers
in Arkansas Regiments. Conway, AR: Arkansas Research, 1987.
Arkansas Union Soldiers Pension Application Index.
Conway, AR: Arkansas Research, 1987.
Arkansas' Spanish American War Soldiers. Conway,
AR: Arkansas Research (1988). Ingmire, Frances. Arkansas Confederate
Veterans and Widows Pension Applications. St. Louis: the author,
1985.
Pompey, Sherman Lee. Muster Lists of the Arkansas
Confederate Troops … Independence, CA: Historical and Genealogical
Publishing Co., 1965.
Neagles, James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide
to Federal and State Sources. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, Inc., 1994.
Additional Sources
Ferguson, John L. and J. H. Atkinson. Historic Arkansas. Little
Rock: Arkansas History Commission, 1966.
Dillard, Tom W., and Michael B. Dougan, comps. Arkansas
History: A Selected Research Bibliography. Little Rock: Rose Publishers,
1979.
Writers' Program, WPA, Arkansas. Arkansas: A Guide
to the State. New York: WPA, 1941.
Arkansas Vital Records:
Event: Birth
Cost of copy: $5.00
Address:
Division of Vital Records
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Remarks: State office has had records since February
1914 and some original Little Rock and Fort Smith records from 1881.
Additional copies of death record, when requested at the same time,
are $1.00 each.
Check or money order should be made payable to Arkansas
Department of Health. Personal checks are accepted. To verify current
fees, the telephone number is (501) 661-2336. This will be a recorded
message.
Search
All Arkansas Records
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Event: Death
Cost of copy: $4.00
Address:
Division of Vital Records
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Remarks: State office has had records since February
1914 and some original Little Rock and Fort Smith records from 1881.
Additional copies of death record, when requested at the same time,
are $1.00 each.
Check or money order should be made payable to Arkansas
Department of Health. Personal checks are accepted. To verify current
fees, the telephone number is (501) 661-2336. This will be a recorded
message.
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Event: Marriage (State)
Cost of copy: $5.00
Address:
Division of Vital Records
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Remarks: Coupons since 1917.
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Event: Marriage (county)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address: See remarks
Remarks: Full certified copy may be obtained from
County Clerk in county where license was issued.
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Event: Divorce (State)
Cost of copy: $5.00
Address:
Division of Vital Records
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Remarks: Coupons since 1923.
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Event: Divorce (county)
Cost of copy: Varies
Address: See remarks
Remarks: Full certified copy may be obtained from
Circuit or Chancery Clerk in county where divorce was granted.
Search
All Arkansas Records
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