CLARK COUNTY, AR HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
*None Listed
Clark County, Arkansas: A Genealogical Overview
As one of the five original counties of Arkansas, formed during the Missouri Territory era, Clark county possesses a deep and rich history. Situated in southwestern Arkansas, its story is shaped by the Caddo Nation, early salt works, the Ouachita River, and an economy that transitioned from cotton to timber and education.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Clark county’s origins as a vast territory and its subsequent county seat changes is the foundational step for any family history research in this region.
- 1818: County Formed: Clark county was established on December 15, 1818, by the legislature of the Missouri Territory, a year before the Arkansas Territory was created.
- Parent County: It was created from a portion of Arkansas county. Its original boundaries were immense, and numerous other counties were later carved from its territory.
- Name Origin: The county was named in honor of William Clark, then governor of the Missouri Territory and the renowned explorer of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
- County Seat History: The first county seat was located near a crossing on the Ouachita River known as Adam’s Bluff (or Biscoeville). In 1825, the seat was moved to Greenville (now an extinct town). In 1842, the county seat was moved to Arkadelphia, where it has remained.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The area was the homeland of the Caddo Nation, who were skilled farmers and traders along the Ouachita River and its tributaries.
- Settlement and Economy: Early American settlement was driven by the presence of significant salt deposits, leading to the establishment of important salt works that supplied the frontier. After the Caddo were removed by treaty in the 1830s, settlers from Tennessee, Alabama, and other southern states established large cotton plantations in the fertile river bottoms, relying on the labor of enslaved African Americans. After the Civil War and the arrival of the railroad, the county’s vast pine forests fueled a massive timber industry that became the dominant economic force.
- Educational Hub: Arkadelphia developed into a major center for higher education in Arkansas, becoming home to Ouachita Baptist University (founded 1886) and Henderson State University (founded 1890).
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Clark county.
- Courthouse:
- Clark County Courthouse: Located at 401 Clay Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. In Arkansas, records are split between two offices. The Circuit Clerk holds land records (deeds and mortgages). The County Clerk holds probate records (wills and estates) and marriage records from the county’s formation.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Arkansas began in February 1914. These records are held by the Arkansas Department of Health. Some larger cities, like Arkadelphia, may have kept earlier records, which can sometimes be found at the county level.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1819 to the present are held by the Clark County Clerk.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Clark County Historical Association Museum & Archives: Located in the Arkadelphia Train Depot at 750 S 5th Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. This is a crucial resource for family history, holding local records, family files, and photographs.
- Ouachita Baptist University, Riley-Hickingbotham Library: The library’s Archives and Special Collections department in Arkadelphia is an excellent repository for historical materials related to Clark county and the surrounding region.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Dallas county
- Hot Spring county
- Montgomery county
- Nevada county
- Ouachita county
- Pike county