Organization of Carroll County Arkansas

November 1, 1833, by act of the Territorial Legislature, Carroll County was erected. The act reads as follows: “All that portion of the county of Izard west of a line commencing at a point on the State line of Missouri, where the range line between Ranges 16 and 17 west strikes the same, running south with said line twelve miles; thence west six miles to the range line between seventeen and eighteen; thence south with said line to the dividing ridge between Crooked Creek and the Buffalo Fork, thence a direct course to the ridge dividing the waters of the Buffalo Fork and Richland Creek; thence with said ridge to the ridge dividing the waters of the Arkansas and White Rivers; thence west with said ridge to Range 25 west; thence north with said line to the ridge dividing the waters of War Eagle and King’s River; thence down said ridge to the post road from Izard courthouse, to Washington courthouse; thence on a north course to the Missouri line, so as to include all the waters of King’s River; thence east with said line to the place of beginning, shall be constituted and erected into a new county, to be called and known by the name of Carroll County.” The name was conferred in honor of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, a distinguished Marylander, or possibly in compliment to Gov. William Carroll, of Tennessee. The original territory was reduced in 1836, 1842 and 1869, upon the formation, respectively, of Madison, Newton and Boone. In 1869, in order that Carroll might not be reduced below the constitutional area of 600 square miles, the northern portion of Madison was annexed. With the exception of unimportant changes in the southwestern boundary, the territorial limits have since remained undisturbed.

Carroll County Officers

The first election for county officers, held in 1834, resulted in the choice of George Campbell as judge, John Bush as clerk, Thomas H. Clark as sheriff, Abraham Shelly as coroner and William Nooner as surveyor. Their successors in order have been as follows:

Carroll County Sheriffs

T. H. Clark, 1834-36 (resigned in 1835, succeeded by N. Rudd); Charles Sneed, 1836-42; A. Thomas, 1842-44; J. L. Wilburn, 1844-52; A. C. Oliver, 1852-56; J. C. Shipman, 1856-58; R. C. Campbell, 1858-60; David Smith, 1860; R. C. Campbell, 1860-62; John Harper, 1862-64; A. S. McKennon, 1864-66; N. B. Crump, 1866-68; J. J. Grim, 1868-72; S. L. Hayhurst, 1872-76; A. C. Oliver, 1876-78; T. C. Freeman, 1878-84; Joel Plumlee, 1884-86; H. S. Shahan, 1886.

The election of Thomas as sheriff in 1842 was annulled by the county court, which declared Charles Sneed sheriff. This ruling was revoked by the governor, who commissioned Thomas.

Carroll County Clerks

John Bush, 1834-36; W. C. Mitchell, 1836-40 (the office was filled part of the year 1836 by G. F. Stallings); J. A. Hicks, 1840-46; Tilford Denton, 1846-48; John W. Peel, 1848-54; George C. Gordon, 1854-58; Samuel W. Peel, 1858-64; George J. Crump, 1864-68; W. W. Davis, 1868-72; J. P. Fancher, 1872-76; J. C. Hanna, 1876-78; J. P. Fancher, 1878-80; J. E. Jones, 1880-84; H. H. Moose, 1884-87; Len Nunnally, 1887.

Carroll County Treasurers

A. M. Wilson, 1836-38; William Beller, 1838-42; H. L. Denton, 1842-44; E. Ford, 1844-46 (resigned, unexpired term filled by Thomas Callen); Thomas Callen, 1846-48 (deceased before the expiration of his term; W. E. Armstrong appointed); John Dunlap, 1848-50; A. Hulsey, 1850-54; J. Albright, 1854-56; Jeremiah Hale, 1856-60; J. M. Haggett, 1860-62; J. F. Seaman, 1862-64; J. S. Stanley, 1864-66; Tilford Denton, 1866-68; J. H. Hale, 1868-72; A. M. Bradley, 1872-74; James Walker, 1874-76; J. G. Walker, 1876-78; S. S. Meek, 1878-80; W. H. Woods, 1880-84 (failed to give bond, H. D. Field elected February 26, 1884); H. D. Field, 1884.

Carroll County Coroners

Abraham Shelly, 1834-36; M. L. Hawkins, 1836-42 (Burts was coroner from 1836-38; Thomas Moreland, 1842-44; John T. Spears, 1844-46; A. S. Dooly, 1846-48; Jesse McKelay, 1848-50; John Bunch, 1850-52; Gideon Weaver, 1852-54; W. M. Raines, 1854-56; Jacob Riddle, 1856-58; N. P. Naples, 1858-60; Daniel Grimlin, 1860-62; W. W. Bailey, 1864-66; J. M. Pittman, 1866-68; G. D. Bull, 1868-72; William Wood, 1872-74; O. P. Crockett, 1874-78; E. Thomas, 1878-80; E. Winfield, 1880-82; C. T. Dodson, 1882-84; J. M. Mitchell, 1884-86; C. Smith, 1886.

Carroll County Surveyors

William Nooner, 1834-36; Elijah Tabor, 1836-38; John McMillan, 1838-42; T. B. Callen, 1846-48; A. V. Callen, 1848-50; Price Byrne, 1852-58; J. Bartlett, 1858-62; Henry McMillan, 1864-68; Cyrus Maxwell, 1868-72; Thomas Bunch, 1872-76; T. S. Bunch, 1876-78; J. M. Bunch, 1878-82; W. R. Phillips, 1882-86; J. W. Kenner, 1886.

Carroll County State Senators

C. R. Saunders, 1836-40; W. C. Mitchell, 1840-54; John McCoy, 1854-56; W. W. Watkins, 1856-62; Bradley Bunch, 1862-64; J. McCoy, 1864-66; W. W. Watkins, 1866-68; M. L. Stephenson, 1868-70; William Dugger, 1870-74; Bradley Bunch, 1874-78; W. W. Watkins, 1878-82; R. B. Weaver, 1882-86; ——- Crandall, 1886.

Carroll County Representatives

L. B. Tully, W. D. Reagan, 1836-38; T. H. Clarke, F. G. Willbourn, 1838-40; B. Gaither, 1840-42; G. W. Bains, J. Fancher, 1842-44; G. E. Birnie, T. H. Clarke, 1844-46; S. S. Matlock, J. W. Turman, 1846-48; J. H. Crow, 1848-50; B. W. Ayers, Tilford Denton, 1850-52; John H. Brittain, Tilford Denton, 1852-54; Bradley Bunch, John Haggin, 1854-56; B. W. Ayers, Bradley Bunch, 1856-58; Bradley Bunch, G. C. Gordon, 1858-60; Bradley Bunch, J. Childers, 1860-62; I. R. Holt, A. A. Baker; 1862-64; J. W. Plumlee, J. F. Seaman, 1864-66; Bradley Bunch, J. H. Berry, 1866-68; Benjamin Vaughan, J. A. Fitzwater, J. T. Hoffer, P. A. Williams, 1868-70; E. P. Watson, G. J. Crump, F. J. Eubanks, J. S. O’Neal, 1870-72; W. L. Chapman, Joseph Wright, J. M. Foster, J. F. Cunningham, 1872-74; D. G. Hart, J. M. Foster, 1874; H. H. Moore, 1874-76; W. S. Poynor, 1876-78; J. G. Morris, 1878-80; E. J. Black, 1880-82; B. W. Gowdelock, 1882-84; J. P. Fancher, 1884-86; W. R. Phillips, 1886.

Carroll County Members of Constitutional Conventions

John F. King, 1836; W. W. Watkins, B. H. Hobbs, 1861; Joseph Wright, 1868; Bradley Bunch, 1874. Not represented in the convention of 1864.

Back to: Carroll County Arkansas Genealogy

Source: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, And Sebastian Counties, Arkansas: From the Earliest Time to the Present, Including a Department Devoted to the Preservation of Sundry Personal, Business, Professional and Private Records ; Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Etc., Etc. Salem Mass.: Chicago : Goodspeed Pub. Co., 1889.