Arkansas Genealogy is designed to serve as a comprehensive genealogical and historical resource for your personal use. Initially intended to be a guide for finding Arkansas-related genealogy and historical information on the web, we have now expanded to include specific data directly on this site for your convenience.
The first European settlement in Arkansas was established by the French in 1686 at Arkansas Post. This site later served as the residence for both French and Spanish governors, a crucial trading post during early American occupation, and the first territorial capital from 1810 to 1820. In 1720, John Law received a land grant on the Arkansas River. The territory changed hands, passing to Spain in 1762, back to France in 1780, and finally to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Apart from its role in early western frontier trade and the complex land disputes left by French and Spanish colonists, the pre-American period holds little historical significance compared to later years.
From 1804 to 1812, present-day Arkansas was part of the Louisiana district, which later became the Louisiana Territory. From 1812 to 1819, it was part of the Missouri Territory. The earliest county organizations in Arkansas date back to this period. Arkansas was designated a territory of the first and second class by acts of Congress on March 2, 1819, and April 21, 1820, respectively. On June 15, 1836, it was admitted to the Union as a slave state.
Featured History of Arkansas
Today we take up on the history of Arkansas as a part of the Territory of Louisiana, to when it became known as the Territory of Arkansas, and finally statehood. Brief mention is also made of secession and reconstruction in Arkansas and the government makeup of the time.
- Louisiana Territory
- Arkansas Territory
- Secession in Arkansas
- Arkansas Reconstruction
- The Poland Committee
- Leaders of Arkansas Territory
Today I posted additional pages on Arkansas history which cover the exploration, and early settlers of Arkansas before it was a state.
- Ferdinand de Soto in Arkansas
- Marquette and Joliet in Arkansas
- La Salle, Hennepin and Tonti in Arkansas
- The Bubble of John Law
- Proprietary Change of Louisiana Territory
- French and Spanish Settlers in Arkansas
- Early English Settlers in Arkansas
- The New Madrid Earthquake
I have begun the process of creating pages on Arkansas history, and have posted the first two:
Arkansas County History and Genealogy
- Arkansas County Arkansas Genealogy
- Benton County, Arkansas Genealogy
- Carroll County Arkansas Genealogy
- Faulkner County Arkansas Genealogy
- Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy and History
- Washington County, Arkansas Genealogy and History
New Cemeteries
- Barlow Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Bethel Cemetery – Glenwood, Pike, Arkansas
- Caney Valley Cemetery – Pike County, Arkansas
- Chalybeat Springs Cemetery – Emerson, Columbia, Arkansas
- Coker Cemetery – Rosboro, Pike, Arkansas
- Ebenezer Cemetery – Glenwood, Pike, Arkansas
- Ebenezer Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Frazier Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Glenwood Cemetery – Glenwood, Pike, Arkansas
- Grizard Cemetery – White County Arkansas
- Hephzibah Cemetery – Emerson, Columbia, Arkansas
- I. O. O. F. Cemetery – West Helena, Phillips, Arkansas
- Miller Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery – Murfreesboro, Pike, Arkansas
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery – Waldo, Columbia, Arkansas
- Oak Grove Cemetery – Conway, Faulkner, Arkansas
- Old Ebenezer Cemetery – Glenwood, Pike, Arkansas
- Palmer Chapel Cemetery – Rosboro, Pike, Arkansas
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery – Nevada County, Arkansas
- Powers Chapel Cemetery – Pike County, Arkansas
- Salem Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Salem Cemetery – Salem, Pike, Arkansas
- Sharmon Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Smyrna Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Spotville Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
- Sweet Home Cemetery – Nathan, Pike, Arkansas
- Valley Grove Cemetery – Kirby, Pike, Arkansas
- Ware Cemetery – Emerson, Columbia, Arkansas
- Western Cemetery – Magnolia, Columbia, Arkansas
Surrounding States Genealogy
New Arkansas Genealogy
Ouachita Cemetery, Opal, Arkansas
AKA Lambert-Jackson Cemetery Location & Information Five miles North of Opal. Opal is twelve miles East of Mena on Highway 370, Left on Polk 67, Left @ “T”, on Right about one-half mile.NW, Section 2, Township 2 South, Range 28 WestParcel # 655-0100 This cemetery covers about one-half acre of land. A fence completely surrounds it. There are probably many graves here, but only twenty one tombstones with names and dates were found. An historical family cemetery since 1856. All burials reserved for only descendants and spouses of Almon and Sara Guinn, Enoch and Newrany Guinn Wimberly, and all Guinn…
Jackson Cemetery, Cove, Arkansas
Location & Information About three miles North of Cove off Highway 71 and about one-half mile West (Polk 25) of Highway 71 on land owned by Richard and Faye Davis (2/26/1984)Township 3 South, Range 32 WestParcel # ? There are no tombstones in this cemetery, but the following inscriptions are carved on field rocks and are very legible as of 2/26/1984. There appears to be four or maybe five other graves here, but they are not marked in any way. Richard Davis has lived on this land over fifty years and to his knowledge, no one has ever come to…
Lou Ella Bates Gravesite, Big Fork, Arkansas
Location & Information About 5 miles West of Big Fork on Highway 8Township South, Range WestParcel # ? In 1969, Herman Bates who owned the land was caring for the grave. Internments Bates, Lou Ella
Howard Cemetery, Howard Community, Rich Mountain, Arkansas
Location & Information Six miles west of Rich Mountain on Highway 270-59 upon the high hill just East of the Howard CommunitySE 1/4, Section 31, Township 1 North, Range 32 WestNot on the Polk County, Arkansas Tax Roll There were no railroads, no church cemeteries in the days when people first came to this valley. There were no funeral homes, no neighbors helped neighbors when a loved one died. When there was a death, the burial was the next day. When John Robert Little, the uncle of Bessie Gilbert, died he left his widow, Lillie, and four children. The oldest…
Arkansas Soldiers Interred at Finn’s Point National Cemetery
Finn’s Point National Cemetery is located about six miles northwest of Salem, N.J., at the north end of what was Fort Mott Military Reservation. Originally, the United States purchased the land for the construction of the Finn’s Point Battery to protect the Port of Philadelphia. By 1863, however, the grounds increasingly served as a burial site for Confederate prisoners of war who died while imprisoned at Fort Delaware. An estimated 2,502 men died while imprisoned at Fort Delaware. Even prior to its designation as a national cemetery, the remains of POWs were transported to Finn’s Point across the river for…
Holly Grove Cemetery, Grannis, Arkansas
Location & Information Five and one-third miles East of Grannis on Frachiseur RoadSW, NE, Section 23, Township 6 South, Range 31 WestParcel # 9152 The Holly Grove Community had tried for years to purchase from Dierks/Weyerhasuser Co., land adjacent to the church on the West, for a cemetery. Each office referred the proposition to a higher office, until 1972, when they were told that the company elected to sell no land. Friday, July 7, of that year, Mrs. Susanna (Anner) Frachiseur, wife of Jim A. Frachiseur, and mother of eight sons, most of whom lived in the community, died. Still…
Holly Springs Cemetery, Mena, Arkansas
Location & Information Four miles Northeast of Mena on property owned by Odis Bowen (3/3/1984)Township 2 South, Range 30 WestParcel # ? Some of the Edwards descendants still live in Mena, as of 3/3/1984. This cemetery was in existence in the 1860’s and 1870s. Many graves have been lost to the fields and some tombstones destroyed by machinery before a fence was put around the cemetery. Mr. Lynn Harris remembers a Lewis family being buried here, although there are no markers or tombstones for their graves. Lynn Harris’ sister, Fern Wiles, gave the following information on her father who is…
Hilton Cemetery, Board Camp, Arkansas
Location & Information One mile Northeast of Board Camp on a farm known in 1983 as the Eigsti Farm. On hwy 8E at Board Camp, turn left onto co. road #63, go about 3/4 mile and turn left onto co. road #657, a dead-end road. Cemetery is across a metal bridge. Turn right after crossing the bridge and cross a field. Cemetery on top of hill to the right. Cemetery is on private land.Pt SE NW and Pt NE SW of Section 28, Township 2 South, Range 29 WestParcel # 02389 and 02390 Although there is a fence around this…
Highland Cemetery, Cherry Hill, Arkansas
Location & Information About three miles North of Cherry Hill at intersection of Polk 70 and Polk 301SW/4 of Section 26, Township 1 South, Range 28 WestNot listed on the Polk County Tax Roll This one-half acre plot used for this cemetery was deeded by Ancil Hoover. The land was homesteaded by Seburn Lenard. Internment Barber, Andrew J. – 1869-1948Barber, Jessie E. – 6/3/1883 to 5/25/1956Cunningham, Arma Sue Cline – 1937-1973Egger, Virginia Ann – 8/19/1894-12/6/1936Egger, Amos – 1897-1968Egger, Grace – 1901-1980Hill, Leroy – 1922-1967Hill, Mamie – 1921-1965Holmes, Nellie – 5/22/1905-2/28/1925 – (wife of Clyde Holmes)Hoover, Henry Ancil – 2/22/1895-4/10/1976 -…
Pioneer Cemetery, Mena, Arkansas
aka, Hefley-Witherspoon Cemetery Location & Information On top of Rich Mountain, northwest of where the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge now stands. (State Highway 88 West from Mena)Section 10, Township 1 South, Range 32 WestNot on the Polk County Tax Roll There are twenty three graves in this cemetery but only one has a tombstone. The others are marked with native stones. Although no one remembers the name or dates of the first burial, some think it may have been the small Wilkerson girl. There was at least one grave and a church-school building on this one acre plot when A. Y…