Sebastian County History and Information

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Sebastian County was created on 6 January 1851 and was formed from Scott, Polk and Crawford Counties. It was named after William K. Sebastian, a judge for the U.S. Circuit Court. The county seat was first located at Greenwood, then moved to the second-largest community in Arkansas, Fort Smith, before being relocated back to Greenwood in 1852. In 1861, it was decided that the county would have two seats of government; one at Fort Smith and the other at Greenwood. Fort Smith, originally Belle Point, was a U.S. military installation throughout the 1800s along the Arkansas River. The Hanging Judge, Isaac Parker, presided over its court system in the late 1800s.

Sebastian County is bordered by Crawford County (north), Franklin County (east), Logan County (southeast), Scott County (south), Le Flore County, OK (southwest), Sequoyah County, OK (northwest). Cities, Towns & Communities include Barling, Bonanza, Central City, Fort Smith, Greenwood, Hackett, Hartford, Huntington, Lavaca, Mansfield, Midland

Other county boundry changes occured when Part annexed to Scott County and Polk 1 June 1861.

The Official County Website is located at http://www.sebastiancountyonline.com/ . See Extended History for More information. It was reported the courthouse at Greenwood burned in 1881 and again in 1882, "but few records being saved. All records since 1882 are in good condition and those prior to that date have been recopied as far as possible."

  • Sebastian County, Arkansas History Books at Amazon.com
  • Search Historical Newspapers from Arkansas (1819 - 1999) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
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County Court Records

See Also Arkansas Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Search Arkansas Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. The courthouse at Greenwood burned in 1881 and again in 1882, but few records being saved. All records since 1882 are in good condition and those prior to that date have been recopied as far as possible.

Sebastian County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1851 and Land Records from 1861 and is located at 35 South Sixth Street, Fort Smith, 72901; (479) 782-1046 .

The circuit clerk is the clerk of the circuit, chancery court, and juvenile court and usually acts as the ex-officio recorder of the county. The administrative duties of the clerk are to maintain a record of all proceedings of the circuit, chancery and juvenile courts and to prepare the dockets for these courts. They are also the ex-officio county recorder; and is responsible for recording deeds, mortgages, liens, and surety bonds, and many other orders and instruments which involve property within the county

Sebastian County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1865 and Probate Records from 1851 and is located at 35 South Sixth Street, Fort Smith, 72901; (479) 782-5065

The circuit clerk is the clerk of the circuit,Although probate court is a court of equity and is presided over by the chancery judge, prior to 1937 it was a function of the county court, and under the amended procedure, the county clerk still operates ad the clerk of the probate court

The circuit clerk is the clerk of the circuit, as clerk to the probate court, the clerk files all instruments making them a matter of record in descendent estate cases, and swears in all witnesses in contested estates. The clerk, also in this capacity, maintains all records relative to adoptions and guardianship cases within the county.

Although probate court is a court of equity and is presided over by the chancery judge, prior to 1937 it was a function of the county court, and under the amended procedure, the county clerk still operates ad the clerk of the probate court

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Sebastian County, Arkansas Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which covers the State of Arkansas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Arkansas

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Arkansas Vital Records, 4815 West Markham St Little Rock, AR 72205, Please allow up to approximately 4-6 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: Birth records maintained by Arkansas Vital Records start with February 1, 1914 through the present. Vital Records does have a limited number of birth records prior to 1914. The birth records dated prior to 1914 were filed with Arkansas Vital Records after 1914. They have original copies of Little Rock and Fort Smith births dating from 1881.
    • Cost: The cost of a birth record is $12.00 for the first copy and $10.00 for each additional copy ordered of the same record at the same time. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $12.00 for a searching fee. The customer may request a refund of any amount paid over the required $12.00 search fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates: Death records maintained by Arkansas Vital Records start with February 1, 1914 through the present. Arkansas Vital Records does have a limited number of deaths occurring prior to 1914 for Little Rock and Fort Smith dating from 1881. The Arkansas History Commission has a death index of deaths occurring in Arkansas from 1914 through 1949. This is only an alphabetical listing of deaths occurring in Arkansas. The History Commission does not have copies of the death records.
    • Cost: The cost of a certified death certificate is $10.00 for the first copy and $8.00 for each additional copy issued at the same time for the same certificate. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $10.00 for a searching fee. The customer may request a refund of any amount paid over the required $10.00 search fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage records maintained in Arkansas Vital Records begin with January 1917. Arkansas Vital Records does not have any marriage records prior to 1917.
    Divorce records maintained in Arkansas Vital Records begin with January 1923. Arkansas Vital Records does not have any divorce records prior to 1923. Records of marriage & divorce proceedings are available from the Sebastian County clerk of Probate Court that granted the decree.You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates .
    • Cost: Arkansas Vital Records maintains a file of marriage and divorce coupons. These coupons are acceptable with organizations that require a certified record. The cost of a marriage or divorce coupon is $10.00 for each copy. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $10.00 for a searching fee. The customer may request a refund of any amount paid over the required $10.00 search fee.
  • Order In Person: The certificates may be ordered by coming into this office. If you want the copy the same day, our hours for same day service are 8:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. Monday – Friday. The office is located at 4815 West Markham St Little Rock, AR 72205.
  • Order By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Vital Records " along with the necessary information to the following address: Vital Records, PO Box 8184, Little Rock AR 72203-8184. Please include return address on envelope and application form. Processing Time takes 4-6 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you Order Online.
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Arkansas

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Sebastian County, Arkansas are 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Sebastian County, Arkansas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Sebastian County, Arkansas Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Arkansas and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Arkansas showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Arkansas showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at The Arkansas Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Maps. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Maps by clicking the link below:

  • Sebastian County, Arkansas Map Books at Amazon.com
  • Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
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County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Arkansas

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Tax records are available at the respective county courthouses and in the Arkansas History Commission. Nearly 600 tax books, original or microfilmed, for Arkansas counties are included in the collection at the Commission. Legislation was enacted in Arkansas which required that copies of early county tax records be sent to the state auditor in Little Rock. Where county records were lost, the state auditor's copies are especially valuable.

Personal property tax records have been published for a few counties. Tax lists, along with other sources, are being used to reconstruct the lost 1890 federal population census.

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Sebastian County, Arkansas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Arkansas Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Scott Sebastiona Regional Library, 18 North Adair Street, Greenwood AR 72936
  • Fort Smith Historical Society, Inc. publish "The Journal" twice a year in April and November.
    Subscriptions are $25 per year ($15 for senior citizens) / $200 for lifetime.
  • Frontier Researchers, A Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 2123, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902-2123
    "Frontier Researchers" meet eleven times a year, on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Fort Smith Public Library. There is no meeting in December. Featured in these meetings are experts in ancestral research as well as local news and project of genealogical interest. Membership is open to all interested with dues of $15
    due annually. Included in the membership is a subscription to Frontier Research which is published semi-annually. Included in this publication is historical and genealogical information of local interest. Frontier Researchers has also established an elite organization known as "Frontier Families of the Western District of Arkansas." This was designed to preserve the family history of people who came into this area between March 3, 1851 and February 20, 1897. If a person can prove each generation of lineage back to an individual who was in the Western District of Arkansas during these dates then they are eligible for membership. The Western District covered 13 counties in Arkansas and about 1/2 of the Oklahoma Territory. The ancestors may be male or female. And the information collected will be archived at the Fort Smith National Historic Site where it will be available for researchers in the future. A beautiful certificate accompanies the membership and membership is a one time fee of $25. Any one interested and send their request for an application along with a Self Address Stamped Envelope to the above address. We have several books for sale of local interest also and can be obtain through the above address.
    Sebastian County, Arkansas Original Land Grants.......................$8.00
    Crawford County, Arkansas Original Land Grants..........................$8.00
    1890 Reconstructed Census of Sebastian County, Arkansas.........$20.00
    Master Index, Agent Funeral Home Records, Books 1-14, Sequoyah County,
    Oklahoma.............................................................................. $15.00
    Please add $2.00 per book for postage and handling.
  • The Fort Smith Historical Society, Inc. ,
    c/o Fort Smith Public Library , 61 South 8th Street , Fort Smith AR 72901
  • Arkansas History Commission, One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201; 501.682.6900
  • Arkansas Genealogical Society, 1411 Shady Grove Road, P.O. Box 908, Hot Springs, AR 71902-0908; Phone: 501-262-4513
  • Arkansas Historical Society, 422 South Sixth Street, Van Buren, AR 72201
  • Arkansas Family History Association, 609 Colynwood, Sherwood, Arkansas 72120; 501-835-7502
  • Arkansas Historical Association, 416 Old Main, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701; 479-575-5884, 479-575-2775 FAX
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Arkansas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Arkansas

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Sebastian County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Sebastian County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Some church records for Arkansas churches are available at the Arkansas History Commission. These include published church histories, church records, newspapers, and manuscript collections.

Local county genealogical and historical organizations have copied, cataloged, and published records of local cemeteries. Most of these are in the collection at the Arkansas History Commission; many are in the DAR Library. Most of those in the DAR collection have been microfilmed by the FHL.

Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Sebastian County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Sebastian County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

Sebastian County was formed on January 6, 1851, from parts of Crawford, Scott and Polk counties and was named for William K. Sebastian, a Judge, State Senator and U.S. Senator from Arkansas. The landscape of Sebastian County is rolling farmlands, forested ridges, isolated mountains and lakes. The county seats are Fort Smith and Greenwood. The economic base is strong and diversified with manufacturing, service industries, timber, agriculture (beef, dairy, spinach, turnip greens). A strong oriental community brings a variety of influences, businesses and restaurants. The Westark Community College offers a four-year degree through the University of Arkansas. Fort Smith’s arts center, community theater, and symphony further enrich the cultural life of the area. The stately limestone courthouse in Ft. Smith, which contains 254 rooms, houses early history of the county. Among several markers on the courthouse grounds is a statue of a Confederate soldier, on top of a pedestal nearly three stories tall that stands with its back toward a national cemetery a few blocks away from where it was originally planned to stand. The United States Secretary of War at the time refused to consent to the words “Lest we forget.” The Confederate veterans and citizens who raised funds to erect the monument would not agree to the omission, and the statue was placed on the courthouse lawn. The Greenwood Courthouse, a more modern structure, is a living part of the community. On April 19, 1968, this building’s predecessor shared the fate of much of the rest of this county seat when it was demolished by a tornado. A bronze plaque on the present building demonstrates the determination of county residents with the words “This building embodies the continuous spirit of Sebastian County as its courthouses have risen from ashes and other disasters since the county was created in 1851.” The flag of the City of Greenwood is flown along with the Arkansas and American flags in front of the courthouse.

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