Benton County was created on 30 September 1836and was formed fromWashington County. It was named after Thomas Hart Benton, the prominent U.S. Senator from Missouri. The county seat is at Bentonville. In 1862, the largest battle of the Civil War in Arkansas was fought at Elkhorn Tavern at Pea Ridge. Benton County is the home of the founder of Wal-Mart, Sam Walton, as well as the home of the trucking firm, J.B. Hunt. It is an area of Arkansas that continues to grow rapidly. The communities of Rogers, Gravette, Siloam Springs, Bella Vista, Centerton, War Eagle and Gentry are the largest. Benton County is bordered by , Barry County, MO (north), Carroll County (east), Madison County (southeast), Washington County (south), Adair County, OK (southwest), Delaware County, OK (west), McDonald County, MO (northwest). Cities, Towns & Communities include , Avoca, Bella Vista, Bentonville, Bethel Heights, Cave Springs, Centerton, Decatur, Elm Springs, Garfield, Gateway, Gentry, Gravette, Highfill, Little Flock, Lowell, Pea Ridge, Prairie Creek, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Springtown, Sulphur Springs
The Official County Website is located at http://www.co.benton.ar.us/ .
See Extended History for More information. Arkansas History Commission sources say an "1865 courthouse fire destroyed many early records." D.Y. Thomas mentiones a log courthouse built in 1837, a brick structure in 1840, and another brick courthouse built in 1873, but does not mention a fire.
PLEASE READ!! 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. Arkansas History Commission sources say an "1865 courthouse fire destroyed many early records." D.Y. Thomas mentiones a log courthouse built in 1837, a brick structure in 1840, and another brick courthouse built in 1873, but does not mention a fire.
Benton County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1837 and Land Records from 1837 and is located at 215 East Central, Bentonville, 72712; (479) 271-1015. . 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
Benton County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1861 and Probate Records from 1866 and is located at 215 East Central, Suite 217,
Bentonville, 72712; (479) 271-1013. . 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. 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 Benton County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Benton County Court Records by clicking the link below:
Arkansas Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
Click Here to Search Arkansas Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
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 Benton 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 On-Line: To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please click below.
Below is a list of online resources for Benton County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Benton County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Arkansas newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
Click Here to Search Arkansas Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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 Benton County, Arkansas are 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Benton County, Arkansas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 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 Benton County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Benton County Census Records by clicking the link below:
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 Benton County Maps. Email us with websites containing Benton County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Arkansas Military Records! - 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 Benton County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Benton County Military Records by clicking the link below:
Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Arkansas (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
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 Benton County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Benton County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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 Benton County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Benton County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Arkansas Historical Association, 416 Old Main, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701; 479-575-5884, 479-575-2775 FAX
Arkansas Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search Arkansas Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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.
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 Benton County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Benton County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Arkansas obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Arkansas newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Arkansas .
Click Here to Search Arkansas Family Tree Records! - 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 Benton County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Benton County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Arkansas Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Benton County and Bentonville are named in honor of Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri, who played a key role in persuading Congress to admit Arkansas to the Union on September 30, 1836, as the 25th state. The county was organized in 1836.
Benton County is 886 square miles with a perimeter of 142.25 miles. The topography is gentle rolling hills (Ozark Mountains). The average annual rainfall is 40 to 45 inches.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports a population of 153,406 in Benton County in 2000, with an estimated population of 172,003 in 2003 (a 12.1% increase). Bentonville is the county seat and had an estimated population of 26,397 in 2003, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The largest city is Rogers, with an estimated population in 2003 of 42,795. There are 17 incorporated cities and towns and 6 unincorporated towns in the County.
The County Judge is the chief executive officer for county government in Arkansas. In Benton County, the County Judge is elected for a term of two years. The Quorum Court is the legislative body of Benton County and is comprised of 13 members (Justices of the Peace), who also serve a two-year elected term. The County Judge and Justices of the Peace may be re-elected for additional two-year terms.
In 1960, the Army Corps of Engineers began work on Beaver Dam, impounding a major part of the White River and creating Beaver Lake. Beaver Lake is approximately 50 miles in length and covers approximately 31,700 acres, with about 483 miles of shoreline and an elevation of 1,120 feet. There are several U.S. Corps of Engineers parks and campgrounds surrounding Beaver Lake. The Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area (formerly known as the Beaver Lake State Park) is the only state park in the County.
Important agricultural crops include hay and pasture for livestock. In 2002, Benton County led the state and was third in the nation for broiler (poultry) production.
The largest manufacturing industries are Bekaert Corporation (steel tire cord); Clayton Mark (water system tanks, yard hydrants & water system accessories); Crane Company (carbon steel valves); Glad Manufacturing (Glad plastic bags & plastic cling wrap); Foam Molding Corporation (structural foam plastics & enclosures for electronic equipment); Kraft Foods (bulk cheese), Preformed Line Products Co. (pole line hardware for overhead power, splice cases & related products for telecommunications industry, rubber molding, injection molding, wire drawing & forming); Rogers Tool Works (carbide compacts for the oil industry, palletizing dies, blanks & carbide cutting tools, reamers, tool holders with inserts, drills, carbide wear parts & lathe tools); Superior Industries (aluminum road wheels); and Tyson's, Inc. (poultry processing & distribution centers, specialty frozen chicken items).
The largest service & retail employer is Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., which is headquartered in Bentonville. Numerous Fortune 500 companies (as well as smaller firms) have regional offices in Benton County to support their accounts at Wal-Mart.
Famous people from Benton County include:
· Sam and Helen Walton (founders of Wal-Mart, Inc.)
· Betty (Blake) Rogers (Will Rogers' wife)
· Coin Harvey (built Monte Ne resort)
· Louise Thaden (famous pilot)
· Tom Morgan (writer for the Saturday Evening Post and Life Magazine)
