Welcome To Jefferson County Genealogy Page
My name is Janey Kaiser and I am the coordinator for the Jefferson County Arkansas page. The PURPOSE OF THIS PAGE is to aid you in your search for Jefferson County Arkansas residents. It is hoped that the information contained here will help you better understand how and when the county boundaries changed, who some of the residents were, where Jefferson county information may be found and how to contact others that may be working on families of your same interest.
Brief History of Arkansas
In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was acquired by the United States, and, in 1819,
Arkansas was organized as a territory. Its northern, eastern and southern
borders were the same as they are now, but to the west, some of what is now
Oklahoma was included. Two years later, in 1821, the territorial capital was
moved from Arkansas Post to Little Rock. By 1836, the Arkansas Territory had the 60,000 residents required to become a
state, and after writing an acceptable constitution, was declared the 25th state
in the United States
About the Arkansas Gen Web Project
In April, 1996, a group of genealogists organized the
Arkansas Comprehensive Genealogy Database. The idea was to
provide a single entry point for all counties in Arkansas, where collected databases would be stored. In addition, the
databases would be indexed and cross-linked, so that even if an
individual were found in more than one county, they could be
located in the index. At the same time, volunteers were found who
were willing to coordinate the collection of databases and
generally oversee the contents of the web page. If you
would like to host a county, in Arkansas, contact Betsy Mills.
THE US
Gen Web Project
In March and April, 1996, a group of genealogists organized the
Kentucky Comprehensive
Genealogy Database. The idea was to provide a single entry point
for all counties in Kentucky,
where collected databases would be stored. In addition, the
databases would be indexed and
cross-linked, so that if an individual were found in more than
one county, they could be located in
the index. At the same time, volunteers were found who
were willing to coordinate the collection of
databases and generally oversee the contents of the web pages,
This project has been expanded
from Kentucky to all areas of the United States, becoming the US
Gen Web Project.
World Gen Web
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP IN DOING
LOOK UPS FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY
Has volunteered to do Census Look-ups for Jefferson County.
Thank you for your help.
Census Look Ups (not limited to this County)
Please email Telisa Textor
Thank you for your help
Please visit this page. We must never forget.
EARLY COUNTY HISTORY
The territory comprising this county was taken from the counties of Arkansas and Pulaski by the act of November 2, 1829. It was named for Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Pulaski and Lonoke counties; on the east by Arkansas and Desha; on the south by Lincoln and Cleveland, and on the west by Grant County. It has an area of 903 square miles of fertile valley and upland, and is one of the leading cotton counties of the state. The Arkansas River flows through the county and affords ample drainage.
Thwaitcs' "Early Western Travels" (vol. xiii, p. 140) says: "It is said that the first white man in Jefferson County was Leon Le Roy, one of Tonti's men, who deserted from the (Arkansas) Post in 1690. He was held in captivity for fourteen years by the Osage, and when he escaped was captured and adopted by the Quapaw, to whom he taught the use of firearms. When the Quapaw treaty of 1818 was made, one of the chiefs gave the commissioners, as an emblem of friendship, a gun said to be the one which Le Roy had a century earlier taught the Quapaw to use. This weapon is preserved in the Smithsonian Institution at Washington."
A few squatters came upon the old hunting grounds of the Quapaw prior to 1819, but the first permanent white settler in the county was Joseph Bonne, a French hunter and trapper, who located on the site of Pine Bluff in 1819. He built a wigwam on the bank of the Arkansas River and lived there with no companion except his dog for several years. The site of this wigwam was washed away by the river. Other pioneers were: John Derresseaux, a man named Prewett, Ambrose Bartholomew, Antoine Duchesson, David Musick, Euclid Johnson, Israel Dodge, Francis Villier, the Dardennis and the Vaugine families, Antoine Barraque and a few others, all of whom settled near the river.
The act creating the county provided that "the temporary seat of justice shall be at the house of Joseph Bone (Bonne) until otherwise provided for by law." Two weeks later another act authorized the election of commissioners to locate a permanent county seat, but as the county records prior to 1837 have not been preserved, it is not known who the commissioners were. In the spring of 1832 the seat of justice was moved to the house of Antoine Barraque, three miles below Pine Bluff on the same side of the river, and by the act of November 1, 1833, Louis Bougy, Samuel Taylor and Etheldred Varsier were named as commissioners to contract for and superintend the erection of a jail. The jail was built at Pine Bluff, which had been selected by popular vote as the permanent county seat at an election held in August, 1832. The first county officers were: W. P. Haekett, judge; J. T. Pullen, clerk; Creed Taylor, sheriff; Peter German, coroner; N. Holland, surveyor.
Jefferson County is divided into the following townships: Barraque, Bogy, Bolivar, Dudley Lake, Dunnington, Jefferson, Melton, Niven, Old River, Pastoria, Plum Bayou, Richland, Roberts, Spring, Talladega, Vaugine, Victoria, Villeraont, Washington and Whiteville.
The legal fraternity of Jefferson County has always been one of prominence. In a list of the members of the bar may be found the names of Samuel C. and John S. Roane, James Yell, J. W. Bocage, R. W. Johnson, A. B. and William P. Grace, Ira McL. Barton, W. E. Hemingway, M. L. Jones and John M. Taylor, all of whom were prominent, both in law and political affairs.
Two lines of the Missouri Pacific railway system and the main line of the St. Louis Southwestern form connections at Pine Bluff and a branch of the latter system runs from Altheimer to Little Rock. These roads supply all parts of the county with transportation facilities. In the early days, when steamboats operated on the Arkansas River, Pine Bluff was an important shipping point.
Pine Bluff is the third city of the state in population. The incorporated Town of Altheimer is situated in Plum Bayou Township, about ten miles northeast from Pine Bluff. It has a bank, a handle factory, general stores, etc., and a population of 450. Redfield, on the Missouri Pacific near the northwest corner, was incorporated on October 29, 1898. It has a sawmill, a canning factory, a population of 296, and is a trading and shipping point for a rich farming district. The principal villages are English, Ladd, Sherrill, Tucker and Wabbaseka. In 1920 the county reported a population of 60,330, an increase of 7,596 in ten years. (Source - Centennial History of Arkansas 1922; transcribed by Tina Easley.)
Jefferson County was created on 2 November 1829 and was formed from Arkansas and Pulaski Counties. The county was named for Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, and contains very fertile agricultural lands. The French are believed to be the first white settlers of the area and they resided along side the American Indians in the area. The county seat is at Pine Bluff.
Jefferson County is bordered by Pulaski County (northwest), Lonoke County (north), Arkansas County (east), Lincoln County (southeast), Cleveland County (southwest), Grant County (west). Cities, Towns & Communities include Altheimer, Humphrey, Pine Bluff, Redfield, Sherrill, Wabbaseka, White Hall
Parts of Jefferson County was used to form the following counties: Cleveland 1873, Grant 1869, Lincoln 1871. Other county boundary changes occurred when Boundaries defined 3 November 1831 and 29 October 1836, lines changed with Lincoln and Desha 20 March 1879 and with Arkansas 25 February 1889.
We have a new way of posting our Query's.
I hope this makes it easier.
View Archived Queries 1996 thru 1997
View Archived Queries from Jan. thru July 1998
View Archived Queries from Aug. thru Dec. 1998
View Archived Queries from Jan. thru March 1999
View Archived Queries from April thru June 1999
View Archived Queries from July thru Dec. 1999
View Archived Queries from Jan. thru October 2, 2000
Please be sure and visit our archived queries. You might be surprised and find just the family connection you need for your research. If you know the Surname you are looking for then click on the first letter of that name. It will take you to the name and then click on it and it will take you to the Query you are looking for. I hope this makes it easy for everyone looking for that certain person to help find a link to your past. This procedure is only for Archived Queries only.
You may search for a person in Jefferson County with this link. Just enter the last name or if you know the full name of the person you are looking for you can enter it also. Please give it a try and see if it makes it easier for you to find that certain person.
History of Arkansas
Arkansas Statehood:
1819-
1836
1814 Arkansas Territory Tax List
1816 Arkansas Territory Tax List
Pre-1830 Arkansas Territory Tax List
1835 Arkansas Federal Pension Roll
1860 Federal Census Index Indian Lands (now Located in Ok.)
1860 Federal Census of Indian Lands, (now Located in Ok.)
POST OFFICES--PAST AND
PRESENT
Adamsburgh (1870-1877)
Altheimer (1885-Date)
Anrep (1918/1927)
Astor (1881-1883)
Bankhead (1877-1908)
Bellville (1875-1879)
Brook's (1859-1866)
Brookside (1901-1905)
Byrd's Springs (1857/1872)
Camp Creek (1850-1859)
Carson (1868-1879)
Cooper's Landing (1872-1879)
Cornerstone (1886-1830)
Cotton Center (1878-1887)
Cottonwood (1849-1849)
Dexter (1882-1912)
Diantha (1915-1929)
Double Wells (1871/1930)
Doylestown (1914-1936)
Dugan's Landing (1849-1850)
Eastwood (1903-1907)
Edwards (1878-1879)
Egypt (1856-1859)
Elerson (1892-1929)
English (1886/1930)
Fair Bluff (1860-1860)
Fair Dale (1858-1869)
Fairfield (1878-1915)
Faith (1888-1931)
Ferda (1908-1943)
Fiveforks (1901-1902)
Flat Bayou (1) (1857/1878)
Flat Bayou (2) (1881-1886)
Garretson (1894/1921)
Garretson's Landing (1866/1894)
Gethsamane (1898-1929)
Greely (1881/1897)
Greenback (1869/1892)
Greer (1884-1910)
Hannaberry (1896-1921)
Haywood (1910-1912)
Hockers (1877-1886)
Hoodsville (1850-1850)
Jefferson (1881-Date)
Kearney (1888-1912)
Ladd (1897-1907)
Lake Dick (1900/1945)
Lake Farm (1889-1895)
Lakefarm (1895-1918)
Langford (1902/1920)
Leander (1880-1881)
Linwood (1874-1905)
Locust Cottage (1855/1924)
Loomis (1891-1892)
Luzon (1899-1900)
Macon (1884-1892)
Madding (1888-1929)
McGrew (1908-1911)
McKenzies (1876-1877)
Melton (1868/1877)
Mentor (1881-1882)
Monday (1855-1859)
Moscow (1905-Date)
Moten (1918-1935)
Mulberry Grove (1866-1868)
Natick (1887-1888)
New Gascony (1) (1832/1866)
New Gascony (2) (1868/1869)
New Gascony (3) (1869/1929)
Noble's Lake (1873-1895)
Nobles (1895-1900)
Nobles Lake (1900-1919)
Nubia (1885-1896)
Oak Park Sta. (?-Date)
Oakville (1869/1881)
Pastoria (1854/1917)
Peach Grove (1855-1859)
Pearl (1899-1906)
Pine Bluff (1828-Date)
Piney Grove (1873-1877)
Plum Bayou (1843-1949)
Racine (1877-1886)
Rainey (1881/1892)
Red Bluff (1869-1892)
Redfield (1880-Date)
Reed (1877-1878)
Reeves Landing (1870-1873)
Reform (1870/1877)
Reydel (1899/1930)
Reydell (1842-Date)
Richland (1) (1839-1866)
Richland (2) (1866-1869)
Rob Roy (1850/1895)
Robroy (1895-1926)
Ruth (1882-1885)
Rutledge (1873-1874)
Saint Marys (1839-1843)
Sherrill (1890-Date)
Skinner (1901-1914)
Sleeth (1889-1899)
Smart (1881-1884)
Straw Hat (1852-1853)
Swan Lake (1) (1851-1886)
Swan Lake (2) (1887/1923)
Sweden (1900-1925)
Tamo (1900-1967)
Tamo Rur. Sta. (1968-Date)
Toronto (1871/1899)
Tucker (1888-Date)
Tyrone (1892-1900)
Vaugine (1825-1828)
Victoria (1868-1873)
Wabbaseka (1883-Date)
Waldstein (1912-1927)
Waterseky (1858-1860)
Watts (1886-1888)
White Bluff (1854/1884)
White Sulphur Springs (1855/1878)
Wightman's Mills (1867-1867)
Williamette (1872/1907)
Windom (1893-1895)
Wright (1938-Date)
Some City's and Towns in Jefferson County
Altheimer Humphrey Pine Bluff Redfield Sherrill Wabbaseka White Hall
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A List of Jefferson County Public Libraries
Jefferson County Old Picture's
(Source: American Memory from the Library of Congress)
Arkansas--Altheimer.
America from the Great Depression to World War II
Arkansas--Jefferson
County--Lake Dick Project. America from the Great Depression to World
War II
Arkansas--Jefferson
County--Lake Dick. America from the Great Depression to World War
II
Arkansas--Jefferson
County--Plum Bayou Project. America from the Great Depression to World
War II
Arkansas--Jefferson
County--Plum Bayou. America from the Great Depression to World War
II
Arkansas--Lake
Dick. America from the Great Depression to World War II
Arkansas--Pine
Bluff. America from the Great Depression to World War II
Library,
Pine Bluff (Source: Post
Card Library)
Public
Library, Pine Bluff (Source: Post
Card Library)
Old Postcards of Pine Bluff
This link submitted by Paul Perdue
Paul has about 560 old postcards on it and He is adding more all the time.
Please feel free to submit your Picture's from the Past
and I will add them to this page
History of Pioneer's that Lived and Settled in Jefferson County
If you would send me your stories about your family's, in an attached file I will post them to this page and we will all have something to do with and help to create this page. I am sure it will help everyone who has an interest in this county. Thank you, Janey
View Jefferson County Pioneers
A List of Pioneers From Jefferson County
Township Formation, Dates and Boundaries
View Jefferson County References
Source of information and where it is located
Arkansas Land Records by surname
Joy Fisher's Pre-1908 homestead and bounty land patents for the state of Arkansas that lets you search the records by Surname.
View 1830 Census of Jefferson County
The 1830 Jefferson County, Arkansas Census
Transcribed by Harry O. Alvis; 29 Oct 1997.
View 1840 Census of Jefferson County
The 1840 Jefferson County, Arkansas Census
Transcribed by Harry O. Alvis; 29 Oct 1997.
View 1850 Census of Jefferson County
1900 Arkansas Census Bogy TWP.
Please Visit the surrounding Counties.
Arkansas Lonoke Cleveland Grant Lincoln Pulaski
A list of some of the Cemetery's in Jefferson County
Some of the links will open
Pictures of this cemetery
Harmony Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery (Updated as of May 2008)
(Abandoned) Information on this Site Only
Memorial Park Cemetery A thru M
Memorial Park Cemetery N thru z
Noble - Gravier Cemetery (aka St. Paul's Cemetery)
Thomas Dunnington Family Cemetery
Jefferson County, Arkansas Marriage Records
Compiled by Sara J. Greer
This is a site that has a Directory of links to other Marriage Records as well as a searchable database
Submitted by Janet Schaible. Thank you Janet for your wonderful site.
Arkansas Penitentiary Records
Submitted by Deb Robinson
Jefferson County Penitentiary Record Index 1918-1920
Jefferson County Penitentiary Records 1936-1938
Arkansas State Convict Farm #3, 1930 Index of Prisoners
This is where we start information on the War's.
If you have a Relative or any Information from Jefferson County and would like to submit to the War Pages, please email their names and information to Janey Kaiser and I will add your information to our pages. Be sure and include what War they were in. Thank You.
Civil War Information
Civil War Battles in Arkansas
Please visit this Site for other State Message Boards
Some Arkansas Civil War Links I found
A lot of Information under this link for the State of Arkansas
The Original Arkansas Civil War Page
ARKANSAS CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL PAGE
CONFEDERATE POW'S LISTED IN ARKANSAS UNITS
Who died in Rock Island Il. Prison Camp
"Arkansas Confederate and Union Soldier's Burial Place"
ARKANSAS CIVIL WAR INFORMATION
(Patrick R Cleburne Camp #1433)
Jefferson County, Arkansas, World War II Casualties Army and Air force
Arkansas State World War II Casualties Listings per County
You can go to this site and look up any County in Arkansas to see there Casualties
Jefferson County Korean War Casualties
The Names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall from Arkansas
Sorted by Town
Arkansas Missing in Action Vietnam War
AFRICAN AMERICAN INTERNET LINKS
Slaves
JEFFERSON COUNTY, ARKANSAS
Slaveholder's of 1860 & African American Surname of 1870
LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES and
SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS
Transcribed by Tom Blake, May, 2001
African-American genealogical research and resources site.
Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites
African-American genealogical resources site.
John MacGavock Grider was an American pilot,
who served in Britain in World War I
Sultana
The Sultana was a Mississippi River steamboat that was allowed by law to carry only 376 persons, including the crew. On April 27, 1865, straining against the floodwaters of the Mississippi and grossly overloaded with repatriated Union prisoners returning home after the end of the Civil War (steamboat captains were apparently paid a contract of $5 per person to carry the prisoners home and some estimates place the number of people actually on board at over 2000), Sultana's leaky boilers exploded in a huge ball of flame that was seen and heard for many miles, setting the vessel on fire and throwing many of the weakened and ill former POWs on the decks several hundred feet into the river. Others that had survived the initial explosion were trapped in the wreckage and burned to death. Since there was no list of personnel aboard, estimates of the death toll range as high as 1900 people (more than RMS Titanic 47 years later), making this the worst maritime disaster in United States history. The number of survivors is estimated at approximately 500 people. There was relatively little publicity about the incident at the time as it was overshadowed by the end of the war and the assassination of President Lincoln only eleven days earlier
An account of the sinking of the Sultana
By a descendant of one of the very few female survivors who lost her husband and seven year old daughter in the wreck. This page includes a deposition given by Mrs. Annis during the official investigation into the cause of the wreck.
MEMORIAL TO THE SULTANA INCIDENT
A List of the Calvary that did not survive
THE BURNING OF THE STEAMBOAT SULTANA
THE SULTANA: DEATH ON A DARK RIVER
These are a few interesting sites about our Native American Indians,
some in Arkansas and others around the Southeast.
Distribution of Native Americans in the Southeast
(numbers refer to tribes on next web site)
List of Indian Tribes in the Southeast around 1820
Western Cherokee Nation of Arkansas and Missouri
Family Stories from Trail of Tears
Accounts of the "Cherokee Trail of Tears" With reference to "Princess Otahki"
"This is an interview, conducted at a dedication ceremony,
of a monument to one of those lost on the 'Trail Of Tears'."
By Elizabeth Mulligan
Indian Voices from the Trail of Tears
Indian Voices from the Trails of Tears is a collection of writing by American Indians who were involved with the removal of Indigenous Nations from their traditional homelands in the nineteenth century. While the term Trails of Tears has been applied to the removal of tribal groups from the American Southeast to Indian Territory, we use it to apply to the forced resettlement of Indian nations from other parts of the country as well.
The writings include narratives by survivors, family stories, memoirs, poetry, and essays concerning removal policy.
Family
Stories from the Trail of Tears
edited by Lorrie Montiero
Cherokee
Removal - The Trail Where They Cried
nu na hi du na tlo hi lu
i
Roots Web's Gen Connect for Jefferson County
This site has a lot of information.
Please try it out, you might just find your missing person
Arkansas
Census Records Online
Submitted by Brenda Hay
We
are located in Washington, Arkansas, next to Old
We
are open Monday-Friday, 9-4.
Faith Riley, Director
Information for Jefferson County as well as all of Arkansas
and the Southeastern States.
1842 Map, 1850 Map, 1852 Map, 1871 Map
Betsy Mills Arkansas Counties Boundary Maps; 1842, 1850, 1852 and 1871!
New Links that are very interesting and helpful
Rotating Census Maps
Maps for Arkansas
Arkansas History Commission and State Archives
Go to Original Arkansas Genealogy Page
Bill Couch's Original Arkansas Genealogy Home Page
John Robertson Historical County Lines
County Maps of all the U.S. (incomplete)
Links to Online Census Records for any State and a few Countries
ARKANSAS RAZORBACK'S
Sports Schedule and News Updates
Vital Records Information - Arkansas
State Health Department has birth and death records from 1914 and marriage records from 1917, divorce records from 1921.
Clerks of counties where license was obtained have marriage records. The Clerks of Circuit Courts also have records of wills, deeds, divorces, and war service.
Addresses in alphabetical order by county
Jefferson County Vital Records
Jefferson County Clerk
P.O. Box 6317
Pine Bluff, AR 71611-6317
(870) 541-5360
Arkansas Birth Certificates, Death Records, Marriage Licenses and more
JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
(No URL or E-mail address) c/o Dave Wallace Pine Bluff, Arkansas
JEFFERSON COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
(No URL or E-mail address)
Organized in the mid 1980's and has been continuously active to
the present. We meet the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00
p.m. at the Jefferson County Museum located in the old Depot at
4th and State Streets in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Usually we have a
speaker but often we share information on our own research
progress. The public is welcome. Annual Membership dues are $10
for individual, $15 for couples and $10 for organizations. The
Society's publication is called FOOTPRINTS and is usually
published twice a year. The Jefferson County Genealogical Society
works closely with the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library, and
volunteers have generously donated both time and materials for
research. The address is
JEFFERSON COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY,
POST OFFICE BOX # 2215,
PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS 71613
Jefferson County Public Library
Please email the
Library if you have any questions.
200 E. 8th
Pine Bluff, Ark. 71601
Phone: 1-501-534-4802
If you would like to visit the new Web Site for the Library, then click below:
Jefferson County Public Library
A very special thinks to Dave Burdick for calling this new Web Site and E-Mail address for the Jefferson County Library to my attention.
SPECIAL THANKS and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Joy Fisher for providing access to the Arkansas land records!
Betsy Mills for providing access to the Arkansas Counties Boundary Maps; 1842, 1850, 1852 and 1871!
Debbie Campbell for generating the Maps at the top of this page showing the position of Jefferson county with relation to the other counties in Arkansas !
John Robertson for providing access to the Historical County Lines Maps of all the U.S. !
You are the110337Visitor since May 8, 1999.
Always Remember
Please Click on the Ribbon
This page was last updated
February 20, 2013, by Janey Kaiser
Jefferson County Coordinator.