Franklin County, Arkansas Records

Franklin County, Arkansas (Map It) was created on December 19,1837 and was formed from Crawford County and Johnson County. Parts of Franklin County was used to form the following counties: Logan County 1871.

Other county boundry changes occured when Line with Johnson defined 14 December 1833, line with Crawford defined 4 March 1875, line with Crawford changed 28 March 1895. Its first settlers of the area were from Tennessee and they settled on Mulberry Creek. Franklin County was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), founding father of the United States .

Franklin County is bordered by Madison County (north), Johnson County (east), Logan County (southeast), Sebastian County (southwest), Crawford County (west).

Franklin County Cities and Towns include Altus, Branch, Charleston, Denning, Ozark, Wiederkehr Village.

A Map of Franklin County, Arkansas contains detailed information about roads and boundaries, these maps may include rural communities, churches, and cemeteries..

There is a collection of old Arizona maps at MapGeeks.org

Franklin County, Arkansas Courthouse Records

The Franklin County Courthouse is located in Ozark, Arkansas (northern part) and Charleston, Arkansas (southern part). The records of the county, common pleas, probate, and circuit courts are complete from the date of the first court in 1839. The deed and mortgage records are incomplete; the courthouse was burned in 1863, but G.H. Ross, the clerk, saved from the fire all except the deed records. Since that date the deed records are complete. The records of the Charleston district are complete from 1891, they having been burned in that year. For the most part however, they have been rewritten. Learn More About State of Arkansas Court, Tax, Land and Probate Records.

The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research.

The following dates indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Franklin county. The date listed for each record is usually the earliest registration filed. The date does not indicate that there are alot records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually filed with the clerk.

• Franklin County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1852, Land Records from 1837 and Divorce Records are maintained among the equity records (Divorces issued prior to 1950 are located here. Divorces issued after 1950 can be found  at the Arkansas Department of Public Health. The County Clerk of Circuit Court is the clerk of the circuit, chancery court, and juvenile court and usually acts as the ex-officio recorder of the county. The 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 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.
• Franklin County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1850 and has Probate Records from 1840. The County Clerk, 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.
• Franklin County Assessor's Office maintains County tax records. These records are usually arranged by legal description and are not indexed.
• Franklin County Health Department

Franklin County, Arkansas Census Records

• Learn More: State of Arkansas Census Records
• U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragmented), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
• U.S. Census Reconstructed Records: Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1819-1870
• State Population Schedules: None
• U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules: 1850 and 1860
• U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Agriculture Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Industry Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Union Veterans Schedules: 1890

Franklin County, Arkansas Vital Records

• Learn More: State of Arkansas Vital Records
• Birth and Death Records: from February 1, 1914 to present.
• Marriage Records: from January 1917 to present. 
• Divorce Records: from  January 1923 to present. Full certified copy may be obtained from the County Circuit or Chancery Clerk.
• Locations: Arkansas Office of Vital Records, 4815 W. Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205; (602) 364-1300, 501-661-2336, 800-637-9314
• Vital Records Online: USAVital or Social Security Death Index
• Vital Records by Mail: Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications.

Franklin County, Arkansas Resources

• Franklin County Historical Association, 1102 W. School Street, Ozark, AR 72949
• Franklin County, Arkansas Message Boards

Franklin County, Arkansas External Links

• Arkansas Historical Newspapers - Newspapers.com
• Franklin County, Arkansas Books - Amazon
• Franklin Co., Arkansas - FindaGrave
• Arkansas Indexed Historical Records - Familysearch
• Franklin Co. ARGenweb
• Franklin County, Arkansas Links - Cyndi's List
• Historical Newspapers from Arkansas (1819 - 1999)
• Franklin County, Arkansas Ancestry Database Collections
• Franklin County, Arkansas Military Records