Sebastian County, Arkansas Records

Sebastian County, Arkansas (Map It) was created on January 6, 1851 and was formed from Scott County and Crawford County.

Other county boundry changes occured when Part annexed to Scott County and Polk 1 June 1861. Sebastian County was named in honor of William K. Sebastian (1812–1865), a U.S. Circuit Court judge from Arkansas .

Sebastian County is bordered by Crawford County (north), Franklin County (east), Logan County (southeast), Scott County (south), Le Flore County, Oklahoma (southwest), Sequoyah County, Oklahoma (northwest).

Sebastian County Cities and Towns include Barling, Bonanza, Central City, Fort Smith, Greenwood, Hackett, Hartford, Huntington, Lavaca, Mansfield, Midland.

A Map of Sebastian 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

Sebastian County, Arkansas Courthouse Records

The Sebastian County Courthouse is located in Greenwood, Arkansas and Fort Smith, Arkansas. 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. 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 Sebastian 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.

• Sebastian County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1865, Land Records from 1861 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.
• Sebastian County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1865 and has Probate Records from 1851. 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.
• Sebastian County Assessor's Office maintains County tax records. These records are usually arranged by legal description and are not indexed.
• Sebastian County Health Department

Sebastian County, Arkansas Census Records

• Learn More: State of Arkansas Census Records
• U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 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: 1860
• U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules: 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Agriculture Schedules: 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Industry Schedules: 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Union Veterans Schedules: 1890

Sebastian 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.

Sebastian County, Arkansas Resources

• Fort Smith Historical Society
• South Sebastian County Historical Society
• Old Jail Museum
• Frontier Researchers, A Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 2123, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902-2123;
• Sebastian County, Arkansas Message Boards

Sebastian County, Arkansas External Links

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