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''[[United States Genealogy|United States]][[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Arkansas Genealogy|Arkansas]]'' [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] '''Jefferson County'''
Guide to '''Jefferson County, Arkansas ancestry, genealogy and family history''', birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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{| width="314" border="1" class="infobox" style="padding: 5px; border: 1px solid gray;"
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| bgcolor="bedde0" colspan="2" | <center>'''Important Resources'''</center>
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| bgcolor="e4eded" | {{•}} [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Birth|Births]]<br> {{•}} [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Marriage|Marriages]]<br> {{•}} [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Death|Deaths]]
| bgcolor="e4eded" | {{•}} [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Census|Census]]<br>
{{•}} [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Cemeteries|Cemeteries ]]
|}<br>
{{Infobox U.S. County 2015
|organized= November 2, 1829
|county seat= Pine Bluff
|courthouse= [http://jefferson.ark.org/departments Jefferson County Courthouse]<br>101 W Barraque Street<br>Pine Bluff, AR 71601<br>Phone: 870.541.5360
|Cities and Towns= [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Cities and Towns|See list]]
|parent county= [[Arkansas County, Arkansas Genealogy|Arkansas]] • [[Pulaski County, Arkansas Genealogy|Pulaski]]<ref name="Handybook">''The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'',10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).</ref>
|boundary changes= [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Boundary Changes|See details]]
|record loss= [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Record loss|See details]]
|variant spellings=
|county1= [[Arkansas County, Arkansas Genealogy|Arkansas]]
|county2= [[Cleveland County, Arkansas Genealogy|Cleveland]]
|county3= [[Grant County, Arkansas Genealogy|Grant]]
|county4= [[Lincoln County, Arkansas Genealogy|Lincoln]]
|county5= [[Lonoke County, Arkansas Genealogy|Lonoke]]
|county6= [[Pulaski County, Arkansas Genealogy|Pulaski]]</br><center>[[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Maps and Gazetteers|See County Maps]]</center>
|county7=
|county8=
|county9=
|county10=
|county location in state= [[Image:Ar-jefferson.png|185x185px]]
|adoption=
}}
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|{{AR Want to Help?}}
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{{Click|image:AR_ORP.png|Arkansas_Online_Genealogy_Records}}
== County Information ==
{{AR County Information Intro}}
=== Jefferson County, Arkansas Record Dates ===
{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"
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| width="100%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" colspan="6" | <center>'''Beginning Dates for Major County Records'''<ref>Alice Eichholz, ''Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources'', 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 65-67. {{WorldCat|55947869|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|1185723|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004}}.</ref></center>
|-
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | '''[[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Birth|Birth]]'''
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | '''[[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Marriage|Marriage]]'''
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | '''[[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Death|Death]]'''
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | '''[[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Census|Census]]'''
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | '''[[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Land|Land]]'''
| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | '''[[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Probate|Probate]]'''
|-
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1914*
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1830
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1914*
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1830
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1830
| width="16.6%" align="center" | 1829
|-
| colspan="6" | <center>*State birth and death records began in 1914. Limited compliance until 1920's</center>
|}
=== County Courthouse ===
{{AR Courthouse Intro|Jefferson}}
[http://jefferson.ark.org/departments Jefferson County Courthouse]<br>101 W Barraque Street<br>Pine Bluff, AR 71601<br>Phone: 870.541.5360 <br><br>County Clerk has marriage records from 1830 and probate records from 1845; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce, court and land records.<ref name="HB">''The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America'', 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), p. 68.</ref>
'''Government and Related Websites'''<br>
* [http://www.county-clerk.net/countyclerk.asp?state=Arkansas&county=Jefferson County-clerk.net] (unofficial site) — Clerks have jurisdiction over birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, land use, land rights, real estate, and other court records. Site provides links to unofficial websites with online records
* [http://publicrecords.onlinesearches.com/AR_Jefferson.htm PublicRecords.com] (unofficial site) — Provides links to County officials and public records
=== Record Loss ===
* For record loss in Arkansas counties, see [http://www.argenweb.net/columbia/DestroyedCourthouses.htm ARGenWeb]
=== Boundary Changes ===
{{AR Boundary Changes Intro|Jefferson}}
*'''1829--'''Jefferson County was created 2 November 1829 from [[Arkansas County, Arkansas Genealogy|Arkansas]] and [[Pulaski County, Arkansas Genealogy|Pulaski]] counties.
'''County seat: '''Pine Bluff <ref name="Handybook">''The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'',10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).</ref>
{{AR Newberry Boundaries|JEFFERSON}}
For animated maps illustrating Arkansas county boundary changes, [http://www.mapofus.org/arkansas/ "Rotating Formation Arkansas County Boundary Maps"] (1813-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
=== Cities and Towns ===
{{AR Cities and Towns Intro|Jefferson}}
* Click {{FHL Place IDNum|194569|Arkansas|Jefferson}} and select the link '''''Places within...''''' for cities and towns (most counties)
:*Hardin
:*Pine Bluff
=== History Timeline ===
{{AR Historical Timeline Intro}}
Events below gleaned from Jefferson County [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=779 The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture]<br>
*1818 August 24 - The Quapaw ceded their lands to the U.S. government.
*1800s (early) - One of the first permanent settlers of record in Jefferson County was Joseph Bonne, who brought his Quapaw family from to live on a pine tree–covered bluff on the Arkansas River.
*1890s - Jefferson County entered what historian Jim Leslie has referred to as the Golden Era. Because of its prodigious cotton production and location near the Arkansas River, the county attracted many industries, businesses, and public institutions.
*1927-1930s - The Flood of 1927 is considered Jefferson County’s worst natural disaster, killing dozens of people and destroying tens of thousands of acres of cotton and hundreds of farmsteads and homes. With the Great Depression of the 1930s, it took the county decades to reclaim the economic status it was gaining before the flood.
== Resources ==
{{AR Resources Intro}}
=== Bible Records ===
{{AR Bible Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Biographies ===
{{AR Biographies Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Business, Commerce, and Occupations ===
{{AR Business Records Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Cemeteries ===
{{AR Cemeteries Intro|Jefferson}}
{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" border="1" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
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| bgcolor="#EAC7FE" colspan="3" | <center>'''Online Jefferson County, Arkansas''' cemeteries <br>from [[Arkansas Cemeteries|state]] and [[United States Cemeteries|national]] resources</center>
|-
| width="34%" bgcolor="#CFF3FF" | <center>'''Search for names of people'''<br>in Jefferson County</center>
| width="34%" bgcolor="#F2DDFE" | <center>'''Get a list of cemeteries'''<br>(then click to names of people)</center>
| width="32%" bgcolor="#B8FFDB" | <center>'''Find printed records''' <br>(Often more complete)</center>
|-
| valign="top" width="30%" bgcolor="#EBFAFF" |
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GSfn=&GSmn=&GSln=smith&GSbyrel=all&GSby=&GSdyrel=all&GSdy=&GScntry=4&GSst=4&GScnty=127&GSgrid=&df=all&GSob=n Find A Grave] Click "Refine Last Search" on the left, enter a name, click "Search"
*[http://arkansasgravestones.org/search.php?cid=23 Arkansas Gravestones] enter a name and click "Search"
*[http://billiongraves.com/pages/search/#given_names=&family_names=smith&birth_year=&death_year=&year_range=5&lim=0&num=10&action=search&exact=true&phonetic=false&record_type=0&country=United+States&state=Arkansas&county=0 Billion Graves] Enter a name and click "Search" (Statewide. Can search by county, but many with no results.)
| valign="top" width="30%" bgcolor="#FAF1FF" |
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=csr&CScn=&CScntry=4&CSst=4&CScnty=127 Find A Grave] Click '''Search for a Cemetery''' on the right, click '''All Countries''' - click '''United States''', click '''State''', click '''County''' and search.
*[http://arkansasgravestones.org/search.php?cid=23 Arkansas Gravestones] Click '''Browse Gravestones By Cemetery'''
*[http://www.interment.net/us/ar/jefferson.htm Interment.net]
*[http://www.accessgenealogy.com/cemetery/jefferson-county-arkansas-cemetery-records.htm Access Genealogy]
*[http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/jefferson/jefferson.htm USGenWeb Archives]
*[http://usgwtombstones.org/arkansas/jefferson.html USGenWeb Tombstone Project]
*[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~arjeffer/ ARGenWeb] Scroll down 3/4 of the page to find cemeteries.
*[http://www.rootsweb.com/~arcemete/jefferson/jefferson.htm RootsWeb]
*[http://www.idreamof.com/cemetery/ar.html I Dream of Genealogy] Scroll to the county and cemetery.
| valign="top" bgcolor="#D4FFE9" |
*{{FHL Place IDNum|194569|Arkansas|Jefferson}} Select ''Cemeteries''. — for cities and towns, click '''''Places within...''''' link (most counties)
*[http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Jefferson+county+Arkansas=Jefferson+County%2C+Arkansas%2C+cemeteries&qt=notfound_page&search=Search WorldCat]
*[[Arkansas Periodicals|Periodicals]]
*[[Clay County, Arkansas Genealogy#Societies|Societies]]
|}
=== Census Records ===
{{AR Census Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Church Records ===
{{AR Church Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Court Records ===
{{AR Court Intro|Jefferson}}
* Court records began in 1837<ref>Alice Eichholz, ''Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources'', 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 65-67. {{WorldCat|55947869|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|1185723|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004}}.</ref></center>
=== Directories ===
{{AR Directories Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Emigration and Immigration ===
{{AR Emigration Intro}}
=== Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups ===
{{AR Ethnic Groups Intro}}
==== African Americans ====
{{AR African Americans Intro}}
*'''1865-1871''' - Jefferson County Colored Marriage Books I-II Index 1865-1871 in {{RecordSearch|1417439|Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957}} at FamilySearch - free.<ref name="hc" />
:*1864-1868 — ''[https://familysearch.org/search/image/index#uri=https%3A%2F%2Ffamilysearch.org%2Frecapi%2Fsord%2Fwaypoint%2F9VRS-HZ9%3A1076658406%3Fcc%3D2328125 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Pine Bluff] at [http://FamilySearch.org/ FamilySearch.org] — browsable images only''; Copies of marriage certificates, Register of marriages, Register of abandoned property, letters
:*1866-1867 — ''[https://familysearch.org/search/image/index#uri=https%3A%2F%2Ffamilysearch.org%2Frecapi%2Fsord%2Fwaypoint%2F9VRS-FM9%3A1076658402%3Fcc%3D2328125 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, Pine Bluff (Superintendent of Arkansas River District)] at [http://FamilySearch.org/ FamilySearch.org] — browsable images only;'' persons hired, letters
=== Funeral Homes ===
{{AR Funeral Homes Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Genealogies ===
{{AR Genealogies Intro|Jefferson}}
*Biographies from The History of Jefferson County, Arkansas (1889) published by Goodspeed Publishing Company are available free on the [http://www.mygenealogyhound.com/arkansas-counties/jefferson-county-arkansas-genealogy-biographies.asp My Genealogy Hound] website.
=== Guardianship ===
{{AR Guardianship Intro|Jefferson}}
*'''1817 – 1979''' {{RecordSearch|2061549|Arkansas Probate Records 1817-1979|access=browse}} at [https://familysearch.org FamilySearch] — images; includes guardianships
=== Land and Property Records ===
{{AR Land Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Local Histories ===
{{AR Histories Intro|Jefferson}}
*'''''Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland, and Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas'''''. Chicago, Nashville, and St. Louis, USA: Goodspeed Publishing, 1889. Online at: [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7169 Ancestry.com] ($)
* See also [[Jefferson County, Arkansas Genealogy#Cities and towns|Cities and towns]] for resources in the FamilySearch Catalog
=== Maps and Gazetteers ===
{{AR Maps Intro}}
*[http://www.mapofus.org/arkansas/ Maps of Arkansas (1813-1925)]
<center>{{AR Neighboring Counties Intro}}
{{ARJefferson County, Arkansas Clickable Neighbors}}</center>
=== Migration ===
{{AR Migration Intro}}
=== Military Records ===
{{AR Military Intro}}
==== Civil War ====
{{AR Civil War Intro|Jefferson}}
{{AR Civil War Regiments|Jefferson}}
:- [[1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)|1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)]], Company D
:- [[1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)|1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's) (Confederate)]]
:- [[2nd Battalion, Arkansas Calvalry (Confederate)|2nd Battalion, Arkansas Calvalry (Confederate) ]], Company D
:- [[6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)|6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate) ]], Company G
:- [[8th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)|8th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)]]
:- [[15th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Josey's) (Confederate)|15th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Josey's) (Confederate)]]
:- [[18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)|18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)]] Companies A, D and K
:- [[26th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)|26th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)]], Companies C and K
:- [[Pine Bluff Artillery, Arkansas (Confederate)|Pine Bluff Artillery, Arkansas (Confederate)]]
''''Civil War Battle'''<br><br>
The following Civil War battle was fought in Jefferson County.<br>
*October 25, 1863 = [http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ar011.htm Pine Bluff]<ref>Heritage Preservation Services, [http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ar011.htm Civil War Battle Summaries by State], (accessed 15 August, 2012)</ref>
:[http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ARmap.htm Map] showing Civil War battles in Arkansas.
=== Naturalization and Citizenship ===
{{AR Naturalization Intro}}
=== Newspapers ===
{{AR Newspapers Intro|Jefferson}}
[http://pbjclibrary.state.ar.us/obits/obits.htm Obituary Indexes] from the following from 1866 to current time:
*Pine Bluff Commercial
*Pine Bluff Graphic
*Pin Bluff News
*Pine Bluff Eagle
*White Hall Journal
*Pine Bluff Dispatch
*The Negro Spokesman
*The Jefferson Republican
*Weekly Echo
=== Obituaries ===
{{AR Obituaries Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Other Records ===
{{AR Other Records Intro}}
=== Periodicals ===
{{AR Periodicals Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Probate Records ===
{{AR Probate Intro|Jefferson}}
'''Online Probate Records'''<br>
*'''1783 – 1998''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8638 Arkansas Wills and Probate Records 1783-1998] at [http://home.ancestry.com Ancestry.com] — index and images $
*'''1817 – 1979''' {{RecordSearch|2061549|Arkansas Probate Records 1817-1979|access=browse}} at [https://familysearch.org FamilySearch] — images; includes guardianships
=== School Records ===
{{AR Schools Intro}}
=== Tax Records ===
{{AR Tax Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Vital Records ===
{{AR Vital Intro|Jefferson}}
==== Birth ====
{{AR Vital Records - Birth Intro|Jefferson}}
==== Marriage ====
{{AR Vital Records - Marriage Intro|Jefferson}}
*'''1830-1950''' - Jefferson County Marriage Books A-Z, I-VIII, AA-ZZ Index 1830-1950 in {{RecordSearch|1417439|Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957}} at FamilySearch - free.<ref name="hc">FamilySearch Wiki contributors, "[[Arkansas_County_Marriages_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)|Arkansas County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]," in ''FamilySearch Wiki,'' accessed 18 April 2013.</ref>
*'''1830-1920''' - Jefferson County Marriage Books 1-8, A-Z, AA Index 1830-1920 in [https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/igi International Genealogical Index] at FamilySearch - free.<ref name="vr">Genealogical Society of Utah, ''Parish and Vital Records List'' (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at [[Media:Igiarkansasem.pdf|https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/0/0d/Igiarkansasem.pdf]].</ref>
*'''1837-1957''' - {{RecordSearch|1417439|Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957}} at [http://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch Historical Records] - Free; Index
==== Death ====
{{AR Vital Records - Death Intro|Jefferson}}
==== Divorce ====
{{AR Vital Records - Divorce Intro|Jefferson}}
=== Archives ===
{{AR Archives Intro}}
=== Family History Centers ===
{{Family History Centers Intro}}
*[[Pine Bluff Arkansas Family History Center]] 2501 Ridgeway Rd, Pine Bluff AR 71603 United States
=== Libraries ===
{{AR Libraries Intro|Jefferson}}
'''Major catalogs''' for books, microfilm, or collections pertaining to Jefferson County<br>
* {{FHL Place IDNum|194569|Arkansas|Jefferson}} - Select '''''Places within...''''' for cities and towns
* [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Jefferson+county%2C+arkansas&qt=results_page WorldCat] — Click an item for libraries near you. For more information, see [[WorldCat Online Catalog]].
* [http://alpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/default/search/results?qu=jefferson+county%2C+arkansas&te=ILS Allen County Public Library] — Located in Indiana, they are heavily involved in digitizing much of their collection.
* [http://www.ark-ives.com/documenting/county_records.aspx Arkansas History Commission] Select the county — Arkansas state agency involved in organizing, digitizing, and maintaining the records of state and local history.
* Local libraries and [[Arkansas Archives and Libraries]] may suggest other catalogs
=== Museums ===
{{AR Museums Intro}}
== Societies ==
{{AR Societies Intro|Jefferson}}
[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~arjcgs/?cj=1&netid=cj&o_xid=0001231185&o_lid=0001231185&o_sch=Affiliate+External Jefferson County Genealogical Society] Jefferson County Museum 4th and State Street Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 71613
== Websites ==
{{AR Websites Intro|Jefferson}}
'''Sites with online indexes or images of records'''<br>
:* [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~arjeffer/ ARGenWeb] - Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
:* [http://usgwarchives.net/ar/jefferson/jeffeobit.htm USGenWeb] - Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
{{AR Ancestry to County|Jefferson}}<br>
'''More Jefferson County genealogy links'''<br>
:* [http://www.linkpendium.com/genealogy/USA/AR/jefferson// Linkpendium] - Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
:* [http://www.cyndislist.com/us/ar/counties/jefferson// CyndisList] - Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
== Research Guides ==
{{AR Research Guides Intro}}
== References ==
<references />
{{Arkansas|Arkansas}}
[[Category:IGIcheck]] [[Category:Jefferson_County,_Arkansas]][[Category:Arkansas_Counties]]