Hempstead County, Arkansas
Genealogy, Facts and Records Resources
Hempstead County was created on 15 December 1818 and was formed from Arkansas County. Hempstead is one of the original five counties created by the Missouri legislature. It was approved in 1818 and occupied fertile land used for agriculture and the timber industry. It was named for Edward Hempstead, the first delegate in the U.S. Congress from the Missouri Territory. The county seat originated at Washington until it moved to Hope. Hempstead County is bordered by Pike County (north), Nevada County (east), Lafayette County (south), Miller County (southwest), Little River County (west), Howard County (northwest). Cities, Towns & Communities include Blevins, Clow, Fulton, Hope, McCaskill, McNab, Oakhaven, Ozan, Patmos, Perrytown, Washington
Parts of Hempstead County was used to form the following counties: Columbia 1852, Howard 1873, Lafayette 1827, Little River 1867, Nevada 1871, Old Miller 1820, Pike 1833, Saline 1835, Sevier 1828, Union 1829. Other county boundry changes occured when Line with Pike defined 14 December 1838, and with Pike and Sevier 17 April 1873.
The Official County Government Website is located at http://www.hempsteadcountyar.com/ . It was reported the circuit court records complete from March 15, 1824; deed records complete since Oct. 9, 1820; records prior lost through "carelessness of officials"; first record of county court dated 1837.
County Court, Probate and Tax Records
The circuit court records complete from March 15, 1824; deed records complete since Oct. 9, 1820; records prior lost through "carelessness of officials"; first record of county court dated 1837.
Hempstead County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1819 and Land Records from 1816 and is located at 400 South Washington Street, Hope, 71801; (870) 777-2384 .
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
Hempstead County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1820 and Probate Records from 1826 and is located at 400 South Washington Street, Hope, 71801; (870) 777-2241
The circuit clerk is the clerk of the circuit, 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
Tax records are located in the county courthouse and the Arkansas History Commission.
Below is a list of online resources for Hempstead County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Court Records by clicking the link below:
County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.
Arkansas 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 Hempstead 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.
- Ordering Vital Records - You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Certificates to mail.
Below is a list of online resources for Hempstead County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Hempstead Co. Vital Records
- Vital Records from Archives.com: Order Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records Online!

- Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research.
- 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.
- Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 - index to approximately 594,000 deaths that occurred in Arkansas between 1914 and 1950.
- Arkansas Divorce Index, 1923-1939 - index to divorces that were filed in Arkansas from 1923-27 and 1934-39. Information can include plaintiff's name, defendant's name, date of divorce, county of divorce, volume number, docket number, and certificate number.
- Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939 - index to individuals who were married in Arkansas from 1933-1939. Information that may be found in this database can include groom's name, bride's name, marriage date, license date, county of marriage, marriage certificate and volume number.
- Arkansas Marriages to 1850 - contains Arkansas marriages to 1850 and contains over 18,000 names.
- Arkansas Marriages, 1779-1992 - contains marriage information from selected areas of Arkansas for over 300,000 individuals from 1779-1992.
- Arkansas Marriages, 1820-1949 - contains marriage information from selected areas of Arkansas from 1820-1949.
- Arkansas Marriages, 1851-1900 - database of Arkansas marriage records between 1851 and 1900 includes records from Ashley, Baxter, Benton, Carroll, Clark, Clay, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Cross, Dallas, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Independence, Johnson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Logan, Lonoke, Marion, Montgomery, Nevada, Phillips, Pike, Polk, Prairie, Randolph, St. Francis, Scott, Sebastian, Sharp, Stone Yell, Union, Washington, and White Counties
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
County 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 Hempstead County, Arkansas are 1830, 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 Hempstead 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 Hempstead County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Census Records by clicking the link below:
County Maps & Atlases
Below is a list of online resources for Hempstead County Maps. Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Maps by clicking the link below:
County Military Records
Below is a list of online resources for Hempstead County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Military Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Hempstead Co. Military Records
- Southern Claims - Barred and Disallowed 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.
- Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Arkansas (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
- Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Arkansas
(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from southern units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
- Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 from the State of Arkansas (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
- Arkansas Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
- National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
- Arkansas Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
- National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Military Books at Amazon.com
County Genealogical Addresses
Below is a list of online resources for Hempstead County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Hempstead Co. Genealogical Addresses
- Hempstead County Historical Society,
PO Box 1257,
Hope, AR 71801
- Arkansas History Commission, One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201; 501.682.6900
- Arkansas Genealogical Society, 1411 Shady Grove Road, P.O. Box 908, Hot Springs, AR 71902-0908; Phone: 501-262-4513
- Arkansas Historical Society, 422 South Sixth Street, Van Buren, AR 72201
- Arkansas Family History Association, 609 Colynwood, Sherwood, Arkansas 72120; 501-835-7502
- Arkansas Historical Association, 416 Old Main, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701; 479-575-5884, 479-575-2775 FAX
- Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
- Arkansas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
County Church & Cemeteries
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.
There are many churches and cemeteries in Hempstead County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Hempstead County Tombstone Transcription Project.
Below is a list of online resources for Hempstead County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
County Church & Bible Records
Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits
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 Hempstead County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Hempstead County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Hempstead Co. Family Records
- Sites on USGenweb: [ Hempstead County ] [ Arkansas ] [ Main Page ]
- [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards
]
- Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
- The Arkansas Family Group Sheet Project
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Family Books at Amazon.com