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County Resources, Independence County

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Independence County, Arkansas, Marriage Book E, December 1877 - September 1884
By Emily Tucker, ISBN 1-56546-302-1, 51 pages, $14.00

The value of marriage records can't be overstated. These pick up in 1877 where The earlier abstract book by Bobbie Jones McLane ends. Book E covers December 1877 through September 1884. The data are arranged in two complete sections, one indexed by the grooms' names, the other by brides' names.

Marriage Records of Independence County, Arkansas, 1826-1877
By Bobbie Jones McLane and Mary Sue Harris, ISBN 0-929604-22-9, 350 pages, $28.00

This book contains transcriptions of marriage books A through D. Grooms' names are listed in alpha order with a bride index. Batesville, the county seat of Independence, was a major transportation gateway to much of north central Arkansas and these records are among Arkansas' earliest.

Cemetery Records of Independence County, Arkansas
By Chalman E. Green and Mae Chinn Green, ISBN 1-56546-224-6, 478 pages, $35.00
Click here to view a surname index to this book
Click here to view a list of the cemeteries included

From 1975 to 1977, the Greens surveyed all the known cemeteries of Independence County. James Logan Morgan published their work in 1980. The book has been out of print for many years, but is available now from Arkansas Research. There are 16,000 entries in this book. The field notes for each cemetery were transcribed just as they were inventoried in an effort to preserve family groups. This book contains a surname index, maps of the townships, and an appendix with cemetery notes which include alternate names. This is a valuable resource for Independence County.

Or buy the electronic version (.pdf) of this book - ISBN 978-1-56546-557-2. Save trees, save shelf space, save postage. $14.95


Arkansas Land Patents: Independence County
ISBN 1-56546-025-1, 109 pages, $14.00

What are land patents? All of what is now Arkansas was once owned by the federal government--it is a public domain land state. People who purchased land from the federal government received documents called land patents. Land was obtained through purchase, military warrants, homesteads, scrip acts and other laws that allowed the land to be transferred out of federal hands. The paperwork generated in those sales can be very helpful to genealogists. Copies of the land patents make interesting additions to published family histories but the land entry case files are most apt to have helpful details about families or clues that help piece together information from other sources.

What information is included? The county volumes of land patents list patentee's name, volume and page of the patent book, land office, document and miscellaneous document numbers, type of transaction, precise legal description, and number of acres. Introductory information describes in great detail how to get copies of the patents and land entry case files, how to use other land record sources, how to integrate the information with other sources, what is found in a typical homestead case file, where and when the Arkansas land offices operated, and a selected bibliography. County maps are also included. The time period covered by this information is earliest settlement through 30 June 1908. Information from 156,784 patent documents is included. These county volumes are based on current-day county boundaries.


Arkansas Confederate Pension Applications from Fulton, Independence, Izard, Lawrence, Randolph and Sharp Counties
ISBN 0-941765-59-8, 44 pp, 1,849 veterans, $10.00

This book is an index to Confederate veterans who applied for pensions from the State of Arkansas. Information includes: veteran's name, widow or mother's name, company, unit, year(s) of enrollment, county from which applied and death dates of the veteran and his widow. Also included is a list of pensioners granted awards through legislative acts and a list of residents of the Confederate Home. Pensioners in this book are cross-referenced to the 1911 Arkansas Confederate Veteran census. A detailed summary of pension legislation and suggestions for further research are included. Pensions were based on the state of residence at the time of eligibility.


Arkansas State Donation and Swamp Lands: Cleburne, Independence, Jackson, Van Buren, White, and Woodruff Counties
Compiled by Desmond Walls Allen, ISBN 1-56546-281-5, 276 pages, $33.00
Click here to view the names listed in this book

See our detailed explanation about donation and swamp lands under our "Land Records" category. (Then click your "back" browser button to return to this page.)

Or buy this book in .pdf with electronic delivery (no shipping), ISBN 978-1-56546-546-6, $8.95


Index to Arkansas' World War I Soldiers from Cleburne, Independence, Jackson, White, and Woodruff Counties
ISBN 1-56546-257-2, 119 pages, $18.00

Click here to view a list of Independence County World War I Soldiers

Click here to learn more about these records on our World War I page



FREE Independence County Death Record Indexes

The following links lead you to death record indexes for specified time periods. The information in these indexes is taken straight from Arkansas Health Department records. Click here to visit the Health Department's website for more information about ordering a death certificate. We've been selling this information in book form for some time, but have decided to make it available free to all our cousins researching our Arkansas ancestors. Click here to see details about the books.

Remember, just like in horseshoes and nuclear war, "close" counts when it comes to spelling.

Independence County Death Record Index 1914-1923

Independence County Death Record Index 1924-1933

Independence County Death Record Index 1934-1940

Independence County Death Record Index 1941-1948


Independence County was created: 20 October 1820.
Parent County: Lawrence.
Progeny Counties: Cleburne 1883, Izard 1825, Jackson 1829, Sharp 1873, Stone 1873, Van Buren 1833, White 1835.
County Boundary Changes: Part of E boundary defined 30 October 1823, part annexed to Izard 22 October 1828, line with Izard and Conway defined 4 November 1831, line with Jackson defined 8 November 1836, line with Izard defined 21 February and 14 December 1838 and 26 December 1840, line with Sharp defined 11 February 1875.
County Records: In 1906, R. Neill reported, "The following records are complete from the dates named: records of common pleas court, first held by two justices of the peace begin Nov. 19, 1821; records of deeds and mortgages begin with Dec. 14, 1820; all court records and records of the recorder's office are complete from these dates. No records are missing. The state of preservation is good; a number of the records have been rebound, but the writing is legible. They are kept in fire-proof vaults." This probably kept my (Desmond Walls Allen) Dunavion relatives from burning the courthouse to get rid of the dozens of indictment records they generated in connection with their gambling.

Click here to load a .pdf map of Independence County


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