Hempstead County Quick Facts

- Government Website: www.hempsteadcountyar.com/
- Created Date / Origin: December 15, 1818 and was formed from Arkansas County (Hempstead is one of the original five counties created by the Missouri legislature). 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.
- County Seat: Hope. (The county seat originated at Washington until it moved to Hope.)
- Named After: Edward Hempstead (1780–1817), Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Missouri Territory
- Bordering Counties: Pike County (north), Nevada County (east), Lafayette County (south), Miller County (southwest), Little River County (west), Howard County (northwest).
- Cities & towns include: Blevins, Fulton, Hope, McCaskill, McNab, Oakhaven, Ozan, Patmos, Perrytown, Washington, Springhill
Hempstead County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Hempstead County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Arkansas Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.
- Hempstead County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1257, Hope, AR 71802-1257
- Hempstead County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 756, Hope, AR 71802-0756
- Arkansas State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Hempstead County USGenWeb Archives Project (usgwarchives.org) read and post messages with other county genealogy researchers
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your county ancestors
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
Hempstead County Courthouse and Government Records
Researchers often overlook the importance of Hempstead County court, probate, and land records as a source of genealogy and family history information. Buried away in Arkansas courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and frustrations of many Arkansas citizens. The chances are great that your ancestors have left a detailed record of at least some aspects of their lives in the Hempstead County court records.
The following indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Hempstead county. The dates indicated below are the first known records for each county.
All County Offices Records are located in the Courthouse at 400 South Washington Street, Hope 71801; 870-777-6164, unless otherwise noted. 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 Courtis the clerk of the circuit, chancery court, and juvenile court and usually acts as the ex-officio recorder of Hempstead 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 in Hempstead County. They are also the ex-officio Hempstead county recorder; and is responsible for recording deeds, mortgages, liens, and surety bonds, and many other orders and instruments which involve property within Hempstead county.
- Phone: (870) 777-2384
- Court Records: 1819
- Land Records: 1816
- 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)
- Hempstead 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 within Hempstead county.
- Phone: (870) 777-2241
- Marriage Records: 1820
- Probate Records: 1826
- Hempstead County Assessor’s Officemaintains County tax records. These records are usually arranged by legal description and are not indexed.
- Phone: (870) 777-6190
- Arkansas Dept of Health has Birth & Death records since February 1, 1914, Marriage Records since January 1917 and Divorce Records since January 1923. You may go to any county health departmentin the State of Arkansas to obtain a Birth or Death certificates which can be issued while you wait.
- Address: Division of Vital Records, Slot 44, 4815 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205
- Phone: (501) 661-2174
- Ordering Vital Records: You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Arkansas Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate to mail.
Hempstead County Genealogy Links
The following are links to Genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Hempstead County. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Commercial Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some are have free access some require a payment. This is just a list that has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to submit your own favorite genealogy or family history related sites.
- Hempstead Co. AR Books, Newspapers & Publications
- See Also Statewide Newspapers, Books & Publications Links for Arkansas
- Historical Newspapers from Arkansas (1819 – 1999) (genealogybank.com) Has exclusive newspaper archive for family genealogy research provides information on millions of American families from 1690–today.
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Books (amazon.com)
- Arkansas newspapers (newspaperarchives.com)
- Hempstead Co. AR Birth, Marriage & Death Records
- See Also Statewide Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records in Arkansas
- Hempstead County Marriages Project (usgwarchives.org) provide actual transcriptions of Marriage Applications, and other Marriage Records, as found recorded in the county court house and state archives.
- Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com) Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research.
- Hempstead Co. AR Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
- See Also Arkansas Court, Land, Tax & Probate Records
- BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov) covers the State of Arkansas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
- Hempstead Co. AR Census Records
- See Also Statewide Census Links for Arkansas
- Hempstead County, AR Census Records (census-online.com)
- Hempstead County, AR Census QuickFacts (quickfacts.census.gov)
- Hempstead County Census Records (usgwarchives.org)
- Hempstead County Census Records (search.ancestry.com)Learn where your ancestors lived, who lived in the household, ages, places of birth, occupation, actual images of the Federal Censusrs and more.
- Hempstead Co. AR Cemeteries & Graveyards
- See Also Statewide Cemetery Links for Arkansas
- Hempstead County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Hempstead Co., Arkansas Graves (findagrave.com)
- Hempstead Co., Arkansas Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Hempstead County, Arkansas (topozone.com)
- Hempstead Co., Arkansas Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Hempstead Co. AR Church & Bible Records
- See Also Statewide Church & Bible Links for Arkansas
- Topographic Church List and Map for Hempstead County, Arkansas (topozone.com)
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Church Books (amazon.com)
- Hempstead Co. AR Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Hempstead Co. AR General and History Websites
- Hempstead County Arkansas (genealogytrails.com)
- Hempstead County, Arkansas Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Hempstead Co. Arkansas Genealogy (argenweb.net)
- Hempstead Co. Arkansas Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org) has the largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records.
- Hempstead County, Arkansas (linkpendium.com) Family History & Genealogy, Census, Birth, Marriage, Death Vital Records & More
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Arkansas – Counties – Hempstead (cyndislist.com)
- Hempstead County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Hempstead Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
- Hempstead Co. AR Immigration & Naturalization
- Hempstead Co. AR Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Statewide Maps and Atlas Links for Arkansas
- Hempstead County D.O.T. MAP
- 1895 Hempstead County Map (livgenmi.com)
- Hempstead Co. AR Military Records
- See Also Statewide Military Links for Arkansas
- Arkansas Military Records (Fold3.com) provides access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Arkansas men and women who served. Perfect for genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
- Hempstead County Barred and Disallowed from the Southern Claims Commission (Fold3.com) The Southern Claims Commission denied these claims by southerners seeking compensation for property loss. They were barred or disallowed for a number of reasons.
- Hempstead Co., AR Schools & Directories
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