Arkansas County Obituaries
Arkansas County obituary records go back to the early 1800s, making this one of the most historically rich counties in the state for genealogy research. Whether you need a death notice from the 1900s or a recent passing in DeWitt or Stuttgart, this page will point you to the right offices, archives, and online databases. The county holds two judicial districts, each with its own courthouse, and records are split between those two seats. Knowing which district your ancestor lived in will save you time when you start digging.
Two Courthouses, One County
Arkansas County operates two separate district courts. The DeWitt District courthouse sits at 101 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042. The Stuttgart District has its own location as well. This split setup is unusual and goes back to a long political history in the county. If your ancestor lived near Stuttgart or Grand Prairie, check the Stuttgart records first. If they were closer to DeWitt or the lower part of the county, start with DeWitt.
The County Clerk is Melissa Merchant. You can reach the DeWitt office at (870) 946-4219 or the Stuttgart office at (870) 659-2238. Fax is available at (870) 946-4399. Email contact is accoclerkmelissa@centurytel.net. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Marriage licenses in the county go back to 1837. Probate and land records also date from 1837. For certified copies, the fee is $5.00. Uncertified page copies run $0.25 per page. Marriage licenses cost $60 and must be paid in cash.
Circuit Clerk Records in Arkansas County
The Circuit Clerk for Arkansas County is Sarah Merchant. The Stuttgart office is at 302 South College, Stuttgart. The DeWitt office is at 101 Court Square, DeWitt. You can call Stuttgart at (870) 659-2098 or DeWitt at (870) 946-4321. Email is info@arcocircuitclerk.com.
The circuit clerk handles court filings that often tie directly to obituary research. Probate petitions, estate filings, and guardianship cases all pass through this office. When a person died and left property, an estate case was almost always opened. Those records name the deceased, note the date of death, list heirs, and sometimes include affidavits that mention the cause of death or burial location. That makes probate files a key secondary source when you cannot find a published obituary.
The Arkansas County Circuit Clerk website provides access to some of these records online. Land records are also searchable through this portal. If you are doing research from out of state, start with the website before making a trip or mailing a request.
The screenshot below shows the Arkansas County Circuit Clerk website, a primary portal for court and land records research in the county.
From the circuit clerk site you can search by name or case number. It covers both the DeWitt and Stuttgart districts.
Historical Funeral Home Records
One of the most valuable local resources for Arkansas County obituary research is the Essex Funeral Home Records from DeWitt. These records run from 1915 to 1943 and are indexed through the Arkansas History Commission. If your ancestor died in DeWitt during that period, there is a real chance they appear in this collection. Funeral home logs typically include the full name, date of death, cause of death, age, and next of kin. That level of detail is hard to find in a newspaper obituary from the same era.
The Arkansas History Commission also holds Records of Arkansas County from 1804 to 1833. These include deeds, probate records, and court records from the earliest years of the county. Marriage records volumes covering 1786 to 1875 and 1875 to 1889 are also held there. For Methodist researchers, Mount Zion Methodist Church records from 1891 to 1932 include death registers that may not appear anywhere else.
Note: The Arkansas History Commission is part of the Arkansas State Archives, which maintains statewide historical collections and can assist with research requests by mail or email.
Online Arkansas County Obituary Databases
Several free and subscription-based databases cover Arkansas County obituary records. The USGenWeb Obituary Project hosts a volunteer-indexed collection for this county. FamilySearch holds Arkansas Probate Records from 1817 to 1979 and Arkansas Wills and Probate Records from 1783 to 1998. Both are free to search and can be accessed from any computer.
The ARGenWeb project also maintains a county-specific page with links to local resources, transcribed records, and contact information for researchers. You can browse those records and connect with local volunteers who know the county well.
The screenshot below is from the ARGenWeb Arkansas County page, a long-running volunteer genealogy resource for the county.
The ARGenWeb page links to transcribed records, cemetery lists, and county-specific obituary indexes compiled by volunteers over several decades.
For newspaper archives, the Arkansas Digital Archives has digitized a number of historical publications. Local papers from Stuttgart and DeWitt may be included. Checking there for obituary columns from the 1900s and early 2000s is worth the effort. The CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in Little Rock also holds newspaper microfilm and may have issues not available digitally.
Vital Records and Death Certificates
Arkansas death certificates are filed with the state, not at the county level. The Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records office handles all official death certificate requests. Certificates for deaths from 1914 forward are on file. Older records may be incomplete or missing.
Death certificates are restricted for 50 years under Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 18. After that period, records become accessible to the general public. Immediate family members can request certificates for recent deaths with proper identification. Fees vary by the number of copies ordered.
For research under Arkansas FOIA, Arkansas Code ยง 25-19-105 governs access to public records. Most probate and court records fall under this law once the statutory restriction period ends.
Genealogy and Historical Society Resources
The Arkansas County Historical Society works to preserve local history and can be a useful contact for obituary research. Volunteers often have access to materials that are not digitized or indexed anywhere online. If you are stuck, reaching out to a local historical society can open doors that a database search will not.
The Arkansas Genealogical Society serves the whole state and maintains resources, publications, and a network of county-level volunteers. Membership gives you access to their library and indexes. The society often knows which local resources exist and who to contact at the county level.
For a broader research starting point, GenealogyTrails Arkansas and Arkansas Genealogy both host free transcribed records contributed by volunteers. These sites are not comprehensive, but they fill gaps between the major subscription databases and can turn up records you would not find elsewhere.
Note: The Encyclopedia of Arkansas has county-level articles that include historical context useful for placing obituary records in time and place.
Probate Court and Estate Records
Probate court records are a deep well for obituary research. Every time someone died with property in Arkansas County, an estate case was opened. Those cases are public record and often contain more detail than a newspaper notice. CourtConnect is the Arkansas judiciary's public access portal and covers probate filings. You can search by name and pull up case summaries for many counties including Arkansas County.
For older probate records, FamilySearch has digitized much of what survives. Their Arkansas Probate Records collection covers 1817 to 1979 and includes wills, administration bonds, letters testamentary, and guardian records. These are free and browsable online without creating an account, though signing in gives you additional search features.
Cities in Arkansas County
The two main population centers in Arkansas County are DeWitt, the county seat of the DeWitt District, and Stuttgart, the county seat of the Stuttgart District. Neither city meets the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site, but both cities have their own courthouse offices handling records separately. When searching for obituaries, always note which city your ancestor lived in to determine which district records to check first.
Other communities in the county include Almyra, St. Charles, and Gillett. Records for these smaller towns would typically fall under whichever district they are geographically closer to.
Nearby Counties
If your research leads you to neighboring areas, the following counties border Arkansas County and have their own records collections:
Families in this part of the Delta often had ties across county lines. Checking neighboring counties can fill in gaps when Arkansas County records are incomplete or missing.