Carroll County Obituaries and Death Records
Carroll County obituary records and death notices are supported by a county historical and genealogical society that holds significant special collections covering the late 1800s and early 1900s. The county seat of Berryville serves as the hub for courthouse records, while the Eureka Springs area holds additional resources for the western end of the county. This page covers the offices, special collections, and free online databases that hold Carroll County obituary information and explains how to reach each one.
Carroll County Clerk Office
The Carroll County Clerk is located at 210 West Church Street, Berryville, AR 72616. The clerk maintains probate records dating as early as 1870. Probate filings are one of the most useful secondary sources for obituary research. When a Carroll County resident died with property, an estate case was opened. That file names the deceased, notes the date of death, identifies heirs, and often includes a will or administration bond that provides details no newspaper obituary would contain.
For online access to current and recent court filings, use CourtConnect, the Arkansas judiciary's public case search portal. Probate records from before the digital era must be requested from the clerk's office in Berryville. The courthouse holds the original volumes for records going back to 1870, and staff can locate specific files on request.
Carroll County operates with two judicial districts, the Eastern District based in Berryville and the Western District based in Eureka Springs. When researching a Carroll County death, knowing which district the person lived in helps you identify which courthouse to contact first. Both districts have their own set of records that are kept separately.
Carroll County Historical and Genealogical Society
The Carroll County Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. is located at 403 Public Square, Berryville, AR 72616. Phone is 870-423-6312. Email is cchistorical@gmail.com. The society maintains special collections that are among the most specific and valuable resources available for Carroll County obituary research.
Special collections held by the society include the Eastern District Will Book A covering 1869 to 1930 with a full index, the Western District Will Book A covering 1883 to 1909 with a full index, transcriptions of the Eureka Springs Flashlight newspaper from January 8, 1909 forward, transcriptions of the Green Forest Tribune from December 28, 1899 forward, a photographs collection, Douglass Community School History, and Green Forest High School records from 1892. These transcribed newspaper records alone cover decades of death notices from two of the county's main papers and represent years of volunteer work that is not duplicated anywhere else.
The will books from both judicial districts give you direct access to probate records organized by district. For a researcher looking for someone who died in Carroll County between 1869 and 1930, these volumes are often the fastest path to a confirmed date of death and family information. Contacting the society before visiting in person can help you plan your research and confirm which materials are currently accessible.
Carroll County Website and Local Government
The Carroll County official website lists current contacts for county offices and links to local government services. It is useful for confirming current hours and contact numbers before calling or visiting any county office.
The screenshot below shows the Carroll County official website, which provides access to county office contacts and public information.
The county website at carrollcounty.us lists current contacts for the county clerk, circuit clerk, and other offices that hold records relevant to obituary and death record research.
Eureka Springs Historical Museum
The Eureka Springs Historical Museum is located at 95 South Main Street, Eureka Springs, AR 72632. Phone is 479-253-9417. Email is director@eurekaspringshistoricalmuseum.org. The museum holds historical materials related to Eureka Springs and the western Carroll County area. For obituary research tied to Eureka Springs families, the museum can be a useful supplementary source beyond what the county clerk and historical society hold in Berryville.
The museum's focus on the Eureka Springs community means it may hold local newspaper clippings, funeral home materials, and community records that are specific to the western district of the county. Those materials are not indexed in any national database and can only be found by contacting the museum directly.
ARGenWeb and Online Obituary Databases
The ARGenWeb project maintains a Carroll County page with links to volunteer-indexed records, cemetery lists, and local resources for researchers. Volunteer contributors have transcribed records and built obituary indexes for portions of the county's historical death records at no cost.
The screenshot below shows the ARGenWeb Carroll County page, a free volunteer genealogy resource with links to local records and transcribed obituaries.
The Carroll County ARGenWeb page links to transcribed records, cemetery indexes, and county-specific obituary collections built by community volunteers over many years of local preservation work.
Online newspaper archives for Carroll County include the Carroll County News and the Lovely County Citizen from Eureka Springs. Both have been referenced in genealogy databases and may be searchable through newspaper archive services. FamilySearch also holds Arkansas Probate Records from 1870 to 1904 for Carroll County, which are free to search and browse.
The Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society at the Bentonville Public Library provides additional resources for the northwest Arkansas region, including Carroll County. Phone is 479-271-6820. Email is genealogy@bentonvillear.com. Their collection covers the broader region and may include Carroll County materials not available in Berryville.
Arkansas State Archives and Statewide Resources
The Arkansas State Archives maintains the "In Remembrance" database covering Arkansas deaths from 1819 to 1920. This free online index pulls from newspaper obituaries, cemetery records, mortality census schedules, church registers, and county records. For Carroll County ancestors who died before 1914, this is one of the best online starting points. The database is searchable by name and shows which source type holds each record.
The Arkansas Digital Archives has digitized historical newspapers from across the state. The Carroll County News and Lovely County Citizen may be included in the collection. That is worth checking before assuming that a particular issue is not available online. The CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in Little Rock holds county records on microfilm for all 75 Arkansas counties and provides access to Ancestry Library Edition and Newspapers.com for in-library research.
Death Certificates and Vital Records
Arkansas death certificates are filed at the state level with the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records office. Records go back to February 1, 1914. The fee is $10.00 for the first certified copy and $8.00 for each additional copy. Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Mail requests take four to six weeks. Online ordering is available through VitalChek.
Under Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 18, death records more than 50 years old become public records. Access to more recent certificates is limited to immediate family, legal representatives, and those with a direct and tangible interest. The state provides a free online death index for deaths between 1935 and 1961 that can confirm whether a certificate exists before you submit a paid request.
Cities in Carroll County
Berryville is the county seat and the main records center for Carroll County. Eureka Springs is the largest community in the western district of the county. Green Forest is another significant town in the county. None of these communities meets the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Records for all Carroll County communities are held at the Berryville courthouse, through the historical and genealogical society, and through the Eureka Springs Historical Museum for the western area. When searching for a death record, knowing which district the person was in will help you start with the right courthouse.
Nearby Counties
Northwest Arkansas families frequently crossed county lines. The following counties border Carroll County and maintain their own records:
Checking neighboring counties can help when Carroll County records are incomplete or when an ancestor's records are split between this county and a neighboring one.