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December 18, 1840 | ||
Help Wanted | ||
Arkansas Trails has several counties and projects up for adoption. If you would be interested in adopting a county or project look at the Arkansas Trails County Page. If you find one that you would like to adopt e-mail the State Administrator State Administrator.[ Being a County or State Administrator is fun and rewarding. If you have an interest in the history of Arkansas and the genealogy of it's residents please consider it. If you think "there is no way I can do this" there are many people ready, willing and able to help you. It's not near as difficult as you might think. ] | History |
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The county was formed on December 18, 1840, and named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, naval hero in the War of 1812. The act specified that a temporary seat of justice was to be at the house of John L. Houston in Perryville. The first courthouse, a log cabin built in 1841, burned in 1850 during a feud between the Lively and McCool families, and all records were lost. Another log building was used until a better courthouse could be built, but materials for a new building were gathered and left to rot when the men of the county left to fight in the Civil War. In 1871, J. L.W. Matthews donated land for a new courthouse. That courthouse burned in 1874, and all records stored there were destroyed. Another courthouse was built, and it was burned in December 1881 by arsonists during what has been labeled "The Perry County War." Earlier that year, the editor/founder of The Perryville News was assassinated and his office across the street from the courthouse set on fire. Finally, in 1888, a courthouse was constructed of locally fired brick and, with several additions and modifications, is still in use. Aaron Price, the first recorded white settler in the area, is purported to have settled on the Fourche La Fave River eight to nine miles downstream from present-day Perryville in 1808. In 1879, German Catholic families settled in east Perry County, naming their community New Dixie. Several Lithuanian families immigrated to the United States from 1904 to 1910 because of the Russo-Japanese War and settled near Bigelow between 1912 and 1914. A group of Italian immigrants arrived in 1915 in the east end of the county, bringing their wine-making skills to a region of Perry County that resembled Italy. Around 1912, African American families settled in the Toad Suck community, also known as Redemption. | Links |
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Free Records Search at Familysearch Org | ||
Perry County Cemetery Listings on Arkansas Gravestone Project | ||
Perry County Cemetery Listings on Interment Net | ||
Perry County Cemetery Listing at Find A Grave | ||
Arkansas Dept of Health | ||
Arkansas Dept of Health Division of Vital Records, Slot 44 4815 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 661-2174 Fax: (501) 663-2832 |
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Arkansas State Archives | ||
Arkansas History Commission One Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 501.682.6900 [email protected] |
The History Commission, the official state archives, is a facility in which those interested in Arkansas history may engage in research. The staff does not undertake research requests from the public. The Research Room is open from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Saturday. It is closed on state holidays. If you are traveling long distances, please call to confirm hours/days of operation at 501.682.6900. | |
Arkansas Genealogical Society
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Circuit and County Clerk 310 West Main St. Perryville, AR 72126 Phone (501)889-5126 Fax (501)889-5759 | Perry County Historical & Genealogical Society P.O. Box 156 Perryville, AR 72126 | E-Mail Lists and Message Boards |
Arkansas Mail List on Rootsweb | ||
Perry County Mailing List on Rootsweb. | ||
Perry County Message Board on Rootsweb | ||
Perry County Message Board on Genforum | Adjacent Counties |
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Conway County |
Faulkner County |
Pulaski County |
Saline County |