Greene County – Arkansas History & Genealogy

Greene County, located in the northeastern part of the state of Arkansas, is bounded on the north by Clay County; on the east by Dunklin County, Missouri, and Craighead County, Arkansas; on the south by Craighead County; and on the west by Lawrence and Randolph Counties. It lies between approximately 36º and 36º 30′ north latitude, and between 90º 15′ and 91º west longitude. The county stretches roughly 30 miles from north to south and about 24 miles from east to west. It contains an area of approximately 580 square miles, or 371,200 acres.

This county project is part of the much larger American History & Genealogy Project or better known by the abbreviation of AHGP. The larger project has been in existence online since 2000 and over the years it spread out across the web. These pages are an attempt to consolidate all the smaller pieces under the website of the larger project.

Genealogy of Greene County

Biographies & Genealogies

Diaries & Ledgers

Court Records

Upon the organization of Greene County, Arkansas, and prior to the location of the original county seat, courts were held at the home of Mr. Benjamin Crowley, the first settler, on Crowley’s Ridge. At times, the sessions were conducted inside the house, and at other times, beneath the nearby trees. It was said that the judge of the circuit court, after charging the grand jury, usually sent them in the custody of the sheriff or bailiff to deliberate under a particular white oak tree. In the years that followed, courts were held in the established courthouses. The regular terms of the county court began on the first Monday in January, April, July, and October, and those of the probate court on the third Monday of the same months each year. The regular terms of the circuit court had commenced on the first Monday of February and August each year, although the last legislature likely made a slight change to that schedule. This court was not often burdened with murder trials, as few murders had been committed within the county. No one was ever executed in Greene County for a capital offense, except for three individuals who had committed murders in other counties and were brought to Greene County and tried there on a change of venue. On 30 Oct 1885, William H. Harper was excuted for a murder committed in Randolph County. In 1904, N.H. Brewer and Mart Vowell, both of Clay County, were convicted and hung for murders committed there.

History of Greene County

Green County Townships

Back to: Arkansas History & Genealogy Project
Back to: American History & Genealogy Project