The 1854 Gazetteer of the United States by Thomas Baldwin shows:

ARKANSAS, a county in the E. S. E. part of Arkansas, contains 1206 square miles. It is intersected by the river of its own name, and the White river flows along its E. border. The surface is generally level, and about one-third of it is occupied by Grand prairie, the largest in the state. The soil of this part is fertile and adapted to corn and cotton. The rivers are navigable by steamboats nearly the whole year. In 1850 this county produced 116,535 bushels of Indian corn; 4204 of peas and beans; 10,712 of sweet potatoes, and 3769 bales of cotton. There were 95 pupils attending public schools. Capital, Arkansas Post. Population, 3245, of whom 1707 were free, and 1538 slaves.