YELL COUNTY was created by act of the General Assembly in 1851 and embraced all of the present territory of Webster except the north tier of congressional townships. It was named for the second Governor of Arkansas, Colonel Archibald Yell, who was killed at the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican War. The county had never been organized up to 1853, when by act of the Legislature it was incorporated with the new county of Webster. This county was formed by uniting the former county of Webster, which had first been named Risley, with Yell County, making thirty-two congressional townships, to which the name of Webster was given. By this act the county of Yell ceased to exist.
