The area known today as Calhoun County had been primarily occupied by Choctaw Indians up until the early 1800's. The first pioneers began settling here in 1841. A group of settlers from Chambers County, Alabama formed a small community later known as Chambersville. Two of the earliest pioneers, W. S. Thornton and Asa R. Cone arrived by following the old "Checo Trace", an old overland route from the Mississippi River across southern Arkansas, which involved them cutting a path to bring their wagons through to the make the first settlement. By 1846 this community in Moro Township had its first store and a post office, both owned and operated by Dr Bass.

Settlers began to first come to what is now Calhoun County due to access by water transportation on the Ouachita River and the rich sandy loam soil readily available for farming. Acres of available land that was easily cultivated drew immigrants from Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. The county was made up of primarily farming families with cotton being the main cash crop. Many owned land for the fist time and took advantage of the Homestead Act and ability to buy public land.

Nathaniel Hunt from Tennessee was the first settler in the area that later became the town of Hampton around 1848. In August of 1849, Nathaniel secured 80 acres by land patent of Choctaw Indian Lands. This was the first of a total of 535 acres Hunt acquired from 1849-1896 in Calhoun County. Here it should be noted that Hunt eventually donated the land for the new county's seat of government.

The areas aforementioned were actually part of Dallas County. Settlers had to travel to the county seats to conduct civil business, purchase land, obtain licenses and bonds as required by law. Dallas and Ouachita Counties at the time were both extensive in size leaving the residents in the East portion of their counties having to travel long distances to conduct these affairs. With this in mind, a Ouachita County Representative, Thomas Woodward, agreed to divide Ouachita County and have the General Assembly form a new county for the convenience of its citizens. Calhoun County, Arkansas was formed on December 6, 1850 by the Arkansas General Assembly who carved it from portions of Dallas, Ouachita and Bradley Counties to give the area citizens a more centrally located seat of government. The county was named for John C. Calhoun, an early Vice President of the United States serving under J