William Kavanaugh Oldham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| ActingGovernor of Arkansas | |
| In office March 8, 1913 – March 13, 1913 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Taylor Robinson as Governor |
| Succeeded by | Junius Marion Futrell |
| President of theArkansas Senate | |
| In office 1913 | |
| Succeeded by | Junius Marion Futrell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1865-05-20)May 20, 1865 Richmond, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | May 6, 1938(1938-05-06) (aged 72) Pettus, Arkansas, U.S. |
William Kavanaugh Oldham (May 20, 1865 – May 6, 1938) was theActing Governor of theU.S. state ofArkansas for six days in 1913.[1]
Oldham was born inRichmond, Kentucky and educated atCentral University, also in Richmond. He moved toPettus, Arkansas inLonoke County in 1885 and became a successful cotton farmer.
He was elected to theArkansas House of Representatives in 1907. He served as a member of theArkansas Senate from 1911 to 1913, and was selected aspresident of the Senate in 1913.[2]
When GovernorJoseph Taylor Robinson resigned from office on March 8, 1913, Oldham became acting governor of Arkansas. When thelegislative session ended on March 13, the Arkansas Senate electedJunius Marion Futrell as the new president pro tempore, but Oldham refused to agree that Futrell was the new acting governor; the dispute was settled by theArkansas Supreme Court on March 24, in favor of Futrell.[3]
Oldham retired from public service and returned to farming. He later served as chairman of the state Cotton Reduction Committee.[4]
William K. Oldham died in Pettus, Arkansas and is buried at theOakland-Fraternal Cemetery inLittle Rock, Arkansas.
Oldham was the brother-in-law ofJames Philip Eagle (1837–1904), governor of Arkansas 1889–1893, who married Oldham's sisterMary Kavanaugh Oldham in 1882.[5] His younger brother Kie Oldham (1869–1916) served as James Eagle's private secretary while he was governor, curated an important collection of documents about Arkansas' Civil War history, and was a prominent lawyer, working primarily as an advocate for Native American tribes.[6] Kie also served in the Arkansas state senate, in 1907 and 1908–9; in 1907 Kie and William were both in the legislature, representing the same county as representative and senator, respectively.[7]
Oldham married Lillian Munroe (1870–1957) in 1894; they had two children, William Kavanaugh Oldham II (1896–1950) and Lillian Oldham (b. circa 1898).
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joseph Taylor Robinson Governor | ActingGovernor of Arkansas 1913 | Succeeded by Junius Marion Futrell Acting |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
