Biography of William W. Oates - Conway Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Cathy Barnes Date: 21 Jun 1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Goodspeed Publishers, 1891. page 96 William W. Oates, a man well known as one of the prominent planters and stockraisers of Union Township, is a native of Muhlenburg County, Kentucky; born in 1837, the second of three sons and six daughters born to Lewis Thomas and Margaret (Martin) Oates, who were natives of Muhlenburg County, Kentucky, and Rockingham County, North Carolina, respectively. Their marriage took place in Kentucky, and when William was a little boy they removed to Henry County, Tennessee, but soon after to Weakley County, where they made their home till 1854, when they immigrated to Conway County, now Faulkner County, settling in Cadron Cove, where they improved a good farm, and where Mr. Oates departed this life in April, 1860; and five years later, in October, 1865, his wife followed him; both were faithful members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Oates was a member in high standing of the Springfield Lodge, A. F. and A. Masons. In 1849, that he might better his condition financially, he made the hazardous trip across the plains and mountains to the California gold fields, where he spent about two years mining and selling groceries. His return was made by the Pacific Ocean and across Mexico. His father, William Oates, was born in one of the Carolinas, but in a very early day, he and two brothers removed to Kentucky where William died. One of the brothers afterward came to Arkansas where he assisted in the government survey of some of the eastern counties They were of Irish origin. James Martin, the maternal grand father of our subject, was a native of North Carolina, from whence he removed to Kentucky, and afterward to Henry County, Tennessee, where he died about 1840. Mr. Oates was educated at the country schools; came with his parents to Conway County, and in 1862 was married to Harriet Sublett, a native of Conway County, and a daughter of Thomas Sublett, a Kentuckian by birth; and from there he went to Louisiana, where he married, and in an early day came to this county, where he died in March, 1865; his wife having died some years prior. In June of 1862 Mr. Oates joined a company of Arkansas cavalry and operated in north Arkansas till January, 1863, having taken part in the Prairie Grove fight. After his marriage he lived in different places till 1866, when he purchased his present farm of 170 acres on Cedar Creek, with about 80 acres under a fine state of cultivation, making one of the most valuable and desirable farms in the Cedar valley. From 1884 to 1886 Mr. Oates was Justice of the Peace, and is a prominent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Oates was born about 1842, and passed to her final home March 25, 1890, a faithful member of the same church to which her husband belonged. She was the mother of eleven children, seven living: Francis P., the wife of J. S. Hill, Arthur T., Mary A., Lewis Thomas, Charley A., John Fountain and Samuel C. Mr. Oates is not behind in contributing to all enterprises for the good and growth of the country.