Biography of J. W. Owens, Jr. - Craighead Co, AR

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Submitted by: Unknown < >
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1889.

page 350

J. W. Owens, Jr., postmaster at Jonesboro, Ark., received his appointment
in 1885, and has been a most courteous, obliging and efficient official.
He was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., February 29, 1856, and is a son
of J. W., Sr., and Frances H. (Tune) Owens, the father a native of
Kentucky, and the mother of Virginia. They were married in Rutherford
County, Tenn., where their parents had immigrated in an early day. J. W.
Owens, Sr., a blacksmith by trade, came to Craighead County in 1870, and
located in Jonesboro, where he followed his calling until 1874, when he
went to Southern Illinois, where he died in 1879. The mother died in
1859. She was the mother of seven children, J. W. being the only one now
living. The father had married three times. By his second wife he had one
child, Robert H., and by his third marriage eight children, six living;
Joseph E., George W., Lizzie, Jennie, Willie and Lura. J. W. Owens, Jr.,
came with his parents to Arkansas when thirteen years of age, and was
reared partly in Tennessee and partly in this State, receiving his
education in the county schools of the former and in the Jonesboro
schools. Reared to farm life, he followed that occupation until 1881, and
then entered the employ of J. B. Colt & Son, railroad contractors, and
remained with them eighteen months. In October, 1883, he went into the
Jonesboro postoffice as assistant postmaster, where he remained in that
capacity until he received his appointment as postmaster. May 20, 1885,
he was united in marriage with Miss Nannie E. Hannah, a native of
Craighead County, and their union has been blessed with two children,
Mollie and Morris B. Mr. Owens is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and belongs to the K. and L. of H. He is energetic and
industrious, enjoys an enviable popularity, and richly deserves the
official favor accorded him.