Pope County ArArchives Biographies.....Wilson, Oscar Hugh ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 June 1, 2009, 9:37 pm Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922) OSCAR HUGH WILSON. From pioneer times to the present the Wilson family has played an important part in the development and upbuilding of Pope county, and Oscar Hugh Wilson, a large landowner residing in Russellville, is a worthy representative of a name that for many years has stood as a synonym for enterprise and integrity in business circles of northwestern Arkansas. His birth occurred in old Norristown, Pope county, on the 25th of August, 1872, and his parents were R. J. and Cassandra (Ford) Wilson, the former of whom was born near Russellville, Arkansas, September 20, 1835, while the birth of the latter occurred near Shreveport Louisiana. The father is a veteran of the Civil war, in which he served with the rank of captain, enlisting in 1S61. He was formerly an agriculturist but later became one of the leading merchants of Russellville, and in 1890 he organized the Peoples Exchange Bank, of which he has since been president. He is a man of exceptional business ability, enterprise and determination and is the largest landholder in this vicinity but is now living retired in Russellville at the advanced age of eighty-seven years and is one of the most substantial citizens and highly respected pioneers of Pope county. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, a demo-' crat in his political views, and fraternally is identified with the Masons. Mrs. Wilson passed away in 1884, leaving four children, of whom the subject of this review is the eldest; Kate, who married Joe Jacobson, has six children and the family reside in New Mexico; Stella is the wife, of John J. Duffie, who is engaged in the export business in South America; Walter is the owner of a large farm near Woodson, Arkansas, on which he makes his home. In the acquirement of an education Oscar Hugh Wilson attended the schools of Bell Buckle and Lebanon, Tennessee, and after completing his studies he returned home in order to assist his father in caring for his large mercantile and farming interests. For a number of years he conducted the Russellville establishment but since the sale of the enterprise a few years ago has had charge of his father's land interests, in addition to which he is managing his own property holdings, which are also extensive. In the control of his business affairs he displays much of his father's executive ability and keen sagacity and his efforts have been crowned with a substantial measure of success. In 1894 Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Kerr Rankin, a native of Russellville and a daughter of W. H. Rankin, who was formerly identified with farming interests but is now living retired in Russellville. To this union have been born four children: Margaret, who graduated from the State University of Arkansas with the A. B. degree and is now the wife of T. Bennett Freeman, a leading merchant of Marianna, Arkansas; Estelle, at home; Evelyn, who is a student at the State University; and William W., who is a senior in the Culver Military Academy of Indiana. The family are all members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Wilson was sent as a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1917. He is widely and favorably known in Pope county, where he has spent his life, and in matters affecting the welfare and progress of his community, county and state he has ever been deeply and helpfully interested. He is a worthy son of a distinguished sire and is ably sustaining the traditions of one of the oldest and most highly respected families in this part of the state. Additional Comments: Citation: Centennial History of Arkansas Volume II Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1922 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/pope/bios/wilson22bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/arfiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb