Biography of Charles A. Fleming, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 19 Nov 2008
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Prosperous farmer, merchant, County Judge, State Representative and candidate
for Governor of Arkansas-all have been attained by Charles A. Fleming, retired,
now of Forrest City. Judge Fleming has been a resident of this county since
1900. "When I first came to Round Pond I had 30 cents in my pocket. " I bummed
my first meal from Mr. Ed Mallory and slept in the seed house my first night
there. Wild bears could be killed anywhere there at that time. The first name of
Round Pond was Mile Post 34, the second, Womack I helped name the town. It was
named after a lake north of town. I was burned out in 1922 and lost nearly
everything I had, but gained it all back in later years. I owned most of the
town at one time. I operated a store and cotton gin there for several years
before moving to Forrest City in 1942. Judge Fleming was born in Covington,
Tenn., the son of the late Matt and Mary Fleming. He is a self-made and self
educated man. He served a short time in the Army during the Spanish American
War. In 1906, he married Miss Lessie Clark, daughter of S. V. and Leona Clark of
Wiville, Arkansas, and to that union has been born four sons and a daughter. The
Flemings have four granddaughters. Judge Fleming's grandfather Fleming came from
Ireland, and his other grandparent, Mr. Carr is thought to have come from
Ireland also. Mr. Fleming served as County Judge from 1933-1935 and four years
later was re-elected and was retained in office from 1939-1945. In 1930, he was
elected to State Representative. Always active in politics, he unsuccessfully
ran for Governor of Arkansas in 1948, under a much publicized slogan of "The
Poor Man's Friend. " He had used this slogan from the time he operated a store
at Round Pond. He owned at one time about 1200 acres of land scattered
throughout the county, but the most valuable is located at Round Pond. He
belongs to the Church of the Good Shepherd, and is a 32nd degree Mason, Shriner,
and a member of the McCrory Masonic Lodge.


SOURCE:
HISTORY of ST. FRANCIS COUNTY, ARKANSAS, 1954 - Robert W. Chowning

Copyright, with Permission: Weston McCollum Lewey, Publisher
-Times Herald Publishing-Forrest City, Arkansas