Biography of Otis Parnell Hammons, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 19 Nov 2008
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Otis Parnell Hammons was born at Bolivar, Tenn., the son of the late Rev. Thomas
R. Hammons, now retired Baptist minister, and Lucy (Vaughn) Hammons, who now
lives on East Broadway in Forrest City. Otis is a widely-known business man and
rice, cotton and cattle farmer. He graduated from Union Academy and then
received his A. B. Degree at Union University. He is a graduate of the Jackson
School of Business, Jackson, Tenn. He taught school and while doing so,
continued his education attending George Peabody College and later the
University of Oklahoma, where he obtained his Master's Degree in School
Administration. While attending Jonesboro College, he married the former Evelyn
Pierce, daughter of W. A. and Rosa Pierce of Los Angeles, Calif. Both were
students at the time. In 1934 Mr. Hammons held many positions in education in
Oklahoma, when in 1943 he moved to Forrest City. While teaching in Arkansas, he
received script in lieu of salary, which he invested in farming land in Poinsett
and St. Francis county. He also served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Forrest
City Production Credit Association for two years, while his wife who had been
teaching high school mathematics and also has an A. B. Degree in music and
dramatic art, and also developed a debit for the Life & Casualty Co. of
Nashville, Tenn. In May 1945, the Hammons purchased the Bilsky Grocery on Front
Street, which they turned into an Oklahoma Tire & Supply Store, and they later
opened another store in Brinkley in 1948. In 1952, they closed the Brinkley
store and opened Hammons Furniture and Appliance Co.. They have one son. They
are members of the First Baptist church, he is a member of the St. Francis
County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, the Young Business Men's Club, and a
former Rotarian and Lion.


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

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