Biography of J. S. Stillwell, White County, Arkansas *********************************************************** Submitted by: Bonnie Palmer Date: Jun 1997 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/white/white.html *********************************************************** From "A Centennial History of Arkansas", edited by Dallas T. Herndon, the Director of the Dept. of Archives & History, published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago-Little Rock, 1922. J. S. STILLWELL, D. D. S. Dr. J. S. STILLWELL, who has been actively engaged in the practice of dentistry at Searcy for more than a third of a century, enjoys an enviable reputation as one of leading representatives of the profession in central Ark. His birth occurred in Bloomington, McLean Co., IL, on the 4th of April, 1865, his parents being Stephen & Mary (LEWELLEN) STILWELL, the former also a native of McLean Co., IL, while he latter was born in VA. The paternal grandfather of Dr. STILLWELL was a successful agriculturist of Bloomington, IL. A. A. LEWELLEN, the maternal grandfather, was a descendant of Capt. John SMITH and a native of Virginia, where he became an extensive landowner. At one time he owned 500 slaves. He held the rank of capt. in the Confederate army during the Civil war, organizing a company of Virginia troops & remaining at the front throughout the entire period of hostilities between the north & the south. After the close of the war he removed to IL & located a claim on the present site of the city of Bloomington, while subsequently he made his way to Champaign co., that state, where he purchased land & continued to reside until his demise, which occurred when he had reached the age of 73 years. He wedded a Miss Boyer, a representative of a prominent southern family who were also large slave owners. Stephen STILWELL, the father of Dr. STILWELL, obtained his education in the public schools of McLean co., IL, & became an extensive landowner there. The year 1877 witnessed his removal to Kansas, where he purchased a large farm & carried on general agricultural pursuits until called to his final rest in 1887, when 47 years of age. Throughout his entire career he followed farming & stock raising, specializing in the breeding of blooded live stock. He gave his political allegiance to the republican party & filled a number of local offices with credit to himself satisfaction to his constituents. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Christian church, while fraternally he was identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His widow is still living at the age of 81 years & now makes her home in Lawrence, Kansas. They became the parents of 8 children, 6 of whom survive, as follows: W. A., who resides in Paola, Kansas, & is engaged in farming & in the raising of blooded stock on an extensive scale; J. S., of this review; Charles E., a financier & mining man who is now living retired in Durango, Colorado, where at one time he owned the Stadtler Hotel; George F., who is in the service of the Great Northern RR in Spokane, Washington; Elizabeth, living in Lawrence, Kansas; and Ada, the wife of Joseph D. ROGERS, who is a commercial salesman residing in Dallas, Texas. J. S. STILWELL supplemented his early education, which was acquired in the public schools of Champaign, IL, by a course of study in the Univ. of IL at Urbana. He then returned to the farm of his parents in Kansas and, having determined upon the practice of dentistry as a life work, entered the Kansas City Dental College at Kansas City, from which he was graduated with the degree of D. D. S. in 1887. His initial experience as a dental practitioner was gained at Olathe, Kansas, whence he came to Bentonville, Ark., where he remained for 6 months. On the 12th of May, 1887, he removed to Searcy, where he has continuously occupied the same office during the intervening period of 35 years & where his pronounced skill has won him an extensive & profitable practice. His high standing in the profession is indicated in the fact that he has been honored with the presidency of the Ark. state board of dental examiners & as secretary of the state board of dental examiners. On the occasions he represented the board in the National Assc. of Dental Examiners. He belongs to both the Ark. St. Dental Assc. & the National Dental Assc. & has won distinction not only as a practical examiner but also as a forcible expounder of the theory of his profession. Dr. STILWELL is likewise a director of the People's Bank of Searcy. In early manhood Dr. STILWELL was united in marriage to Miss Carrie BOSLEY, a native of Woodruff Co., Ark. They are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in the work of which they take an active & helpful part, the doctor having served on its board of stewards for 33 years. He is a democrat in his political views and has been a member of the city council. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Searcy Lodge No. 49, A. F. & A. M., of which he is a past master; and Tillman Chapter No. 19, R. A. M., in which he is a past priest. During the World war he was a member of the medical advisory board for White & Cleburne counties & has personal letters from ex-Governor Brough, General Crowder & Lord England, written at that time. His influence has been felt in the material, political, social & moral development of his community & his position in both professional & social circles is a most enviable one.