My Genealogy Hound

Will S. Eakin, attorney at law, and editor of the Washington Press, of Washington, Hempstead County, Ark., was born in Bedford County, Tenn., in 1855, being a son of Judge John R. and Elizabeth (Erwin) Eakin, who were also born in Bedford County, the former February 14, 1822, and the latter March 12, 1825. After their marriage, which took place in Tennessee, they lived for some time in the city of Nashville, where Judge Eakin practiced law, but in 1858 he came to Washington, Ark., where he made his future home, with the exception of a few years spent in Little Rock. He received an education far beyond the average, and besides graduating from Yale College he was graduated from the Montgomery Bell Academy, of Nashville, after which he assiduously adhered to the practice of his profession and became renowned throughout the State of Arkansas, as well as her sister States, as a lawyer of ability, sterling integrity, sound judgment, and progressive ideas. He was elected a member of the State Legislature, just before the reconstruction period, but at that time was thrown out of office. In 1860 he was one of the electors on the Bell & Everett ticket, and from 1874 to 1878, served as chancellor for Arkansas, and during the first year was chairman of the Judiciary Committee, during the Constitutional Convention, which was held that year. From 1878 until his death, which occurred in 1885, he was on the supreme bench, and while serving in this capacity showed that he possessed not only a brilliant intellect but had heart enough not to make his office an engine of inhumanity and injustice. He was a Whig in politics, until the dissolution of that party, after which he became a Democrat, but was strongly opposed to secession. He edited the Washington (Ark.) Telegraph for some years, during and after the war, and socially was a very prominent Mason. He was a Knight Templar, was high priest of Washington Chapter, and Grand High Priest of the Grand Lodge of the State. He was an Episcopalian. His father, John Eakin, was born in Killarney, Ireland, and at the early age of sixteen years, emigrated to the New World, to seek his fortune, and time showed the soundness of his judgment, for he became a wealthy merchant of Tennessee, and was especially well and favorably known throughout Bedford County. He was married in the Palmetto State, but died in Bedford County, Tenn., his widow surviving him at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Andrew Erwin, the maternal grandfather, was a commission merchant of Bedford County, Tenn., for many years, became very wealthy, and passed from this life in 1873, when quite aged. He was also of Irish descent, Mrs. Elizabeth (Erwin) Eakin, was a member of the Episcopal Church, was a cousin of the wife of Edgar A. Poe, and died in May, 1885, having borne a family consisting of four sons and three daughters, the subject of this sketch being the third of the family. The latter acquired an excellent education in the Union University of Murfreesboro, Tenn., but prior to that had attended school in the city of Nashville, and had studied medicine for some time. In 1874 he became clerk in the chancery court office of Little Rock, Ark., but soon after began his legal studies with the celebrated law firm of Garland & Cockrell, of Little Rock. After a short time he entered a law school of that city, and in the month of June, 1878, was admitted to the bar, after which he continued to practice his profession in that city, until 1880, when he removed to Perryville. In this place he edited the Review until 1887, then came to Washington, where he has, in connection with the practice of law, edited the Washington Press. He has served as special judge in Perry County, and also in Washington, and was mayor of the last named town for one year. He is a Democrat in his political views, and has been worshipful master of Perryville Lodge No. 238 of the A. F. & A. M. His marriage to Miss Mary, the daughter of John W. and Florence A. Harris, took place in 1884. She was born in Versailles, Ky., and has borne Mr. Eakin three daughters. Her parents were also born in Versailles, Ky., and that place continued to be their home until 1881, when they settled in Perry County, Ark., where Mrs. Harris still lives. Mr. Harris was a farmer and stockman, a soldier in the Confederate army and died in 1886.