My Genealogy Hound

Judge Robert B. Wilson has become distinguished in the history of Pope County, Ark., where he is known as a talented attorney. His mind is clear, concise, analytical and well poised, and being of quick perception, what might cause others hours of study and research, he reaches at a bound, and the reasons for his convictions are always clear and well defined. He was born in Shelby County, Tenn., May 26, 1850, being the eldest living child of Benjamin F. Wilson and Mary W. Wilson (whose maiden name was Mary W. Williams), the former of whom is a native of Goochland County, Va., the latter of Rutherford County, Tenn. The father was a worthy tiller of the soil, and in 1854 moved from Tennessee to Arkansas, and settled in Conway County, where he lived for two years. He then purchased a small farm in the southeast corner of Pope County on the Arkansas River, where by dint of industry and economy he had laid the foundation of a small fortune by cultivating his land and raising stock, when the late Civil War overshadowed our country. He opposed secession from the Union, but when his State seceded, like a true Southern patriot, he espoused the cause of his home and supported the Southern cause with his means and his person, surrendering with his regiment at the close of the war, and returned home to find his hard earned accumulations all swept away, except his little farm, and it lying waste, from the ravages of the war. He began life again on the farm, which he re-improved and successfully cultivated until 1874, when he removed with his family to Springdale Washington County, Ark., where he now resides. The family are strong believers in the doctrines of the Baptist Church, and are at all times liberal patrons of religion and education, Mr. Wilson and W. Bernard being the organizers and promoters of the first good school in their community in 1859 and 1860, the building having been for the most part erected at their expense at Galla Creek, in what is now Lee Township, where a neighborhood school was maintained until closed by the war, and where after the war a good country school was kept in successful operation for several years. The immediate subject of this sketch inherits Scotch and Irish blood of his ancestors, his paternal great-grandfather having come from Scotland to this country and settled in Virginia, and his paternal grandmother as well as his maternal ancestors being of Irish extraction. Judge Wilson was reared on a farm, and principally in Pope County, in the common schools of which, and by devoting to study his leisure hours at home, he acquired the rudiments of a common English education. After becoming twenty-one years of age the earnings of his first years were devoted to paying his expenses in acquiring further education. He was attending St. John’s College in Little Rock when the Brooks-Baxter gubernatorial contest began, and was the only student occupying a room in the college building (a large three-story brick). When Gov. Baxter was so unexpectedly ousted by Brooks and his allies, not knowing who were his friends, he went immediately to the college, which was a military institution, and placed himself under the protection of the students, and occupied the room of the subject of this sketch, being guarded by the students until his friends could rally and come to his assistance. Young Wilson laid aside his books and took up arms in the cause of Baxter, joining a company that had come from Pope County. During the latter part of the session he attended the college he acted as janitor in order to obtain money to defray his expenses. He began the study of law in Russellville, Ark., in the month of April, 1875, and was admitted to the bar at Dover (the then county seat) in May, 1876, after which he entered upon the practice of his chosen profession. Having begun life as a school teacher, and his thorough knowledge of the details of the work being known, he in the fall of 1875 was by the district school trustees elected county superintendent of public instruction, a position he filled for one term. At the time of his election nearly every school district in his county was greatly in debt, and the whole school interest of the county badly demoralized, caused by the mismanagement and extravagance during the reconstruction period, while the State was under carpet-bag rule. At the expiration of his term nearly every district was out of debt and the foundation laid for good permanent schools throughout the county. In March, 1878, he was appointed as county and probate judge to fill out an unexpired term, and in September following was elected for the ensuing term. During his incumbency as judge he reduced the indebtedness of the county from about $33,000 to $14,000, and in numerous other ways made an enviable record. He was appointed register of the United States land office at Dardanelle, Ark., in the spring of 1888, by President Cleveland (the term of his predecessor, who was a Republican, having expired), of which he took charge May 1, and which position he held until August, 1889, when he was removed by President Harrison without any cause being assigned for such removal. And as he filled the office in an efficient manner, and no charges were ever made against him, nor complaint of his official or personal conduct, the conclusion is inevitable that he was removed for political reasons alone, although he had not served half his term. Upon his removal he returned to his home in Russellville and to the practice of his profession, in which he has again built up a lucrative business, having the confidence of his clients and the respect of all. He was married November 21, 1877, to Miss A. Mary Howell, a daughter of Jesse C. Howell, an old pioneer of Arkansas, and to them three children have been born: H. Howell (January 6, 1879), Mary (March 4, 1881), and Frank C. (May 31, 1886), all of whom are living. Judge Wilson owns a river-bottom farm of 400 acres, 200 acres of which are in cultivation; one of 160 acres, 30 of which are in cultivation, also 50 acres of good creek bottom three miles from Russellville, 20 of which are in cultivation. The two last named tracts are underlaid with a valuable vein of coal. He also owns several small upland farms and tracts of land, one of which, whose area is forty acres lying five miles northeast of Russellville contains five flowing springs, some of which are strongly impregnated with iron and sulphur. He owns the residence in Russellville in which he resides, also several which he rents. He owns his law office and the lot on which it stands, which is an excellent location, also other business, property and a large and well selected law library, in fact the largest in the county. He is a member of the order of the K. of P., and while he is agreeable and has a host of friends, he is not to say a society man, being rather of a reserved and retiring disposition. He possesses excellent powers of elucidation, the most abstruse and complicated subjects being handled with ease and grace and made perceptible and plain to the most ordinary understanding. His success at the bar has been attained by a combination of native talent, culture, tact and hard study. His success in business is due to the close application, energy and habits of strict economy that characterize both him and his excellent lady. He is not a politician in the popular sense of the term, nor a partisan, but has strong convictions of the correctness of the principles of his party, and at the same time is liberal and generous toward those holding different opinions. While he has occupied official positions, he has not been an office-seeker, the positions he has held having rather sought than been sought by him. Being public spirited in disposition he takes a pride in every move tending to the improvement and advancement of his town and country, and is prominently connected with many of her public and benevolent enterprises.