William Kavanaugh Oldham

William Kavanaugh Oldham
Acting Governor of Arkansas
In office March 8, 1913 – March 13, 1913
Preceded by	Joseph Taylor Robinson as Governor
Succeeded by	Junius Marion Futrell
President of the Arkansas Senate
In office 1913
Succeeded by	Junius Marion Futrell
Personal details
Born	(1865-05-20)May 20, 1865 Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	May 6, 1938(1938-05-06) (aged 72) Pettus, Arkansas, U.S.

William Kavanaugh Oldham (May 20, 1865 – May 6, 1938) was the Acting Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas for six days in 1913.

Oldham was born in Richmond, Kentucky and educated at Central University, also in Richmond. He moved to Pettus, Arkansas in Lonoke County in 1885 and became a successful cotton farmer.

He was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1907. He served as a member of the Arkansas Senate from 1911 to 1913, and was selected as president of the Senate in 1913.^[1]

When Governor Joseph Taylor Robinson resigned from office on March 8, 1913, Oldham became acting governor of Arkansas. When the legislative session ended on March 13, the Arkansas Senate elected Junius Marion Futrell as the new president pro tempore, but Oldham refused to agree that Futrell was the new acting governor; the dispute was settled by the Arkansas Supreme Court on March 24, in favor of Futrell.^[2]

Oldham retired from public service and returned to farming. He later served as chairman of the state Cotton Reduction Committee.^[3]

William K. Oldham died in Pettus, Arkansas and is buried at the Oakland & Fraternal Historic Cemetery Park in Little Rock, Arkansas.