Biography of E R Lucas, Fulton Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown <michael@grnco.net>
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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page 291

Hon. E. R. Lucas, farmer. Viola. No name is justly entitled to a more
enviable place in the history of Fulton County than the one which heads this
sketch, for it is borne by a man who has been usefully and honorably identified
with the interests of this county, and with its advancement, in every worthy
particular. He owes his nativity to Dallas County, Ala., where he was born in
1835. His parents, Harvey B. and Amy (Wilson) Lucas, were born in Kentucky, in
1808, and Georgia, in 1810, respectively. The father went to New York City when
twenty-one years of age, engaged in merchandising, but was burned out in the
fire of 1833. After this he went to Alabama, was married there, and began the
study of medicine. He practiced in that State for some time, then graduated in
his profession at Cincinnati, Ohio, after [p.291] which, his health being very
poor, he was advised to go to Europe, but died on the ocean, in 1844 or 1845,
leaving a wife and four children, in poor circumstances. He was of Scotch
descent, was a member of the Baptist Church, also a Mason, and was a very
promising man. His widow is still living, and has been a member of the Baptist
Church for over sixty years. She reared four children, Hon. E. R. being the
eldest. He received very little education until grown, and then taught seven
terms of school. His wife was formerly Miss Nancy Radford, whom he married in
1859. Her parents, Reuben and Sarah Radford, were natives, respectively, of
Alabama and Kentucky, and passed their last days in the former State, Mrs.
Radford dying in 1853, and Mr. Radford some years previous. To Mr. and Mrs.
Lucas were born ten children, three sons and four daughters living. Mr. Lucas
served through the war, having enlisted in Company K, Eleventh Alabama
Volunteer Infanty, Confederate Army; the first year he was a private, then
third lieutenant, and afterward first lieutenant, and finally captain. He
operated in Northern Virginia with Gen. Lee, and was in twenty-four general
engagements, among them Seven Pines, seven days' fight before Richmond,
Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, etc.,
and was never captured nor wounded. He received a furlough, and was at home
during the final surrender. He then returned to tilling the soil, and in 1869
came to Fulton County, Ark., where he has since lived, residing on his present
farm for the past six years. He has been a close student all his life, and is
at present one of the best informed men in Fulton County. In 1874 he was a
member of the constitutional convention that framed the present constitution of
Arkansas, and in 1882 was elected to represent the county mentioned in the
State legislature, holding the position for two years. He has been a life-long
Democrat, and his first presidential vote was for James Buchanan, in 1856. He
has been a Mason since 1861, now belonging to Viola Lodge No. 399, and has held
nearly all the offices, and was Master two years. He is also a member of the
Agricultural Wheel. He and wife belong to the Missionary Baptist Church, in
which he has been a deacon for a number of years. His maternal grandfather,
William Wilson, was a native Virginian, and died in Georgia. He was of English
descent, and a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Lucas has one brother,
Rev. Oscar M. Lucas, who has been a prominent Baptist minister for about
twenty-five years. He was educated principally at Mountain Home, in Baxter
County. William P., another brother, served about fourteen months in the
Confederate army, and was wounded at the seven days' battle, in June, 1862, and
died from the effects July 9, of the same year. A sister, Sarah F., is the wife
of William P. Cameron, and is also a member of the Baptist Church.