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.
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 13th, 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 24th, in favor of Futrell.
Oldham retired from public service and returned to farming. He later served as chairman of the state Cotton Reduction Committee.
William K. Oldham died in Pettus, Arkansas and is buried at the Oaklawn Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Read more about William Kavanaugh Oldham: Family
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