Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Wednesday's Wonderful Collection - Ben and Fadjo Cravens papers SMC.3.10

William Ben Cravens was born January 17, 1872, in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas. He attended military academies at Louisville, Kentucky, and Staunton, Virginia, before graduating from the University of Missouri at Columbia's law department in 1893. He was admitted to the bar that same year and began his law practice in Fort Smith. He served as City Attorney for Fort Smith, 1898-1902, and as Prosecuting Attorney for the 12th Judicial District, 1902-1908. He was a member of the United States Congress, 1907-1913. He was not re-elected the following session and resumed his law practice. However, he returned to Congress in 1933 and served until his death January 13, 1939.

William Fadjo Cravens, son of William Ben Cravens, was born February 15, 1899, in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas. He graduated from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, in 1920. He was admitted to the bar that same year and joined his father's law practice in Fort Smith. He served in the United States Navy during World War I. After the war, he returned to Fort Smith and served as the City Attorney for 10 years. He was elected by special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant by his father's death in 1939 and continued to serve in that capacity until 1949. He died April 16, 1974.

This collection contains legal documents and correspondence pertaining to the law practices of Ben and Fadjo Cravens of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

  • Legal documents (Reel MG00201)

    • 1920 July 2: Summons, The Sisters of Mercy of the Female Academy, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1920 July 2: Notice of suit, Kansas City Southern Railway Company versus Sisters of Mercy
    • 1933 March 21: Act 131 of Arkansas
    • 1933 August 14: Act 3 of Arkansas, Special Session
    • 1934 August 3: Corporation deed, City of Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Continental Oil Company
  • Correspondence

    • 1920 June 15: Troy Pace, Little Rock, Arkansas, to Ben Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1920 July 1: James B. McDonough, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Oglesby, Cravens, and Oglesby, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1920 July 12: T.W.M. Boone, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Oglesby, Cravens, and Oglesby
    • 1920 July 13: Troy Pace, Little Rock, Arkansas, to Ben Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1920 August 9: Troy Pace, Little Rock, Arkansas, to Ben Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1921 June 30: John Schaap and Sons Drug Company, Fort Smith, to Dr. S.W. Ruff, Dover, Arkansas
    • 1931 December 30: George W. Dodd, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to H.C. Lane, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1931 December 30: George W. Dodd to H.C. Lane
    • 1931 December 30: City Attorney to H.C. Lane, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1932 December 6: Carl Whisenant, Mena, Arkansas, to Ben Cravens, Fort Smtih, Arkansas
    • 1932 Decmber 10: Ben Cravens to Carl Whisenant, Mena, Arkansas
    • 1932 December 14: R.L. Williams, Muskogee, Oklahoma, to Ben Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1933 January 23: Ben Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Judge R.L. Williams, Muskogee, Oklahoma
    • 1933 September 22: Earl E. Buck, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Messrs. Cravens, Cravens, and Friedman, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1934 September 10: Ben Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Jim Jordan, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1936 January 15: James B. McDonough, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Fadjo Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1936 February 1: James V. McDonough, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Fadjo Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1936 May 19: Harry P. Daily, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Fadjo Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1937 October 28: Receipt, J.R. Poindexter
    • 1937 November 2: Fadjo Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas to Paul Lynch, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1938 October 20: Hill, Fitzhugh, and Brizzolara, Fort Smith, to Fadjo Cravens, Fort Smith, Arkansas
    • 1938 November 25: C.W. Wofford, Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Fadjo Cravens
    • 1939 November 21: Charles I. Evans, Booneville, Arkansas, to David R. Boatright, Fort Smith, Arkansas