Date Original
1920-1939
Description
This collection contains personal correspondence, legal documents and correspondence pertaining to the law firm Cravens, Cravens, & Friedman of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Items relate principally to Fort Smith, Little Rock, and Mena.
Biographical/Historical Note
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.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Fort Smith, Sebastian County (Ark.); Little Rock, Pulaski County (Ark.); Mena, Polk County (Ark.)
Language
English
Identifier
SMC.003.010
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Ben and Fadjo Cravens papers, SMC.003.010
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Ben and Fadjo Cravens papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
