WILLIAM T. LAMKIN. The bar of Christian County is given much force and power by the membership of William T. Lamkin, who has made his way to the front in the profession of law and is a prominent and useful citizen. He is a sincere, direct, positive man, a true man in the best and highest sense, and his standing at the bar is deservedly high. Mr. Lamkin is a product of this State, born in Linn County, June 15, 1848.
He is a son of R. H. and Sarah H. (Hurt) Lamkin, natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. The Lamkins were early settlers of Kentucky, as were the Hurts of Missouri. The father of our subject came to Missouri in 1830, and settled in Howard County, thence he moved, shortly afterward, to Linn County, where he was among the first settlers and active in all enterprises for the good of the county. During the Civil War he was recruiting officer for the Union Army. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a Baptist. During his life he held many public offices, such as justice of the peace, and county judge, and for many years was a member of the County Court. His death occurred at his home in Linn County, in 1871, but his wife had died many years previous, in 1856, when forty-two years of age. Nine children were born to this estimable couple: Fannie M., J. B., Lucy, J. C., William T., R. H., L. D., G. W., and one who died in infancy. Six of these children are living. J. C. was with the Union Army during the Civil War and died at Ft. Donelson near the close of the war. The Lamkin family is of English extraction and of a prominent family. The members of the family who came here at an early date took part in the Indian wars.
Until the age of twenty-six years the original of this notice passed his life on a farm and received a good education in the common schools. When eighteen years of age he became a teacher, and taught eight years successively. In 1871 he attended the William Jewell College at Liberty, Missouri After leaving school he returned to the farm, but left the same in 1876 and went to Illinois, spending a year in Schuyler County, that State. In December of the same year he came to Christian County, Missouri, and located on a farm near Billings, where he remained for several years. In the spring of 1887 he located in the town and began the study of law, being admitted to the bar in 1891. He then established an office at Billings, and up to the present has been unusually successful as a practitioner. He is an able attorney, a wise counselor and a man who has won the respect of all with whom he comes in contact. He is a Democrat in politics and is active in his support of all laudable enterprises. He has been a delegate to many conventions, and is an active worker in the cause of temperance. For five years he was lecturer in south-west Missouri and deputy grand master of the Masonic order of Missouri. For four years he has held the office of justice of the peace, and in 1880 he was the nominee for representative of the county on the Democratic ticket. In all educational matters he takes a deep interest. He is the owner of considerable real estate and with his family resides on twenty acres north-east of the city. He also owns forty acres farther in the country. In 1880 he bought land at Ponce de Leon, Stone County, and there built a hotel, but the scheme was not successful and he lost much of his means.
In selecting his companion for life, Mr. Lamkin chose Mrs. Mary E. Perkins, of Linn County, daughter of David and Susan (Wear) Perkins, natives of Virginia, where Mrs. Lamkin was also born, but where she remained until only three years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. Lamkin was born one daughter, Nora L., who died when sixteen years of age. Mrs. Lamkin is a member of the Baptist Church, and she and her husband are highly respected by all. The latter was instrumental in establishing the Masonic order, at Billings, Lodge No. 379, and he has also been one of the leading members of the Baptist Church at that place.
He is active in all good work, and the city has in him a most excellent citizen. He is a member of the Royal Arch Chapter at Marionville, Missouri, and for one year was high priest of that chapter. In 1892 he was candidate for prosecuting attorney of the county, but was defeated by the Republican candidate, W. A. Long, the Republicans being in a large majority. He is never too busy to attend his church service, with him church first, Masonry second, and politics third. Charity never makes an application to him in vain, for he is ever ready to assist the needy and distressed.