To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.
Thank you for visiting the Arkansas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Arkansas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 7/10/15 • Approved: 7/13/15 • Last Updated: 7/16/15 • R1087592-G0-S3
COLONEL
Spanish American War
World War I
November 8, 1877 - July 27, 1928
Obituary
Rogers Daily News
Monday, July 30, 1928
Col. W.G. Ownbey died Friday night at his home in Fayetteville following an attack of appendicitis, the operation developing the fact that the appendix had bursted. Two funeral services were held, one at the home at Fayetteville Sunday afternoon and another later at the South Methodist church at Springdale. Col. Ownbey was born at Springdale and lived there until a year or so ago when he moved to Fayetteville. Burial was in the Springdale cemetery and he was buried with military honors by veterans of the Spanish American and World wars. He was also an Elk and a Mason and members of both of these orders were present. Col. Ownbey was born on a farm near Springdale November 8, 1877 and his life was spent in Washington county. He was in the drug business for more than thirty years and only last year sold his drug store at Springdale to Applegate Bros. He opened the Ownbey drug store at Fayetteville, which he later sold, but was interested in two drug stores at the time of his death. In 1900 Col. Ownbey was married to Miss Bertie Parker, native of Illinois. The couple had two children, Julian and Marguerite, who with Mrs. Ownbey and Mr. Ownbey's mother, Mrs. Lizzie Weir, survive, also a brother, C.A. Ownbey, vice-president of the Farmers and Merchants bank of Springdale. First military service was with the National Guard when America became engaged in war with Spain in 1909. Col. Ownbey saw first active service in that year as private in the First Arkansas Infantry and was stationed at Chickamauga. In 1916 he became captain of Company A, Second Arkansas Infantry, with which he went to the Mexican border where he was stationed through part of 1916-17 when he was promoted to major. He graduated from the School of Musketry at Fort Sill in 1917 and from the School of Fire for Field Artillery at Fort Sill the same year. He was promoted to rank of Lieutenant-colonel and was commissioned colonel by the federal government in May 1918 when he was placed in command of the 142nd Field Artillery, succeeding Col. Stroupe of Paris, Ark., retired. He served in France and Germany from August 1918 to June 1919 when he returned from Germany and was discharged with a commission as reserve colonel, F.A.R.C. Mr. Ownbey was owner of "Lasso von der Recke," second prize German police dog of Germany and first prize dog of America which he recently sold at a high price. The dog had cost him $2,000. Col. Ownbey, from his Arkoza Kennels, sold on an average of 300 dogs a year, sale of pups bringing from $12,000 to $15,000 a year. Pups from his kennels have been shipped to practically every state in the Union. For some time Charles Phenis has been manager of his kennels. Mr. Ownbey formerly was a member of the Methodist church and since residence in Fayetteville has been affiliated with the Central Presbyterian congregation.
*Photographed by Freda Willingham
Contributed on 7/10/15 by wfields55
Email This Contributor
Suggest a Correction
Record #: 1087592