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Submitted: 7/27/15 • Approved: 7/27/15 • Last Updated: 6/4/18 • R1089913-G1089912-S3
James William Conger was born in Jackson Tennessee on February 20, 1857. He graduated from Southwest Baptist University in 1878. He was appointed president of Odd Fellows College in Humboldt, TN, in 1878, where he served for three years. He subsequently moved to Searcy, AR, to preside over Searcy College for three years. He then moved to Prescott, AR, in an administrative position in the public schools. On June 22, 1886, he was appointed founding president of Ouachita College (now Ouachita Baptist University). In three months time he was able to get a curriculum, obtain a location (donated by the Red River Baptist Association), hire a faculty, and matriculate 100 students. He remained at Ouachita College for 21 years, becoming known affectionately as "Dr. Jack" by the students, and built a strong institution of higher eduction. Dr. Conger left Ouachita College to become president of Southwest Baptist University (his alma mater, now Union Baptist University). The Congers worked in Jackson for three years, after which time they moved to Little Rock, AR, for one year. He left there to become president of Central College in Conway, AR. Dr. Conger retired from that post after nine years and moved ro Fort Smith, AR. Dr. Conger died April 24, 1924.
His remains and those of his wife Tennie (February 15, 1860 - May 25, 1923) are buried on the campus of Ouachita Baptist University. Three of their children are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Arkadelphia: William Hamilton, Lucille Conger Bailey, and J. W. Jr, (Little Jack). His other two children, Mrs. Ellie Conger Shaplay and Allie Merle Conger, are buried in Fort Smith.
This information comes from records found in the archives of Riley-Hickingbotham Library on the campus of Ouachita Baptist University.
Contributed on 7/27/15 by Hennagins
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Record #: 1089913