Background
Eagle, James Phillip was born on August 10, 1837 in Maury Company, Tennessee, United States. Son of James and Charity (Swaim) Eagle.
Eagle, James Phillip was born on August 10, 1837 in Maury Company, Tennessee, United States. Son of James and Charity (Swaim) Eagle.
Educated country school, Prairie Company, Arkansas, and 1 session Mississippi College, 1870. Served through Civil war, all grades, private to colonel, Confederate army. Once badly wounded and once prisoner of war, confined in Camp Chase and Fort Delaware.
Since war Baptist minister and cotton planter in Arkansas.
Her brother William Kavanaugh Oldham moved to Arkansas in 1885 and later entered politics himself, serving as acting governor for a brief time in 1913. A younger brother, Kies Oldham, served as Eagle"s personal secretary during his time as governor. Eagle was appointed deputy sheriff of Prairie County, Arkansas in 1859, a position he held until the start of the American Civil War.
Eagle enlisted in the Confederate States Army and rose to the rank of Colonel.
He served with the 5th Arkansas Infantry and the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles. He campaigned with the Army of Tennessee and fought in most of that army"s campaigns from the initial battles in Kentucky all the way to the Battle of Nashville.
Eagle was wounded during the Atlanta Campaign. At the conclusion of the war, Eagle attended Mississippi College for less than one year but was forced to withdraw due to illness.
He studied for the ministry and was ordained as a Baptist preacher.
He supported Baxter during the Brooks–Baxter War. Eagle served as speaker of the house in 1875. From 1880 to 1904, he served as president of the Baptist State Convention.
Eagle was elected Governor of Arkansas in 1888, and was reelected for a second term in 1890.
The Eagle administration concerned itself with attracting immigration and support for education. Eagle was sympathetic to women"s suffrage and once welcomed Susan B. Anthony to the state though he did not provide active political support.
He continued to be active in the Baptist church. Davis was opposed to the construction of the new capitol building.
Eagle died in Little Rock, Arkansas of heart failure.
Eagle is buried at the historic Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock.
Eagle served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1873 to 1878.
Married Mary Kavanaugh Oldham, 1882.