My Genealogy Hound

Col. A. W. Files, interested in the law, real estate and brokerage business, and one of the leading citizens of Little Rock, was born in Tuscaloosa, Ala., being a son of Oliver and Nancy (Stone) Files, who moved from Tuscaloosa to Ashley County, Ark., in 1848, when their son was nineteen years old. Young Files was educated in the high schools of his native State, but his school days were terminated upon his parents’ removal to Arkansas. He assisted his father upon the plantation in their new home until the fall of 1849, when he entered the mercantile house of Messrs. Cohn & Gellespy, and remained with them until the sheriff of his county induced him to accept a deputyship. He served in this capacity for two years, and the two years following had entire charge of the office. In 1858 he was elected clerk of Ashley County, and remained in that position for ten years. During the Civil War he was assigned to the quartermaster’s department of the Trans-Mississippi department, and was also under Sandy C. Faulkner (the original Arkansaw Traveler) in the ordnance department. In 1868 Col. Files was removed from office by military order, after which he entered into mercantile life, and also obtained a license to practice law. In commercial circles he was a member of the firm of Files Bros., and subsequently with Files, Boyd & Co. He continued in this dual capacity until the year 1876, when he withdrew and devoted his entire time to law, his practice having assumed fair proportions. In 1874 he was elected to the special session of the legislature, and was one of the hardest workers in that body for a constitutional convention, at the same time declining a nomination as a member of same. In 1880 Col. Files was again elected to the legislature, and in the summer of 1882 he was a candidate for State auditor before the Democratic convention, his principal opponent being Dr. M. M. MaGuire, of Dardanelle. However, Col. Files received the nomination, and was opposed before the people by Mr. H. P. Barry, on the Independent ticket, but he was elected by a majority of 50,000, and in 1884 was nominated by acclamation in the Democratic convention and re-elected by a large majority. He served in that capacity until January, 1887, when he retired from office, and in April of the same year formed a partnership with Mr. H. C. Hinton, formerly book-keeper with Auditor Files, for the purpose of carrying on a real estate and brokerage business. This enterprise has been successful, and the firm enjoy a large business in that line in Little Rock. In July, 1889, Col. Files was elected general manager of the Arkansas Collecting, Detective and General Intelligence Association, a greatly needed and extensive institution, whose business extends throughout the State. In religious faith the Colonel is a member of the Second Baptist Church at Little Rock, and also treasurer of same and superintendent of the Sunday-school. Besides this, he is treasurer of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and also of the State Mission Board. He takes a great interest in educational matters, and is one of the directors and treasurer of the Ouachita Baptist College, at Arkadelphia. Col. Files was married on June 13, 1854, to Miss Sarah T. C. Crook, daughter of Hon. W. D. Crook, of Drew County. Ten children have been born to their union, of whom five are yet living: Lelia G. (wife of John L. Hawkins), Abbie J. (wife of J. W. Clingman), Ruth, Harry and Ethel. His family are also members of the Baptist Church.