Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas 1890 Goodspeed
Desha County, Arkansas page 1029
W. E. Lambe, Arkansas City, Ark. Mr. Lambe, an esteemed and respected
business man of Arkansas City, was born in Chicot County, Ark., and is
the youngest of seven children born to the marriage of Neesom and Louisa
(Davis) Lambe, natives, respective of England and Louisiana. Neesom
Lambe, who was a physician and chemist, came to America when about
twenty-five or thirty years of age, and was here married about 1836.
Later he was engaged in the practice of his profession at Grand Lake,
Ark., where he received his final summons in 1854. He was moderately
wealthy at the time of his death, and engaged in mercantile business,
also owned some real estate. Of the seven children born to his union
only three are now living: F. J. (resides in Sunflower County, Miss.),
Mary N. (wife of Samuel Frederick, of Louisville, Ky.), and W. E. After
the death of her husband Mrs. Lambe married Dr. John Thompson, of Ohio.
Previous to her marriage to Dr. Lambe she had married a Mr. Brasher. She
died in 1860. W. E. Lambe became acquainted with the details of farm
life at an early age, and during the time while occupied with the duties
of the farm attended also the common schools of Chicot County. At the
age of eighteen years he started out to fight life's battles for himself,
and first began farming on rented land, which occupation he continued for
four years. After this he engaged in the carpenter's trade, which he
followed for about five years, and for one year he was also in the
photographer's business. In 1876 he moved to Arkansas, engaged in the
liquor business for about six months, and later sold out and moved to
Washington County, Miss., where for some time he was in the saloon
business. In 1878 he was again at work at carpenter's trade, which he
continued until 1881, when he again embarked in the liquor business at
Bolivar County, Miss. After remaining there until 1886, he came to
Arkansas City, where he has since been engaged in the traffic of liquor,
and has been unusually successful, his annual sales amounting to about
$7,000. Mr. Lambe is the owner of considerable city property, consisting
of houses and lots, all the result of careful management and good
business ability. He is a member of the K. of P., Valley lodge No. 21,
and is also a member of the Uniform Rank of the order. In 1889 he was
elected alderman of the city.