Reuben Adolphus Pickens II, was the third generation of Pioneer Pickens family that settled in the Walnut Lake community around 1881. He was better known as "R.A." Pickens. He was a prominent progressive planter. A member of a pioneer Desha County family. Mr. Pickens owned and operated an extensive plantation, cotton gin, commissary/store, hereford cattle and other business at Pickens which was named for his family that setted in what was called Walnut Lake, Arkansas.
He was born January 7, 1915 at Pickens, then named Walnut Lake, and was a surviving son of the late Burton Cecil "B.C." Pickens [1878-1932] and Ollye Cox Pickens [1884-1979]. The Pickens plantation, dating back to the 1800's, was established by B.C. Pickens parents, the late Reuben Adolphus Pickens I [1852-1926] and Susan [Potts] Pickens.[1854-1883]
R.A. Pickens II was considered one of the most progressive planters in the State, R.A. Pickens built a model farming operation. He was interested in improving the land through better drainage and was instrumental in the formation of the Boeuf-Tensas Macon project and the Cypress Creek Drainage District. He also was at the forefront in the use of the latest in agricultural technology. He tranformed the mostly mule powered sharecropper system of tenant farmers into a large scale highly mechanized wage based model farming operation.
Mr. Pickens in his early years was educated at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas.
He was chosen Dumas Man of the Year in 1972, he served on the Dumas School Board for 17 years, including tenure as its president. He had been chairman of the board of trustees at First United Methodist Church in Dumas, and had served on the building committee for the present sanctuary.
When chosen as Man of the Year, Mr. R.A. Pickens II was praised by Dumas leaders for having sold the acreage for the present industrial park in Dumas, and also to have provided the acreage which made possible the expansion of the City of Dumas. He had been honored as a Boss of the year by the Dumas Jaycees.
A past president of the Arkansas Polled Hereford Association, he also had formerly served on the Board of directors of Merchants & Farmers Bank in Dumas, Arkansas.
In the thirties, Mr. Pickens gave the land, clubhouse and services of a golf professional to the newly founded 'Walnut Lake Country Club' Association. Later when the clubhouse burned, he assisted in the rebuilding of it and donated additional land for the enlargement of the golf course located along the northern banks of the legendary Walnut Lake.
The Pickens family also had provided the land for the Walnut Lake Cemetery. This Cemetery originally was a private cemetery for another pioneer family, the Holmes family.
Mr. R.A. Pickens II is survived by his wife, Carol M. [McCaleb] Pickens of Pickens, one son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens formerly of Ignacio, Colorado; two daughters, Jane Lambi of Pickens, and Madelyn Ashman of New York City, N.Y.;two step-daughters; Laurie Black [Blackwell] of Lake Village, AR. and Lea Ellen Buss of Dallas, TX.; one step-son, Owen "Chip" Blackwell II of Little Rock; a adopted sister, Barbara Stanley of Little Rock. 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild at the time of his death April 10, 1991.
After the death of his first wife Madelyn Smith Pickens in 1968, R.A. Pickens II married his second wife, Margaret Downie Hutchins on July 5, 1969. His third marriage was to Carol[McCaleb]Blackwell on August 24, 1972 until his death.
He passed away at his large white home he designed and built around 1947. He died very early in the morning of April 10, 1991. He suffered a heart attack and departed this life.
Funeral services was held at 11 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Dumas with Rev. Fred Hunter and George Tanner officiating the packed house service. His burial was at Walnut Lake Cemetery, Pickens, Arkansas. He was buried next to his first wife, Madelyn [Smith] Pickens [1914-1968], she died in 1968. A large family stone marked 'Pickens' marks the site of burial. Ralph Robinson Funeral Home of Pine Bluff handled the service and interment.
Mr. R.A. left a great legacy of leadership, his strong will and determination to get the job done, and his dedication to excellence in the Agricultural field had brought a high standard to Arkansas Agriculture. His son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens returned to lead the partnership of R.A. Pickens & Son Company at the untimely death of his father in 1991. The partnership and shareholding managers and other Pickens descendants continue to make the Pickens Plantation a successful modernized farming operation that will endure for decades to come in the tradition of the Pickens heritage.
*** See also ~ Ancestry.com website for additional information and photographs of R. A. Pickens II and other Pickens family descendants. ***
He was born January 7, 1915 at Pickens, then named Walnut Lake, and was a surviving son of the late Burton Cecil "B.C." Pickens [1878-1932] and Ollye Cox Pickens [1884-1979]. The Pickens plantation, dating back to the 1800's, was established by B.C. Pickens parents, the late Reuben Adolphus Pickens I [1852-1926] and Susan [Potts] Pickens.[1854-1883]
R.A. Pickens II was considered one of the most progressive planters in the State, R.A. Pickens built a model farming operation. He was interested in improving the land through better drainage and was instrumental in the formation of the Boeuf-Tensas Macon project and the Cypress Creek Drainage District. He also was at the forefront in the use of the latest in agricultural technology. He tranformed the mostly mule powered sharecropper system of tenant farmers into a large scale highly mechanized wage based model farming operation.
Mr. Pickens in his early years was educated at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas.
He was chosen Dumas Man of the Year in 1972, he served on the Dumas School Board for 17 years, including tenure as its president. He had been chairman of the board of trustees at First United Methodist Church in Dumas, and had served on the building committee for the present sanctuary.
When chosen as Man of the Year, Mr. R.A. Pickens II was praised by Dumas leaders for having sold the acreage for the present industrial park in Dumas, and also to have provided the acreage which made possible the expansion of the City of Dumas. He had been honored as a Boss of the year by the Dumas Jaycees.
A past president of the Arkansas Polled Hereford Association, he also had formerly served on the Board of directors of Merchants & Farmers Bank in Dumas, Arkansas.
In the thirties, Mr. Pickens gave the land, clubhouse and services of a golf professional to the newly founded 'Walnut Lake Country Club' Association. Later when the clubhouse burned, he assisted in the rebuilding of it and donated additional land for the enlargement of the golf course located along the northern banks of the legendary Walnut Lake.
The Pickens family also had provided the land for the Walnut Lake Cemetery. This Cemetery originally was a private cemetery for another pioneer family, the Holmes family.
Mr. R.A. Pickens II is survived by his wife, Carol M. [McCaleb] Pickens of Pickens, one son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens formerly of Ignacio, Colorado; two daughters, Jane Lambi of Pickens, and Madelyn Ashman of New York City, N.Y.;two step-daughters; Laurie Black [Blackwell] of Lake Village, AR. and Lea Ellen Buss of Dallas, TX.; one step-son, Owen "Chip" Blackwell II of Little Rock; a adopted sister, Barbara Stanley of Little Rock. 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild at the time of his death April 10, 1991.
After the death of his first wife Madelyn Smith Pickens in 1968, R.A. Pickens II married his second wife, Margaret Downie Hutchins on July 5, 1969. His third marriage was to Carol[McCaleb]Blackwell on August 24, 1972 until his death.
He passed away at his large white home he designed and built around 1947. He died very early in the morning of April 10, 1991. He suffered a heart attack and departed this life.
Funeral services was held at 11 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Dumas with Rev. Fred Hunter and George Tanner officiating the packed house service. His burial was at Walnut Lake Cemetery, Pickens, Arkansas. He was buried next to his first wife, Madelyn [Smith] Pickens [1914-1968], she died in 1968. A large family stone marked 'Pickens' marks the site of burial. Ralph Robinson Funeral Home of Pine Bluff handled the service and interment.
Mr. R.A. left a great legacy of leadership, his strong will and determination to get the job done, and his dedication to excellence in the Agricultural field had brought a high standard to Arkansas Agriculture. His son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens returned to lead the partnership of R.A. Pickens & Son Company at the untimely death of his father in 1991. The partnership and shareholding managers and other Pickens descendants continue to make the Pickens Plantation a successful modernized farming operation that will endure for decades to come in the tradition of the Pickens heritage.
*** See also ~ Ancestry.com website for additional information and photographs of R. A. Pickens II and other Pickens family descendants. ***
Reuben Adolphus Pickens II, was the third generation of Pioneer Pickens family that settled in the Walnut Lake community around 1881. He was better known as "R.A." Pickens. He was a prominent progressive planter. A member of a pioneer Desha County family. Mr. Pickens owned and operated an extensive plantation, cotton gin, commissary/store, hereford cattle and other business at Pickens which was named for his family that setted in what was called Walnut Lake, Arkansas.
He was born January 7, 1915 at Pickens, then named Walnut Lake, and was a surviving son of the late Burton Cecil "B.C." Pickens [1878-1932] and Ollye Cox Pickens [1884-1979]. The Pickens plantation, dating back to the 1800's, was established by B.C. Pickens parents, the late Reuben Adolphus Pickens I [1852-1926] and Susan [Potts] Pickens.[1854-1883]
R.A. Pickens II was considered one of the most progressive planters in the State, R.A. Pickens built a model farming operation. He was interested in improving the land through better drainage and was instrumental in the formation of the Boeuf-Tensas Macon project and the Cypress Creek Drainage District. He also was at the forefront in the use of the latest in agricultural technology. He tranformed the mostly mule powered sharecropper system of tenant farmers into a large scale highly mechanized wage based model farming operation.
Mr. Pickens in his early years was educated at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas.
He was chosen Dumas Man of the Year in 1972, he served on the Dumas School Board for 17 years, including tenure as its president. He had been chairman of the board of trustees at First United Methodist Church in Dumas, and had served on the building committee for the present sanctuary.
When chosen as Man of the Year, Mr. R.A. Pickens II was praised by Dumas leaders for having sold the acreage for the present industrial park in Dumas, and also to have provided the acreage which made possible the expansion of the City of Dumas. He had been honored as a Boss of the year by the Dumas Jaycees.
A past president of the Arkansas Polled Hereford Association, he also had formerly served on the Board of directors of Merchants & Farmers Bank in Dumas, Arkansas.
In the thirties, Mr. Pickens gave the land, clubhouse and services of a golf professional to the newly founded 'Walnut Lake Country Club' Association. Later when the clubhouse burned, he assisted in the rebuilding of it and donated additional land for the enlargement of the golf course located along the northern banks of the legendary Walnut Lake.
The Pickens family also had provided the land for the Walnut Lake Cemetery. This Cemetery originally was a private cemetery for another pioneer family, the Holmes family.
Mr. R.A. Pickens II is survived by his wife, Carol M. [McCaleb] Pickens of Pickens, one son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens formerly of Ignacio, Colorado; two daughters, Jane Lambi of Pickens, and Madelyn Ashman of New York City, N.Y.;two step-daughters; Laurie Black [Blackwell] of Lake Village, AR. and Lea Ellen Buss of Dallas, TX.; one step-son, Owen "Chip" Blackwell II of Little Rock; a adopted sister, Barbara Stanley of Little Rock. 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild at the time of his death April 10, 1991.
After the death of his first wife Madelyn Smith Pickens in 1968, R.A. Pickens II married his second wife, Margaret Downie Hutchins on July 5, 1969. His third marriage was to Carol[McCaleb]Blackwell on August 24, 1972 until his death.
He passed away at his large white home he designed and built around 1947. He died very early in the morning of April 10, 1991. He suffered a heart attack and departed this life.
Funeral services was held at 11 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Dumas with Rev. Fred Hunter and George Tanner officiating the packed house service. His burial was at Walnut Lake Cemetery, Pickens, Arkansas. He was buried next to his first wife, Madelyn [Smith] Pickens [1914-1968], she died in 1968. A large family stone marked 'Pickens' marks the site of burial. Ralph Robinson Funeral Home of Pine Bluff handled the service and interment.
Mr. R.A. left a great legacy of leadership, his strong will and determination to get the job done, and his dedication to excellence in the Agricultural field had brought a high standard to Arkansas Agriculture. His son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens returned to lead the partnership of R.A. Pickens & Son Company at the untimely death of his father in 1991. The partnership and shareholding managers and other Pickens descendants continue to make the Pickens Plantation a successful modernized farming operation that will endure for decades to come in the tradition of the Pickens heritage.
*** See also ~ Ancestry.com website for additional information and photographs of R. A. Pickens II and other Pickens family descendants. ***
He was born January 7, 1915 at Pickens, then named Walnut Lake, and was a surviving son of the late Burton Cecil "B.C." Pickens [1878-1932] and Ollye Cox Pickens [1884-1979]. The Pickens plantation, dating back to the 1800's, was established by B.C. Pickens parents, the late Reuben Adolphus Pickens I [1852-1926] and Susan [Potts] Pickens.[1854-1883]
R.A. Pickens II was considered one of the most progressive planters in the State, R.A. Pickens built a model farming operation. He was interested in improving the land through better drainage and was instrumental in the formation of the Boeuf-Tensas Macon project and the Cypress Creek Drainage District. He also was at the forefront in the use of the latest in agricultural technology. He tranformed the mostly mule powered sharecropper system of tenant farmers into a large scale highly mechanized wage based model farming operation.
Mr. Pickens in his early years was educated at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas.
He was chosen Dumas Man of the Year in 1972, he served on the Dumas School Board for 17 years, including tenure as its president. He had been chairman of the board of trustees at First United Methodist Church in Dumas, and had served on the building committee for the present sanctuary.
When chosen as Man of the Year, Mr. R.A. Pickens II was praised by Dumas leaders for having sold the acreage for the present industrial park in Dumas, and also to have provided the acreage which made possible the expansion of the City of Dumas. He had been honored as a Boss of the year by the Dumas Jaycees.
A past president of the Arkansas Polled Hereford Association, he also had formerly served on the Board of directors of Merchants & Farmers Bank in Dumas, Arkansas.
In the thirties, Mr. Pickens gave the land, clubhouse and services of a golf professional to the newly founded 'Walnut Lake Country Club' Association. Later when the clubhouse burned, he assisted in the rebuilding of it and donated additional land for the enlargement of the golf course located along the northern banks of the legendary Walnut Lake.
The Pickens family also had provided the land for the Walnut Lake Cemetery. This Cemetery originally was a private cemetery for another pioneer family, the Holmes family.
Mr. R.A. Pickens II is survived by his wife, Carol M. [McCaleb] Pickens of Pickens, one son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens formerly of Ignacio, Colorado; two daughters, Jane Lambi of Pickens, and Madelyn Ashman of New York City, N.Y.;two step-daughters; Laurie Black [Blackwell] of Lake Village, AR. and Lea Ellen Buss of Dallas, TX.; one step-son, Owen "Chip" Blackwell II of Little Rock; a adopted sister, Barbara Stanley of Little Rock. 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild at the time of his death April 10, 1991.
After the death of his first wife Madelyn Smith Pickens in 1968, R.A. Pickens II married his second wife, Margaret Downie Hutchins on July 5, 1969. His third marriage was to Carol[McCaleb]Blackwell on August 24, 1972 until his death.
He passed away at his large white home he designed and built around 1947. He died very early in the morning of April 10, 1991. He suffered a heart attack and departed this life.
Funeral services was held at 11 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Dumas with Rev. Fred Hunter and George Tanner officiating the packed house service. His burial was at Walnut Lake Cemetery, Pickens, Arkansas. He was buried next to his first wife, Madelyn [Smith] Pickens [1914-1968], she died in 1968. A large family stone marked 'Pickens' marks the site of burial. Ralph Robinson Funeral Home of Pine Bluff handled the service and interment.
Mr. R.A. left a great legacy of leadership, his strong will and determination to get the job done, and his dedication to excellence in the Agricultural field had brought a high standard to Arkansas Agriculture. His son, Reuben 'Andrew' Pickens returned to lead the partnership of R.A. Pickens & Son Company at the untimely death of his father in 1991. The partnership and shareholding managers and other Pickens descendants continue to make the Pickens Plantation a successful modernized farming operation that will endure for decades to come in the tradition of the Pickens heritage.
*** See also ~ Ancestry.com website for additional information and photographs of R. A. Pickens II and other Pickens family descendants. ***
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