W. E. Templeton, a druggist and mine owner of Bonanza, is one of those men who uphold the stability of a community through their enterprise, progressiveness and wise use of opportunities. Mr. Templeton was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, in the year 1882, his parents being A. M. and Mary (Couch) Templeton, the former a farmer by occupation. While spending his youthful days under the parental roof, the family having removed to Sebastian county, Arkansas, W. E. Templeton acquired his education in the public schools and for a time was also a student at Fort Smith. Putting aside his textbooks, he turned to the business world for the opportunities which he hoped would lead him to the goal of success. He became interested in coal development near Jenny Lind in 1914 and is now operating several large mines at that place. conducting his business interests there under the name of the Mama Coal Company. In 1915 he became actively identified with the commercial interests of Bonanza by purchasing an interest in a drug store, of which he is now sole proprietor. This business is carried on under the name of Carter & Company and was originally owned by J. V. Owens. In 1915 it was taken over by V. H. Carter and W. E. Templeton and carried on under the partnership relation for a few years, at the end of which time Mr. Templeton purchased the business, which he conducts independently. He has a well appointed store and his business methods are such as will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny. His enterprise and energy enable him to overcome all obstacles and difficulties in his path and steadily he has worked his way upward. His operations in the coal field, too, have been a source of substantial profit and he is regarded as one of the representative businessmen of his section of the state.

In 1911 Mr, Templeton was united in marriage to Miss Florence E. Carter, a daughter of William and Carrie Carter, and a sister of V. H. Carter, his former partner, who served in the army during the World war and was at the officers’ training school at Camp Pike when the armistice was signed. While America was at war with Germany, Mr. Templeton was active in support of all war movements, was sales director of all the Liberty Loans and chairman of the District Red Cross. He was also active in promoting the War Savings Stamps drive, selling stamps to the amount of twenty-eight thousand dollars in one drive. He loyally stood back of every movement that maintained the home line, whereby the country financed the movements of the army on the western front.

Mr. Templeton belongs to all the Masonic fraternities and also the Shriners, and is a loyal follower of the teachings and high purposes of the craft. He finds his recreation in travel and spends from one to three months each year in making extensive automobile trips. He is a believer in the great out-of-doors and the benefit to be derived in that way, and he recognizes the fact that one should not only work well but also play well, or in other words that recreation must constitute an even balance to intense business activity if a normal development is to be maintained.