December 2, 1876

Pearl Oldfield, who became the first woman from Arkansas to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, was born to a farm family near Cotton Plant (Woodruff County). After her husband, William Oldfield, died during his twentieth year of service in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Democratic Central Committee nominated his widow to serve the remainder of his unexpired term and to serve the full term to which he had just been elected. She was elected and served from January 9, 1929, to March 3, 1931.