Among the early settlers of Lauderdale County were Dr. Samuel and Cornelia C.
(Honyman) Oldham; her father, Dr. Robt. Honyman, was a noted physician and
member of the royal navy, for many years surgeon of the “Portland,” a ship of
the line, that was sent to St. Helena in 1771, to await Capt. Cook’s expected
arrival from his first trip around the world, and convey his ship to England.
He was also a direct descendant of the Dr. Honyman, who extracted by command,
the fifth rib from the side of James V, King of Scotland, which rib was
transmitted to him by his ancestors, and he by will to his only son, with the
request, “that he will carefully keep the said rib, and carefully transmit it
to his descendants.” Mr. and Mrs. Oldham were born and raised in Virginia; he
was a graduate of the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, and one of
the noted physicians of his State; they moved to Lauderdale County in 1838,
and he died in 1860, and left three sons, none now living. Robert H., the
second son, was also a physician and succeeded to his father’s practice; he
was a graduate of the literary department of the University of Virginia, and
of the Jefferson Medical College, and for sixteen years practiced in
Lauderdale County, standing at the head of his profession. In 1850 he married
Laura E. Partee, who was born in 1835; one son and one daughter of this
marriage are living; both parents were members of the Protestant Episcopal
Church. While Dr. Oldham took an active interest in politics, being a
Democrat, he did not care for any official position. He died in 1862,
lamented by all; his wife is still living with her daughter in Brownsville,
Tenn. The son, Robert H., was born January 10, 1856, in Lauderdale County,
and had fine educational advantages; he attended successively the colleges at
Lebanon, Andrew College in Gibson County; Bethel College at Russellville, Ky.;
the University of the South at Sewanee, and the college, at Georgetown, D. C.,
becoming a thorough classical scholar. In 1877 he married Lucy A. Palmer, who
was born in 1856, a cultured and beautiful woman. They have four children:
Frances C., Sue P., Palmer and Alice. Mr. Oldham is not a church member; Mrs.
Oldham is a Methodist. In politics he is a Democrat; he gives his time to
farming and the insurance business, and for three years has been a salesman
for H. D. Glass & Co. He is an enterprising and popular young man.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN