J. A. WILLINGHAM was born in Fulton County, Ky., in 1858, son of P. M. and S. D. (Milner) Willingham, and is of Irish-English lineage. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Willingham was the Hon. A. H. Willingham, who was many times elected to the Kentucky senate; died July 28, 1882. The parents of our subject are natives of southern Kentucky. J. A. was educated in the Louisville schools, and in 1875 began the general merchandise business at Curdsville, Ky., where he remained only a short time. He then came to Sebree and continued the same business. The firm is known as P. M. Willingham & Son, and has a capital of about $13,000 invested in the business in Sebree. They make a specialty of dress goods and ladies' fine shoes. Mr. Willingham is a Democrat, and is one of the leading young business men of Webster County.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Page 1052.