By James and Ellen Perry
Sitting here and thinking about how some people start from humble beginnings and achieve great success in their path through life. I have found that most successful people come from rural parts of the country, grew up poor, but rich in family and friends.
The people that I have met who were successful were honest, straightforward in their dealings and had perseverance. They didn’t just give up at their first disappointment.
One who comes to mind is Arthur Bohanan. By the way, Arthur will be at the Roy Acuff and Historical Society Museum in Maynardville on Sunday March 20, at 2 p.m. We are unusually blessed to have Mr. Bohanan to come and speak of his life accomplishments, especially his contributions to solving crimes and murders, his forensic training and working around the globe to identify bodies from air disasters to the 911 Twin Towers tragedy.
Arthur Bohanan was born April 12, 1944, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains at the community of Boyd’s Creek, to Russell B. Bohanan and his wife, Vetia Marie Plemmons Bohanan.
Arthur grew up like many kids in Sevier County, raised on a farm growing tobacco and corn, cutting hay for livestock, raising and gathering from the garden, hunting, fishing for food and attending the local community school.
Like most boys and girls back then, he went barefoot in the summer. He also attended Parrott’s Chapel Methodist Church. Arthur attended Sevier County High School.
While a junior in high school Arthur enrolled in a forensic home study course from the Institute of Applied Science. After completing the course Arthur was requested by the Sevier County Sheriff Ray Noland to process fingerprints from a break-in at the local drive-in theater. This started Arthur Bohanan (still in high school) on his life in law enforcement and forensics. Arthur made the first fingerprint cabinet for the Sevier County Sheriff’s jail.
Over the years: Arthur was a MP in the army, guarding President Kennedy’s grave. Married his wife, Ann, on November 24, 1966. Received his criminal justice degree from ETSU on his GI bill. Graduated cum laude with a minor in psychology.
Through the years he was a Knoxville policeman, and worked with ATF, FBI, TBI and Homeland Security.
Arthur has worked to identify bodies in Guam, hurricanes Floyd and Katrina, the Columbia Space Shuttle and the 911 Twin Towers Tragedy. He also developed systems to acquire fingerprints from deceased children under eleven years of age. Arthur is now developing a machine to locate dead bodies that have been buried for years. Quite a lot of innovation and development skills for a boy born to a poor mountain family in the hills of Sevier County.
Don’t forget Arthur Bohanan will be speaking at the Roy Acuff and Union County Historical Society Museum in Maynardville at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 20.