Adapted from Biographical Cyclopedia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Embracing Biographies of Many of the Prominent Men and Families of the State, 1896
Dr. Oldham was the son of Dr. William B and Laura A (Mathews) Oldham. He was born in New Castle, Kentucky on March 19, 1866. He attended public schools in New Castle until the age of thirteen. After which he attended a three year course at State College in Lexington, KY and one years at Central University in Richmond. He then went on to read medicine with his uncle Joseph McDowell Mathews in Louisville, and graduated from Kentucky School of Medicine in 1885.
He worked first as an assistant to Dr. Dudley S. Reynolds in his office practice and in the hospital at the College of Medicine, for two years. In September of 1887, he opened his office in Lexington, specializing in Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat. He was a member of the Kentucky State Medical Society, Mississippi Valley Medical Society, Lexington and Fayette County Medical society, Merrick Lodge No. 31, I.O.O.F, of the Ancient Essenic Order, Lodge No. 262; of the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks, where he held the office of Esteemed Lecturing Knight. He was also a member of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Lexington.
On March 28, 1887, he married Mary S. Flood, daughter of Major John H. Flood of Lynchburg, VA. Together they had two sons, J. Harry Oldham, and William B. Oldham.
