Biography of William Yancey, Clay Co, AR

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From: 
The Goodspeed Biographical and Historical Memoirs of N. E. Ark.
Biographical Information.

William L. Yancey, another prominent farmer and stock raiser of Oak Bluff
Township, and son of Robert and Parthena Yancey, was born in Fayette County,
Tenn., September 22, 1837. Robert Yancey was born in Mecklenburg County, Va.,
grew to manhood there, and was there married to Parthena Yancey, who was also a
native of Virginia. After marriage they moved to Tennessee, settling in Fayette
County, and here the father followed farming and reared his family. He died in
1849, and his widow in 1865. In their family were two sons and one daughter, all
of whom grew to mature years. Both brothers grew up in Fayette County, Tenn.,
and both served in the Confederate army. William L. enlisted, in March, 1862, in
Col. Jackson's cavalry regiment, commanded by Gen. Forrest, and served until the
final surrender. He was paroled at Gainesville, Ala., in 1865, and was a
participant in the following battles: Jackson, Miss., Holly Springs, Miss.,
Guntown, Miss., Nashville and Franklin, Tenn., and was in a number of minor
engagements. After the war he returned to Tennessee, farmed in Fayette County
for two years, and then moved to Arkansas in the fall of 1866, where he remained
for one year, when he bought the place where he now resides, five acres being
cleared. He is the owner of 240 acres, all in one tract, 180 acres cleared and
one-half bottom and very rich land. He has good buildings on his farm, five
acres of bearing orchard and five acres in young orchard. Mr. Yancey has been
three times married: first, in 1859, September 22, to Miss Susan Bradsher, a
native of North Carolina, and five children were born to this union, four now
living. Mrs. Yancey died in Arkansas, and Mr. Yancey took for his second wife
Miss Jane Wooten, a native of Arkansas, reared in Greene County. She died in
August, 1877, leaving one son. Mr. Yancey married his present wife, Mrs. Martha
Virginia Owen, in January, 1878. She was born in Tennessee, and is the daughter
of Rev. A. M. Pickens, a minister in the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Yancey had
one daughter by her former marriage, Edgeworth, wife of Matthew Thomas, and Mr.
Yancey's children are named as follows: Sarah P., wife of James Wooten; Willie
Ann, deceased; Mary E., wife of John Wamble; Robert J. and James, by his first
wife, and Stephen H. by his second wife. Mr. Yancey and wife are members of the
Methodist Protestant Church. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Dannelley
Lodge No. 300, also belonging to Evergreen Lodge No. 66, I. O. O. F.