Biography of William C Wyatt, Independence Co, AR

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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. 
Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.
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page 726 

William C. Wyatt is a successful farmer and stockman of Independence
County, Ark., and is a man who, by his sterling characteristics and genial and
hospitable disposition, has won a host of warm friends, and the universal
respect of those whom he meets. He is a son of James and Martha (Davis) Wyatt,
the former a native of North Carolina, and the mother of old Virginia, and of
Swiss and Scotch descent, respectively. The paternal ancestry is traced back as
far as the great-grand-father, and the grandfather participated in the
Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, in the latter war taking part in the
battle of New Orleans. His death occurred while coming home from that battle.
In the year 1852 James Wyatt emigrated with his family to Arkansas and located
in Independence County, where he turned his attention to farming, an occupation
which he had always followed, on forty acres of land which he had purchased. He
cleared this of timber, and many of his early days were spent in hunting, his
trusty rifle bringing down many wolves, bear, panthers, deer and wild turkeys.
In 1867 Mr. Wyatt returned to Tennessee, where be had lived a number of years,
to dispose of his possessions there, and after receiving the money for the sale
of his land he started for his home in Arkansas, but, after crossing the
Tennessee River, he disappeared and [p.726] has never been heard from since. He
is supposed to have been killed for his money, and his family mourn him as
dead. William C. Wyatt was one of his eight children, and was the fourth in
order of birth, this event occurring on the 5th of January, 1842. He came to
Arkansas when ten years of age, and was reared to farm life and educated in
this State. When the war broke out he enlisted in Company B. Eighth Arkansas
Volunteer Infantry. United States Army, and participated in the battles of
Stone River. Perryville. being captured at the former battle on the 31st of
December, 1862. and was exchanged on the 22d of March. 1863. In the same
engagement in which he was captured be was severely wounded. having his left
arm broken, but thinks he has now entirely recovered. After being exchanged at
Petersburg be returned home on furlough. and this ended his services as a
soldier. On the 18th of January, 1866, he was married to Miss Mary M. Dodd. a
native of Arkansas, and a daughter of Abuer H, and Mary Jane (Martin) Dodd, the
father born in Tennessee and the mother in Kentucky. the latter being a great-
granddaughter of Col. Ben Hardin, of Kentucky. To Mr and Mrs. Wyatt have been
born the following children: William Abner. who was born on the 25th of
November, 1866: Andrew David, who was born August 11, 1869; George Washington.
who was born July 24, 1877. and Edna Inez. born January 14, 1887. Mr. Wyatt
made his first purchase of land in 1876, it consisting of forty acres of timber
land, and has added to it until he now has seventy-eight acres in the home
farm, the remainder being inherited by Mrs. Wyatt from her father's estate.
About fifteen acres were under cultivation, and he now has thirty-five acres
cleared and improved. He has a good frame dwelling house and substantial barns.
stables, etc. His entire acreage at the present time amounts to 290 acres. with
sixty-five under cultivation. He and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist
Church, and he is a Democrat in his political views. and is a warm friend of
progress, and a liberal contributor to all worthy enterprises.