Biography of M A R Wycough, 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 727

M. A. R. Wycough, who has the honor of being the oldest native-born individual
in Batesville, was born in that city. on November 27, 1839, and is a son of
Samuel B. and Malinda H. (Bandy) Wycough, of North Carolina, who emigrated to
Arkansas, in February, 1835, and located at Batesville, where the father died.
Mr. Wycough was reared and educated in Batesville, and reached his maturity in
the same year that the Civil War commenced. He enlisted in Company K, First
Arkansas Mounted Riflemen, and served with that body until after the battle of
Murfreesboro, in 1863, when he was granted a furlough and returned to his home.
He again entered the army, joining Crabtree's cavalry, and was assigned to the
quartermaster's department. He was present at the battles of Oak Hill, Elkhorn.
Farmington, Murfreesboro and in Price's raids through Missouri, up to Jefferson
City, where he was captured and taken prisoner to St. Louis, Mo., and kept in
confinement until February 25, 1865. He was then exchanged, and went to
Richmond, but immediately left for Mobile and from there to Jackson, Miss.,
where he was paroled, and came home. On his return he commenced farming and
speculating, and also keel boating to some extent from Jacksonport to
Batesville. Shortly after settling down at Batesville again, he was elected
deputy sheriff, collector and clerk, holding that office for about twelve
years, and for a short period was engaged in the United States revenue office.
He has also been the assistant assessor of Independence County, but during all
this time he still continued looking after his farm interests, and at the
present time owns about 2,000 acres of land, with some 800 acres under
cultivation. In 1865 Mr. Wycough was married to Mrs. Catherine E. Cullens, a
pleasant lady and widow of James Cullens. Four children were born to this
marriage, two boys, now deceased, and two girls: Monnie M., wife of C. W.
Maxfield, and Nettie A. The wife died in 1872, and on July 14, 1873, he was
again married, his second wife being Miss Mary E. Neely, by whom he has had
three children: Lillie Lee, and two boys, now deceased. This wife died in 1877,
and after his period of mourning, Mr. Wycough was married a third time, the
lady being Miss E. A. Boone, of Callaway County, Mo., by whom he has had two
children, Emma A. and Agnes B. Mr. Wycough is a Mason and has been secretary of
the Blue Lodge for some time. He is a member of the Knights of Honor, and in
religious faith belongs to and attends the Methodist Episcopal Church, with his
wife, having served on the official board for a number of years. For several
years he was engaged in commercial life, but gave it up on finding that his
farms would need all of his attention, and since then he has built up and
improved it so well that he now owns one of the finest farms in Northeast
Arkansas; together with some very valuable town property. He is an enterprising
man, and a prominent figure in Batesville circles, where he enjoys a large
degree of popularity.