Biography of William A. Dyer, Saline Co, AR

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        Date: 25 May 2002
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SOURCE: Goodspeed's History of Saline County

William A. Dyer, one of the prominent farmers of Section 5,. Holland Township,
Saline County, whose post office address is Brazil, was born in Cherokee
County, Ala., in 1842. being the eldest in a family of seven children born to
Jacob and Sarah (Grimmett) Dyer, natives of Alabama Mrs. Dyer was the daughter
of William Grimmett, originally from Tennessee and one of a colony of five to
settle, in Wills Valley, Cherokee County, Ala. in 1828, among the Indians,
where he remained some years, subsequently moving to Saline County. Ark. in
1849. He there entered several farms, and sold them at a profit after making
many improvements. His death occurred in 1858, and his wife followed him within
two months, leaving the following children to mourn their lose: William A. (a
boy of sixteen and the subject of this sketch, lames P. (who enlisted in Saline
County under Capt. Watkins in 1862, and who was missing after the siege of Port
Hudson), A. J. (who is married and resides in this township), John D. (killed
in 1887). Ruth Evelyn (died in 1877), Sarah Elizabeth (now Mrs. Holland, and
resides in this town ship), and Robert Wilton (died in 1863). Mr. Dyer was
seven years of age when he came to Saline County with his parent, being reared
to farm life, and receiving an education in the subscription schools of the
county. In 1861 he commenced farming for himself in Beaver Township, where he
remained for one year.  In July, 1862, he enlisted in Company D. Twenty-second
Arkansas Infantry, for three years or during the war, and was kept at Little
Rock most of the time, where he was paroled in 1865, returning later to Beaver
Township and resuming farming.  He was married to Saline County in 1861 to
Emily Chastain, a native of Georgia, and a daughter of John N. and Elizabeth
(Self ) Chastain.  Mr. Chastain was a native of Georgia and came to Saline
County in 1957, settling in Beaver Township, where he remained several years,
and then moved to Holland Township in 1870.  His death occurred in 1879, his
wife dying three months previous.  At the close of the war Mr. Dyer settled in
Beaver Township on a place he had bought in 1861.  In 1871 he purchased a
partially improved farm of 120 acres, to which additions have been made until
he now has 320 acres, with 120 acres under cultivation, fifty acres of this
having been opened by himself.  Mr. and Mrs. Dyer were the parents of two
children, both of whom are deceased: Sarah Elizabeth (who died at three years
of age) and Laura D. (who died at the age of eight). Mr. Dyer is a member of
the school board, in which capacity he has served two terms.  He is also a
member of the Ionic Lodge of the A.F.& A.M. also of Paron Lodge No. 309, A.F.&
A.M., of which he was one of the charter members, having served also as junior
warden and senior warden.  He is one of the leading Democrats of his township.