WILLIAM A. WYATT. This gentleman is one of the prominent residents of Richland Township, and one whose constancy to the business in hand, and whose thrift has added so greatly to the agricultural regions of Searcy County. He is a native of Warren County, Missouri, born October 2, 1828, and is a son of Lewis L. and Caroline (Tutt) Wyatt, natives of Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively, their marriage in all probability occurring in the latter State. At a very early day they removed to Missouri and first located in Warren County, but in 1843 took up their residence in Searcy County, Arkansas, locating on the farm on which the subject of this sketch is now residing, one and one-half miles from the mouth of Richland Creek, which place was at that time but little improved. On this farm the father spent the rest of his days, dying about 1846. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, was a lifelong farmer, and was honest, industrious and well-to-do. He had one brother and one sister, John and Polly, both of whom died in Warren County, Missouri, the latter the wife of James Bland. Their father died when they were young and their mother afterward married Hedgeman Anderson, both of whom died in Warren County, Missouri, where they were early settlers. The grandfather, Richard Tutt, probably removed from Tennessee to Marion County, Arkansas, and became a resident of the latter place when it was thickly inhabited by Indians. He died at Yellville before the war.
The subject of this sketch was one of the following children born to his parents: Delcina, of Searcy County. the widow of James Jamison; William A.; John, of Searcy County; Frank, who died in this county; Serena, wife of Hugh Riddle, of Newton County, and Margaret, who died in Searcy County, the wife of Henry Ethridge. Almost the entire life of William A. Wyatt has been spent on a farm, and since he attained his fifteenth year he has resided on his present farm. Owing to the scarcity of schools in his youth his advantages were very meager and amounted to only about three months, all told. At the age of eighteen years he joined Company E, under Capt. Pelham, of an Arkansas command, and was stationed at Fort Gibson for about seven months, fighting Indians. He was discharged at Fort Wayne, I. T., and returned home where he was married January 4, 1853, to Louisa E., daughter of John M. and Mary Hensley, who came to this section from Tennessee over fifty years ago and located on Bear Creek. Mr. Hensley was a captain in the Confederate Army and died while a prisoner of war at St. Louis. He was a well-to-do farmer and merchant and is still survived by his widow. Mrs. Wyatt was born in Wayne County, Tennessee, and has borne her husband seven children: Emma C., wife of Thomas Baker, of Searcy County; Perry Lunsford; Mary Powhatan, the deceased wife of James M. Cash; Caroline Pocahontas, wife of Jacob Arnold; Lillie B., wife of William Treadwell, and Alice, wife of Burtis Baker, the two last mentioned being twins.
Mr. Wyatt lived for some years on Bear Creek, but during the war spent a portion of the time in Springfield, Missouri He then returned to the old home farm, and after some time began selling goods in Marshall, continuing for about ten years. Since then his attention has been given to the successful management of his farm, which consists of about 800 acres. His land comprises some of the best in the county and is in several different tracts. He has been a lifelong Democrat and in 1874 represented Searcy County in the State Constitutional Convention. He is a member of Campbell Lodge No. 115, of Marshall, Arkansas, A. F. & A. M., is a patron of all movements tending to develop and improve his section and is considered, and justly so, one of the leading and substantial citizens of the county. He is a first cousin of United States Senator George G. West, of Missouri.