William T. Tyndall, a successful teacher in the High School of Sparta, was born on the old home place of the Tyndall family, three miles east of Sparta, January 16, 1862, and there grew to mature years.
His parents, William V. and Hannah (Huff) Tyndall, were natives of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively, the father born April 19, 1818, and the mother in Fulton County. Our subject’s great-grandfather came from England to this country at an early date, and settled at Baltimore, Md. His son, the grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the War of 1812. William V. Tyndall, father of the subject, remained in his native State until three years of age, and, when grown, or in 1841, he emigrated to Missouri. He first settled in Christian County, about two miles southeast of Sparta, and bought a farm, on which he remained for eight years. Thence he moved to a farm four miles northeast of that town, and on this passed the remainder of his days, dying February 15, 1893, of pneumonia. He was a hearty, strong man up to the time of his death. He was also a good man, for his career was marked by uprightness and truth, and his life was filled with acts of usefulness. He was one of the pioneers of this section, and a man highly esteemed by all. He came to this county on horseback, and after settling here married Miss Huff, daughter of Samuel Huff, who was a native of Tennessee. The latter was the first man to settle in Greene County, and was about the only white man who knew anything about the county in 1812. He died in Douglas County in 1868, when eighty-seven years of age. Mrs. Tyndall was a consistent member of the Christian Church, and the family has ever been highly respected. In his political principles, Mr. Tyndall was a Whig and later a Republican. He voted for William H. Harrison and for Benjamin Harrison for presidents of the United States. When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted in the Home Guards, and served about ninety days, but was then too old to be a soldier. The war made great inroads into his resources, and he was obliged to start anew. The children born to this most worthy couple were named as follows: Charlotte, wife of E. G. Friend, a pioneer of this country; Sarah, the wife of J. M. Washburn of Ozark County, deceased; Rhoda, married to Daniel Pipkin, and after his death was married to Thomas F. Layton. She is now deceased; Mollie married W. B. Cummings and resides in Texas; Isabella, married E. G. Friend, Jr., and resides in this county; Annie married Lewis Leonard of Montana; May is the youngest of the family and single. The sons were named as follows: Isaac A., our subject; John B., single, resides near Sparta; W. T., teacher in the public schools of Sparta, and is postmaster of that town; and Martin V., who is living in Ozark, has an office under the Government. The parents of these children passed through all the privations and trials of pioneer life, and the old homestead is one of the first settled farms in the county.
Early in life he was trained to the arduous duties of the farm, and his first experience as a pupil was in the primitive log school house with clay and stick chimney, of those days. Like his brothers, he attended Henderson Academy, and took an academic course. Leaving school in 1886, he began his career as an educator, teaching first in Douglas County, but subsequently he confined his teaching to this county, mostly in or near Sparta. He is one of the most successful and prominent young educators of the county, and he has done much to further the cause of education. Sparta has excellent schools, and thanks are due Mr. Tyndall for their progress and improvement. By teaching school he educated himself, and after studying law during his vacations, was admitted to the bar in February, 1893. He was married at Sparta, to Miss Lillie M. Nelson, a native of Pierce City, this State, and the daughter of W. H. Nelson, a farmer. One child has blessed this union, a daughter, Renda J. Mr. Tyndall is a prominent Mason and a member of Sparta Lodge, of which he is master. In politics he is to be found in the Republican ranks. He was appointed postmaster at Sparta under President Harrison, and has filled that office very satisfactorily up to the present. He and Mrs. Tyndall are members of the Christian Church.