My Genealogy Hound

William L. Yancey, another prominent farmer and stock raiser of Oak Bluff Township, and son of Robert and Parthena Yancey, was born in Fayette County, Tenn., September 22, 1837. Robert Yancey was born in Mecklenburg County, Va., grew to manhood there, and was there married to Parthena Yancey, who was also a native of Virginia. After marriage they moved to Tennessee, settling in Fayette County, and here the father followed farming and reared his family. He died in 1849, and his widow in 1865. In their family were two sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to mature years. Both brothers grew up in Fayette County, Tenn., and both served in the Confederate army. William L. enlisted in March, 1862, in Col. Jackson’s cavalry regiment, commanded by Gen. Forrest, and served until the final surrender. He was paroled at Gainesville, Ala., in 1865, and was a participant in the following battles: Jackson, Miss., Holly Springs, Miss., Guntown, Miss., Nashville and Franklin, Tenn., and was in a number of minor engagements. After the war he returned to Tennessee, farmed in Fayette County for two years, and then moved to Arkansas in the fall of 1866, where he remained for one year, when he bought the place where he now resides, five acres being cleared. He is the owner of 240 acres, all in one tract, 180 acres cleared and one-half bottom and very rich land. He has good buildings on his farm, five acres of bearing orchard and five acres in young orchard. Mr. Yancey has been three times married; first, in 1859, September 22, to Miss Susan Bradsher, a native of North Carolina, and five children were born to this union, four now living. Mrs. Yancey died in Arkansas, and Mr. Yancey took for his second wife Miss Jane Wooten, a native of Arkansas, reared in Greene County. She died in August, 1877, leaving one son. Mr. Yancey married his present wife, Mrs. Martha Virginia Owen, in January, 1878. She was born in Tennessee, and is the daughter of Rev. A. M. Pickens, a minister in the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Yancey had one daughter by her former marriage, Edgeworth, wife of Matthew Thomas, and Mr. Yancey’s children are named as follows: Sarah P., wife of James Wooten; Willie Ann, deceased; Mary E., wife of John Wamble; Robert J. and James, by his first wife, and Stephen H. by his second wife. Mr. Yancey and wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Dannelley Lodge No. 300, also belonging to Evergreen Lodge No. 66, I. O. O. F.