My Genealogy Hound

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 (Grimmet) Dyer, natives of Alabama. Mrs. Dyer was the daughter of William Grimmet, 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 loss: William A. (a boy of sixteen and the subject of this sketch), James 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 township), and Robert Wilton (died in 1863). Mr. Dyer was seven years of age when he came to Saline County with his parents, 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 in 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 1857, 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 which 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 Paran 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.