A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 1010-1011
William F. Dyer, of Franklin Township, Hendricks County, Ind., saw a service of over four years and three months in the late war, was in many battles, bears the wounds of a brave soldier and is totally disabled. He springs from sterling English and Welsh stock, his family having been early settlers of Virginia and Tennessee. He is the son of Calloway and Matilda (Howton) Dyer, and was born in Grainger County, Tenn., May 2, 1836. His father moved to Indiana in 1852 and settled in Putnam County. In 1855 he went to Kansas, but returned to Indiana the next year and settled three miles south of Ladoga, in Montgomery County, and here William F., our subject, enlisted April 19, 1861, at the age of nearly twenty-five years, in Company G, Eleventh Indiana Infantry, under Capt. Carr, with David Knox as first lieutenant, for three months. He served out his term and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis. Before the expiration of this service, and previous to being mustered out he had re-enlisted for three years of during the war. He was sick in hospital one month, during which time his regiment returned home and was mustered out. On h is recovery he enlisted at Indianapolis in Company H, Eleventh Indiana Infantry, served about two years and veteranized for three years more or during the war, and served four years, three months and six days in all, and was honorably discharged at Baltimore, Md., July 25, 1865. This is one of the longest terms served by any volunteer from this county.
He was in the battles of Romney, Va., fort Henry, two battles in Louisiana, not remembered, Halltown, Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. He was in several severe skirmishes, and was wounded on the White River expedition, a ball striking him in the right side of the head, passing the ear and taking off a part of the skull. He was in hospital for nearly two months at Helena, Ark., and now suffers from spine trouble caused by that wound. A ball passed through his hair at the battle of Winchester in 1864. He contracted lung fever at Fort Henry in February, 1862, and was sick then for some time; was sent from Crump's Landing to hospital, Evansville, Ind.; received a furlough for thirty days, which was extended ten days longer, on account of disability. He was also sick with smallpox below Vicksburg, and also with malarial fever at St. Louis for three weeks. He was on several severe marches, notably from Cumberland, Md., to Romney, Va., marching all night, and after that battle returned to Cumberland, Md., again marching all night. The greatest exposure was on the march to Fort Henry and Shiloh, it being very rainy, and the soldiers sleeping on the wet ground in the slush and snow. Mr. Dyer was a very stout and rugged young man when he went into the army, and when he came out he was greatly disabled. Since 1875 he has been unable to do much, and for fifteen years has been almost totally disabled, and for the past five years has been wholly incapacitated.
He married, April 30, 1876, Catherine, daughter of Peter and Rachael (Leonard) Cline. Peter Cline was born in Virginia, and his wife at Knoxville, Tenn. He was a farmer of Emma, Morgan County, Ind., having come to this state at an early day. He lived to be about eighty years old and was the father of ten children, John, Peter, Elizabeth, Samuel, Tabitha, Catherine, Mary M., Laurence and George (twins) and Rachael. Mr. and Mrs. Dyer lived three years at Emma, and then moved to Stilesville in 1879. They have three children living, William F., John A., and Mary J. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dyer are members of the Christian Church, and he is a church trustee, also a member of the G.A.R., Enoch Alexander post, Stilesville, and has filled the offices of adjutant and quartermaster. He is also a non affiliating Odd Fellow of North Salem. Mr. Dyer is a Republican, and was supervisor of this township two terms. He was a good soldier, and, except when disabled by wounds and sickness, was always on duty, cheerfully and patiently doing his full share to put down the rebellion. He did not hesitate to continue his service by re-enlistment twice when his country needed him.