William Riley McGaha was born on February 18, 1838 in Cosby, Cocke, Tennessee to Robert & Elizabeth (Campbell) McGaha. On April 29, 1861, William married Mary "Polly" Johnson in Cosby. They were married by William H. Garner, Esq.

Part of a very large extended family, William was one of his many McGaha cousins that served in the Civil War. William enlisted in Company E, 2nd Tennessee Cavalry Volunteers on September 16, 1862. He eventually reached the rank of Corporal. In October of 1864, William lost the little finger on his left hand due to enemy gunfire. He was discharged in Nashville on July 5, 1865.

William & Mary had two children: Ulysses Stewart, born on February 6, 1868, and Nancy Elizabeth "Sissy", born on July 28, 1870, both in Cocke County. Ulysses married 1. Eleanor Partilia "Ellen" Gunter, 2. Rebecka "Becky" Jane Hurst, and Nancy married James Anderson McMahan.

Around 1904, William & Mary moved with Ulysses' family to Independence County, Arkansas, eventually living in Mt. Pleasant, Izard, Arkansas.

William died on September 25, 1925 in Mt. Pleasant, and Mary on August 18, 1920. Both are buried in the Barren Fork Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant.

William R McGaha