Wyatt Berry Stapp was born on Sunday, April 27, 1813, Mason County, Kentucky, the son of Wyatt Stapp (1789-?) and Lucinda Berry (?-1866).

Between 1830 and 1835, the Stapp families moved from Kentucky to Illinois.

He and his partner, V.S. Berry were granted license to "vend merchandise" in the summer of 1835, and paid $ll license fee.

Wyatt Stapp also served in the 12th General Assembly of the Illinois State Legislature in 1840.

On October 5, 1843, Warren County, Illinois, he married Persis Weld Babcock, d/o Elijah Coddington & Cynthia P. (Weld) Babcock.

To this union, two known children were born:

a.) Guy Stapp (September 18, 1844, Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois); served as 1 Lt. in Company A, 138 Ill. Inf. from June 21, 1864 to October 14, 1864. He married Caroline E. Tucker, on 20 September 1866, Warren County, Illinois. To this union, no children were born.

b.) Lucy Persis Stapp (born: June 3, 1846, Monmouth Town, Warren County, Illinois – July 5, 1918, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois). Lucy married James B. Clark (January 10, 1841, Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois - ?; s/o William and Margaret (Black) Clark), on October 3, 1865. They had 5 known children: Guy S. Clark, Leigh Wyatt Clark, Eva Clark, Grovie Clark, & Della (Clark) Allen.

His young wife died February 18, 1847 from consumption and her death affected him greatly.

He was age 37 years old when war was declared by the U.S. federal government against Mexico. Immediately following this declaration, various U.S. states raised their quota of militia units. Stapp, already well known around Monmouth, Illinois, formed and led an Independent Company of Mounted Volunteers, which became part of an Illinois regiment that was assigned to the U. S. 2nd Division of Volunteers commanded by Colonel (brevet Brigadier General) Robert Patterson, into the Mexican War. Among the men of this company was Sergeant Nicholas Porter Earp. So great was Mr. Earps regard for Wyatt Stapp, that he named his fourth son after him - Wyatt Earp's full name was Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp.

In early 1851, he was among a group of prominent Monmouth citizens that called a public meeting to discuss means of bringing the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad through the city. The railroad would run between Peoria and the Mississippi River which would pass through Monmouth. The Burlington line reached Monmouth March 5, 1855, Stapp not living to see this goal. He died on Friday, July 11, 1851.
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Abstracted Obit -
MONMOUTH ATLAS
1851, July 18 - Died 11th inst. in Monmouth at the house of E.C. Babcock, Gen. Wyatt B. Stapp, after an illness of a few days, aged 38 years. He was one of the earliest settlers of Monmouth. Long obituary and biography. He was married 9 October 1843 to Percess W. Babcock and had two children; a son and daughter. Percess died of consumption on 15 February 1847, age 22 years. He took command of the Mounted Illinois troops during the Mexican war. He leaves an aged mother, half brother and sister besides his children which survive him.

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Independent Companies of Illinois Mounted Volunteers, for the war with Mexico - 2nd Company Illinois Mounted Volunteers; Served August 1847 - July 26, 1848. Captain Wyatt B. Stapp.

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Captain Wyatt B. Stapp's Independent Company of Illinois Mounted Volunteers formed in June of 1847. They mainly scouted around the city of Pueblo and carried dispatches to General Scott. Captain Wyatt B. Stapp described the conditions soldiers experienced in a letter home, "Each has a tin cup, a tin plate and a spoon, a table, and a bread board to sit on. A cup of gruel, toast, rice pudding, and goats milk. On the march we simply lie down on the ground with one blanket above and one below."
Out of 91 volunteers, 40 eventually died. They were mustered out on July 26, 1848.

Wyatt Berry Stapp was born on Sunday, April 27, 1813, Mason County, Kentucky, the son of Wyatt Stapp (1789-?) and Lucinda Berry (?-1866).

Between 1830 and 1835, the Stapp families moved from Kentucky to Illinois.

He and his partner, V.S. Berry were granted license to "vend merchandise" in the summer of 1835, and paid $ll license fee.

Wyatt Stapp also served in the 12th General Assembly of the Illinois State Legislature in 1840.

On October 5, 1843, Warren County, Illinois, he married Persis Weld Babcock, d/o Elijah Coddington & Cynthia P. (Weld) Babcock.

To this union, two known children were born:

a.) Guy Stapp (September 18, 1844, Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois); served as 1 Lt. in Company A, 138 Ill. Inf. from June 21, 1864 to October 14, 1864. He married Caroline E. Tucker, on 20 September 1866, Warren County, Illinois. To this union, no children were born.

b.) Lucy Persis Stapp (born: June 3, 1846, Monmouth Town, Warren County, Illinois – July 5, 1918, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois). Lucy married James B. Clark (January 10, 1841, Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois - ?; s/o William and Margaret (Black) Clark), on October 3, 1865. They had 5 known children: Guy S. Clark, Leigh Wyatt Clark, Eva Clark, Grovie Clark, & Della (Clark) Allen.

His young wife died February 18, 1847 from consumption and her death affected him greatly.

He was age 37 years old when war was declared by the U.S. federal government against Mexico. Immediately following this declaration, various U.S. states raised their quota of militia units. Stapp, already well known around Monmouth, Illinois, formed and led an Independent Company of Mounted Volunteers, which became part of an Illinois regiment that was assigned to the U. S. 2nd Division of Volunteers commanded by Colonel (brevet Brigadier General) Robert Patterson, into the Mexican War. Among the men of this company was Sergeant Nicholas Porter Earp. So great was Mr. Earps regard for Wyatt Stapp, that he named his fourth son after him - Wyatt Earp's full name was Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp.

In early 1851, he was among a group of prominent Monmouth citizens that called a public meeting to discuss means of bringing the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad through the city. The railroad would run between Peoria and the Mississippi River which would pass through Monmouth. The Burlington line reached Monmouth March 5, 1855, Stapp not living to see this goal. He died on Friday, July 11, 1851.
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Abstracted Obit -
MONMOUTH ATLAS
1851, July 18 - Died 11th inst. in Monmouth at the house of E.C. Babcock, Gen. Wyatt B. Stapp, after an illness of a few days, aged 38 years. He was one of the earliest settlers of Monmouth. Long obituary and biography. He was married 9 October 1843 to Percess W. Babcock and had two children; a son and daughter. Percess died of consumption on 15 February 1847, age 22 years. He took command of the Mounted Illinois troops during the Mexican war. He leaves an aged mother, half brother and sister besides his children which survive him.

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Independent Companies of Illinois Mounted Volunteers, for the war with Mexico - 2nd Company Illinois Mounted Volunteers; Served August 1847 - July 26, 1848. Captain Wyatt B. Stapp.

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Captain Wyatt B. Stapp's Independent Company of Illinois Mounted Volunteers formed in June of 1847. They mainly scouted around the city of Pueblo and carried dispatches to General Scott. Captain Wyatt B. Stapp described the conditions soldiers experienced in a letter home, "Each has a tin cup, a tin plate and a spoon, a table, and a bread board to sit on. A cup of gruel, toast, rice pudding, and goats milk. On the march we simply lie down on the ground with one blanket above and one below."
Out of 91 volunteers, 40 eventually died. They were mustered out on July 26, 1848.