Son of William Ephraim Wainwright and Nancy B. (Turner) Wainwright. He married Margaret Elizabeth Huddleston, Feb. 28, 1860 in Lawrence Co., Arkansas.

William was one of nine children, raised on a farm in Madison Co., Alabama. After leaving Alabama, he went to Georgia, and in 1853 he moved with his father to Arkansas, locating in Independence Co.
He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and during the late Civil War, Mr. Wainwright served four years under Gen. Price being in the commissary department most of the time.
He was married February, 28, 1860, in Lawrence Co., Arkansas to Miss Margaret Elizabeth Huddleston, they had nine children.
In 1862 he moved to Fulton Co., Arkansas where he owned 1.346 acres of land in the county and considerable property in town. He had the finest dwelling house in Fulton Co., it was a fine brick structure containing eight large rooms.
Politically he was always affiliated with the Democratic party, and socially he was a member of the A.F. and A.M., being a Master Mason. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died Wednesday, April 11, at his home, in Salem, Fulton Co., Arkansas at the age of seventy-three years.

William and Margaret Elizabeth had nine children:
1. John B., 1860-1861, died at the age of nine months
2. Laura P., 1862-1884 at the age of twenty-two, married Benjamin Hill Castleberry and had two children.
3. William E., 1865-1954 married Ada O. Ashley and they had six children
4. Mary Louise, 1867-1961 then married sister Laura P. husband Benjamin Hill Castleberry as his 2nd wife and they had seven children.
5. Martha Lucinda, 1870-1961 she married Henry Forest Northcutt
6. Samuel Perry, 1872-1964 married Myrtle Edith Simpson
7. Lucy Maude, 1874-1967 married George Thomas Humphries
8. George W. 1876-1883 died at age seven
9. Gwendoline W.,1880-1935 married John Webster Brooks