Profile of W.S. Dycus

(Editor’s Note: The following appears in a book called A Tale of Two Cities: A History of Kuttawa, Eddyville and Lyon County and was written by W.W. Martin and EF. McNeill. It was reprinted in 1992 by the Lyon County Historical Society and is used here with permission).

Mr. W.S. Dycus was born in Dycusburg, Crittenden County, Kentucky, July 5, 1858. His native town received its name from the Dycus family, which is one of the leading families in Western Kentucky. Mr. Dycus was educated in the common schools of his county, where, by close application, he acquired a good business education. His first employment was as salesman in one of the local business of his home town. Mr. S.H. Cassidy was his first employer, and Mr. Dycus is to-day in business with this same gentleman. The firm of S.H. Cassidy & Co., of which Mr. Dycus is a member, is one of the largest rehandelers of tobacco in the state. They have two houses in the town of Dycusburg, one in Kuttawa, and one at Lamasco. This firm buys from 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 pounds of tobacco per annum. This vast purchase is converted into strips and dry leaf, and consigned to the Liverpool and London markets, where the firm has agents who take care of its foreign interests. Considerable portions are consigned to markets in Ireland. This large establishment buys a greater portion of the tobacco produced in its territory, and is consequently one of the prime factors in the industrial wealth of the country. Thousands of dollars are expended annually for labor, while hundreds of thousands are distributed in the purchases of tobacco.

The principal offices of this firm are in Kuttawa, Kentucky, which are under the supervision of Mr. W.S. Dycus. This gentleman has, by virtue of his long experience, mastered every detail of the tobacco industry, and is justly considered one of the leading tobacco merchants of Kentucky, which is famed for the production of the staple. In addition to his connection with the firm of S.H. Cassidy & Co., Mr. Dycus is interested in a number of local industries of the city. He is progressive and thoroughly in sympathy with the development of his town and county. Mr. Dycus is one of the leading spirits in the projected line of railroad from Dycusburg to Kuttawa. The completion of this line would connect a splendid scope of country with the markets of the world, and would firmly establish Kuttawa as a great shipping point. Should the enterprise be consummated, Mr. Dycus would be entitled to much credit by the citizens of Lyon and Crittenden Counties. Mr. Dycus is also interested in the educational work of Kuttawa, being a director of the New Century Normal College.

On June 27, 1882, Mr. Dycus was married to Miss Bobbie P. Paine, now deceased. To this union were born the following surviving children: Miss May Lou, Master Leo, Master Ray, and little Miss Catherine. Mr. Dycus, with his interesting children, occupies an elegant home on Oak Avenue near the center of the beautiful little city of Kuttawa.