Sidney R Dyer

DYER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/10/2009 at 11:55:58

Sidney R Dyer, when the history of Boone county and her public men shall have been written, its pages will bear no more illustrious name and record no more prominent career than that of Mr Dyer. If “biography is the home aspect of history” as Wolmot has expressed it, it is entirely with in the province of true history to commemorate and perpetuate the live and characters, the achievements and honor of the leading sons of a community. For thirty years Mr Dyer has figured prominently in connection with the judicial annals of this portion of the state, having practiced continuously in Boone since 1872.
A native of Lockport, New York, he was born December 28, 1845, and is a son of John and Sarah A (Webb) Dyer. His parental grandfather was Isaac Dyer was born in Watertown, New York. His grandfather was a cooper by trade, and his father successfully followed the boot and shoe business for a number of years in Fulton, Illinois. He had left the Empire state in 1856 and had taken up his abode in Fulton, where he remained until 1899, when he came to Boone to make his home with the subject of this review. Here he is yet living at the age of seventy-eight years, while his wife passed away at the age of seventy-two years. In their family were four children: Eva E, with wife of G K Bent, Sidney R, Frances A, the wife of S a Austin, and Leamon A, who completes the family.
Mr Dyer of this review was quite young when his parents removed to Illinois. In Fulton, that state, he attended the public schools and a military academy at that place, continuing his studies until after the inauguration of the Civil War, when, at the age of seventeen years he enlisted in July, 1862, as a member of Company F, Ninety-third Illinois Infantry, in which he became a drummer boy, being mustered out in 1865.
After his return home Mr Dyer attended the Northern Soldiers College, where he completed his studies and in 1870 he took up the study of law in the office of W E Leffingwell, of Lyons, Iowa. He diligently continued his reading until 1872, when he was admitted to the Clinton county bar. He then practiced law for a time in Fulton, Illinois, but in November 1872, opened an office in Boone, where he has remained continuously since. Few lawyers have made amore lasting impression upon the bar of the state, both for legal ability of a high order and for the individuality of a personal character. He has gained a high place in his profession by hard work. The zeal with which he has devoted his energies to his profession, the careful regard evinced for the interests of his clients, and assiduous and unrelaxing attention to al the details of this cases, have brought him a large business and made him very successful in its conduct. His arguments have elicited warm commendation, not only from his associates at the bar, but also from the bench. He is a very able writer, his briefs always show wide research, careful thought, and the best and strongest reasons which can be urged for his contention, presented in congent and logical form, and illustrated by a style unusually lucid and clear.
In 1870 Mr Dyer was married to Jennie L Moffatt, a daughter of Charles M and Charlotte (Bascom) Moffatt, natives of New York. Her father died at the age of fifty-eight years but her mother is still living. In their family were four children and unto Mr and Mrs dyer have been born two sons, John s and Walter R, Mr Dyer belongs to the Grand army of the Republic, and to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His political support is given with unflinching loyalty to the Republican party and he has served as a member of the school boards, while for two terms he has been mayor of Boone. Such in brief is the history of Sidney Dyer. In whatever relation of life we find him, in the government service, in political circles, in business or in social relations, he is always the same honorable and honored gentlemen, whose worth well merit’s the high regard which is uniformly given him.

1902 Boone County History Book