Dull, Simon B. 1834-1926

DULL, MILLER, DAVIS, OWEN, KLINKEL

Posted By: Richard O'Brien (email)
Date: 6/12/2013 at 15:46:09

Simon Barjonas Dull born:1834 May 20 died:1926 Mar 25 buried Monona Cemetery. Vet G.A.R. Co E 4th Iowa Vol. W=Eva (Miller) Dull 1839 Feb 27-1917 Jan 29. Source: Waukon Democrat

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Posted by S. Ferrall:

Simon Barjonas Dull, perhaps the oldest citizen and pioneer of this whole region, passed away in death at his home early Thursday morning, March 25, 1926. His departure was a shock to the community because of the short duration of his last illness. While he had not been on the streets thru the winter months his health had been good, and he was anticipating spring time when he could again be out of doors.

He was born May 20, 1834 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and came to Iowa in 1854, making his home with a married sister then living at Rossville, Iowa. The following year he was united in marriage to Eva Miller of Volney on January 24, 1855. From then until they moved into Monona in 1914, they lived on farms in Allamakee and Clayton Counties, and for 31 years of that time lived on the farm north of town now occuptied by John Reidel.

To this family were born ten children, four of whom preceeded their father in death. Those living are Mrs. S.G. Davis of Ogema, Minnesota; Mrs. C.G. Owen, Minnie, Mrs. Frank Klinkel and William of Monona, and Michael. The wife and mother passed away Jan 29, 1917.

For seventy years Mr. Dull has been in this community with but two breaks. In 1858 he caught the gold fever and with several Monona men tramped to Pike's Peak, Colorado in search of fortune. While on this trip he contracted serious illness and was brought home within a yeare where he was able to recover his health. Then in 1864 he enlisted in the Northern Army as a member of Company E, 4th Iowa Volunteers.

While he did not see much of the battlefield, he was with General Sherman on his march to the sea. He was mustered out of service at Dubuque at the close of the war, and was an active member of the local G.A.R. Post No. 495.

For 59 years he operated a farm, and even after moving into town supervised for several years a twenty acre tract adjoining Monona. He was considered an excellent farmer, and very progressive in his ideas concerning farming. He was a constant reader of the best literature on agriculture, public affairs and history. He read the farm journal eagerly up to the last few days. Not a day passed that he did not carefully study the market page of the paper. In later years his reading was voluminous beginning on the dailies as soon as he was up in the morning and reading until bed time. Out of this sturdy reading habit he became a man of unusual education although deprived of any but the most elementary schooling of his early boyhood days. He possessed a very remarkable memory, and could carry the details of numerous stories and volumes which he was reading without confusion.

He was always interested in political affairs, and was considered by those who knew him as a staunch republican. Before the Republican party was so named he was an ardent Whig. While he never held office he had a voice in the making of many an officer holder of the county, and was a delegate to the convention at New Hampton that gave Gilbert N. Haugen his first nomination to Congress.

He was baptized in the Lutheran faith, attended the Volney Methodist Church for years, and united with Monona Methodist Church during the pastorate of Rev. J.B. Bird. Until his health broke, he was a regular attendant and supporter of this church.

A backward glance over this long span of life reveals the richness of his earthly career. He came here when this region was a wilderness just opening up. Monona was scarcely a village, and Volney was a busy village centered about a flor and saw mill. McGregor was the nearest trading post, and was the nearest market for farm produce, from here the produce was taken to the larger cities for distribution by boats. The family received their mail thru the Elkader post office, where that mail was brought by stage. There were no railroads in all this great region then, and transportation was done by animals and river boats. He came all the way from the East to McGregor by water when he first came to the west.

He carried on farming operations for many years with such ancient tools as the sickle and cradle, and lived to see the introduction of every piece of machinery that is used today. He labored many a day for 3 cents per day wages even when a lad near full grown, and often took his pay in produce. In his span of life the world had been remade. Few countries retain the same borders today that they had in the days of his youth. Nations that were thought of as being as far away and remote as another planet have in this time been drawn so close that we are now as a family of nations, and can catch their voices instantly over the radio and cables.

The generation of today owes much to the sturdy manhood of such pioneers as was brother Dull, and his heroic wife. We may be thankful that their hardships of deprivation and suffering are not necessary in our day and should be happy that our renumeration for services is not as meager as in past days.

Funeral services held at the home on March 29, were conducted by Rev. H.E. Morrow, the sermon being preached by Rev. J.B. Bird of New Hampton. Interment in Monona Cemetery.