Fred Dieckman

DIECKMAN, PIERSON

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/18/2016 at 08:59:51

24 July 1908 - The Lowden News

From the Clinton Advertiser

Fred Dieckman, one of Clinton's best known citizens, died at noon Sunday, at his home, 235 Hickory street. The news of his death came as a shock to his many friends throughout the city, few of whom were even aware that he had been ill.

About a year and a half ago Mr. Dieckman suffered for a long time with blood poisoning and since that time has been in poor health. Last Friday he suffered a stroke of paralysis, from which dread disease he never recovered.

Attending physicians did everything in their power to bring relief to their patient, all to no avail. Gradually Mr. Dieckman failed in strength, and Saturday the announcement was made that his case was hopeless and the end was a question of only a few hours. Sunday noon he breathed his last.

Frederick Dieckman was born in Cheviott, Ohio, and was forty-seven years of age. In 1876, he came with his parents to Iowa, locating at Wheatland. He graduated from the High school at Wheatland, and then took a course of study at Cornell college, Mt. Vernon. In 1881 he entered into business with his brother, Albert, at Wheatland, under the firm name of Dieckman Bros., carrying a general line of groceries and hardware, and in September 1895, was appointed postmaster, and for a year thereafter conducted both the store and post office. At the end of that period he disposed of his mercantile interests, and in connection with the post office assumed the management of the Wheatland Spectator, a weekly newspaper. He continued with the Spectator until May, 1888, when he organized and established the Wheatland Gazette, a Democratic paper.

In February 1889, Mr. Dieckman disposed of his interests in the newspaper business, and October 1st of the same year surrendered the office of postmaster to his Republican successor. In September of the following year he was nominated by the Democratic county convention for the office of county auditor, and in November was elected. So acceptably did he fill the office that in 1902 he was re-elected for a second term without opposition.

On December 1, 1906, Mr. Dieckmann formed a partnership with A. H. Paddock, in real estate and insurance business, under the firm name of Paddock & Dieckmann. In this line he met with splendid success and enjoyed a most profitable business.

At the recent primary election Mr. Dieckmann was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for county treasurer. There were several candidates for the office, and friends believed that Mr. Dieckman would be declared the winner, but fate decreed otherwise. Mr. Dieckman made a good showing and polled a large vote, but not sufficiently large to win. The defeat was a hard blow to him, for the reason that he had made an aggressive campaign and believed that he would be elected. Despite his defeat, however, and with the knowledge that many of the pledges and promises made to him by political friends were forgotten by them on election day, he accepted his defeat in a manner that won him new friends. The morning after the primary election he said to an Advertiser reporter, in commenting on the battle of ballots: "I lost, because I did not receive enough of votes. Yes, it is true, I did expect to win. But it is all over now, and you can quote me as saying that I shall be found working for the interests of all Democratic candidates just as strong as though I had been nominated."

That was Fred Dieckmann. He lost a contest he wanted to win, but defeat brought to him no bitterness for the men who were against him in the political campaign. Even in defeat, as under all other conditions, Fred Dieckman was on the square.

Mr. Dieckmann was a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He was past master of Western Star lodge, A.F. & A.M., also a member of Keystone chapter, No. 32, R.A.M., Delta council, No. 23, R. & S. M., and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, as well as Rebekah branch of that order.

Surviving the deceased are three brothers, Albert, of Wheatland, Ia., Emil Louis, of Schleswig, and Wm. L. of Clinton; also one sister, Mrs. A. F. Pierson, of this city.

The funeral services were held at nine o'clock Wednesday morning at the family home on Hickory street. At 11:30 o'clock the remains were taken to Wheatland for burial.