Miller Richard Tidrick

FISHER, HAYS, LANNING, MOORE, RODENBAUGH, TERRILL, TIDRICK, STEWART

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/8/2004 at 12:49:20

“History of Madison County Iowa and Its People”
Herman A. Mueller, Supervising Editor
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915

With the passing of Miller Richard Tidrick, Winterset lost one of its pioneer merchants, a man who was for many years a force in the commercial development of the city. He was born on the 4th of December, 1833, in Guernsey county Ohio, a son of Michael and Elsie (Lanning) Tidrick, and his boyhood was spent under the parental roof. His education was obtained in the schools of his native county and in his young manhood he followed the profession of teaching for a time. In 1852, when nineteen years of age, he removed to Des Moines Iowa where he remained during the winter. He then continued his way westward, going across the plains and mountain passes to California with ox teams. He remained about five years in the mining camps and then returned by water to the east.

In 1858 Mr. Tidrick came to Winterset and for a time engaged in teaming and freighting, making two trips to Denver. After abandoning that occupation he became a clerk in a dry-goods store in Adel, Iowa, and subsequently entered the drug store of his brother in Winterset, where he was clerking at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. He felt that it was incumbent upon all patriotic young men to go to the defense of the Union and was one of the first to enlist from Winterset, becoming a member of Company G, Third Iowa Volunteer Infantry. After being with the colors for a year his health failed and he was honorably discharged on account of disability. He returned to Winterset and again became a clerk in his brother's drug store. In 1862 he was elected clerk of the county and his excellent record in that office won him a second and third term.

Upon returning to private life Mr. Tidrick engaged in the grocery business and was soon joined by his brother Isaac. Following the death of the latter our subject sold his grocery store and turned his attention to the dry-goods business, becoming junior partner in the firm of Jones & Tidrick. He remained in the mercantile business in Winterset until 1894, being during that time associated with a number of partners. In 1894 he turned his store over to his sons, Fred and Harry, and retired save for looking after his farm. In 1908 he fell and broke his hip and from that time until his death on the i3th of November, 1914 was an invalid. He owned a good residence on thirty acres of land, a part of which was within the city limits of Winterset.

On the 16th of July, 1862, Mr. Tidrick was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Fisher, who was born in Bridgewater, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, February 24, 1841, a daughter of George P. and Rebecca (Stewart) Fisher. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, and was a contractor and builder. He passed away in young manhood and his wife, who was also born in Pennsylvania but of Scotch-Irish lineage, died when thirty-six years old. Mrs. Tidrick was but a child when her parents passed away and was taken by Mr. and Mrs. Rodenbaugh, who reared her as their own daughter. She resided in Pennsylvania until 1856, when she accompanied her foster parents to Dallas county, Iowa, settlement being made upon a farm near Adel. To Mr. and Mrs. Tidrick were born seven children: Charles A., who died in 1908; Jessie, the wife of Robert B. Terrill, a groceryman of Winterset, of whom mention is made on another page of this volume; Elsie, who married S. A. Hays, whose sketch also appears elsewhere in this volume; Fred M., bookkeeper in a store in Des Moines; Harry, engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in Winterset; Jennie, the wife of John S. Moore, secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association at Columbia, Missouri; and George, who died when two years and three months old.

Mr. Tidrick was a Republican and was always willing to give of his time in furthering the interests of his party. He was for a number of years a member of the school board and as such worked constantly to improve the public-school system. He was one of the first members of Evening Star Lodge, No. 43, A. F. & A. M., and in 1864 and again in 1867 was master thereof. In 1866 he joined the Presbyterian church and was treasurer and trustee in 1876, when the present edifice was erected. He was prominent not only in business circles but also in movements that sought the welfare of the public, and his life resulted not only in the gaining of a considerable measure of material prosperity, but also in the advancement of the community interests.

Madison Biographies maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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