William G Dorothy

DOROTHY, BULLINGTON, BOOHER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 2/18/2007 at 18:23:07

William G. Dorothy, one of the most prominent citizens in St. Clair Township and one of its earliest settlers, came to Monona County June 6, 1873, from Wapello County, by team, in company with B.F. Booher, Wesley Jones, Christopher Wilson and John Q. Dorothy. After remaining a few days with his brother, J.R. and with E. Vandover, who had both been here about two years, he purchased the tract of land on section 10, where he now resides, then totally unimproved and the same summer commenced its cultivation, breaking about thirty acres and put up a small one-story house 14x16 feet in size. When he settled here people were “few and far between,” there being but about twenty-eight voters in St Clair Township. Here he has resided ever since and having built him a new house in the summer of 1881, is enjoying life as he should.
Mr. Dorothy was born in Hancock County, Illinois, May 22, 1843, and is the son of Archibald and Jemima (Bullington) Dorothy. His father was born in Washington County, Ky., October 23, 1821, and with his parents removed to Edwards County, Ill., when still a small boy. There Archibald was reared and received his education and attained to man’s estate, after which he removed to Hancock County, and to Wapello County, Iowa, in 1844, where he is still living. He has in his possession land in that locality for which he received the patent from the Government about 1847 or 1848, which has never been transferred. The mother of our subject, Mrs. Jemima (Bullington) Dorothy, a native of Orange County, Ind., was born June 22, 1823. Early in life she was left an orphan, and was reared to womanhood by an elder sister. She married Archibald Dorothy in Henry County, Iowa, where she was living, in July 1942, and in the spring of 1844 removed to Wapello County, Iowa. She was the mother of eleven children.
When our subject was about eleven months old he was taken by his parents to Monroe County, Iowa, where he grew to manhood and received his education. He remained beneath the parental roof until March 8, 1864, when, having married, he removed to a farm of his own near his father’s homestead, and with his young wife set up house-keeping. There he remain until May 22, 1873, when having sold his property in that locality he came to Monona County and had made this his home ever since.
Mr. Dorothy was married December 24, 1863, to Miss Mary A. Booher, a native of Indiana, and daughter of Peter and Hannah (Danforth) Booher. They have had a family of eight children: Archibald F., Emma A., Cora F., Edward H., Marion W., Milton R., Nellie J., and Howard. They have also taken to rear one of Mr. Dorothy’s sister’s children, Gertie E. Vandover, both of whose parents are deceased..

Source: History of Monona County Iowa
Chicago National Pub. Co. 1890