Dorrance, Orange F.

DORRANCE, FULLER, BESSETT, MONROE, HICKS, CUNNING, CONAWAY, RAINSBURG

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 4/23/2011 at 10:27:38

Portrait and Biographical Record of Johnson, Poweshiek, and Iowa Counties, Iowa (1893)
Page 387

ORANGE F. DORRANCE. Soon after the war the gentlman of whom we write settled in Brooklyn and engaged in general merchantile business, which he followed until 1881. He then embarked in banking, serving as Cashier in the Poweshiek County Bank, which was organized about 1875 by W.W. Lyons. In the capacity of Cashier, Mr. Dorrance served until the spring of 1892, when he was honored by being made President of the concern. He is a leading Mason, having belonged to that fraternity since attaining his majority, and has served his fellow-citizens as Mayor. He is a thoroughly representative man and has always shown that he has the welfare of this locality thoroughly at heart, endeavoring in every way possible to promote its best interests.

In Stark County, Ill., the birth of our subject occurred August 28, 1838. He is a son of Lemuel S. and Mahala (Fuller) Dorrance, who were both natives of Westmoreland County, Pa., and some six years previous to our subject's birth removed to Stark County, where Mr. Dorrance, Sr., entered a section or more of land and devoted himself from that time on to its cultivation and improvement. In 1849, becoming imbued with the prevailing California "gold fever," he started Westward, dying the following winter. He was a staunch Whig, politically, and had acted as County Commissioner. He left a wife and five children to mourn his loss. In order of birth the latter were as follows: Susan, Henry B. (now deceased), Orange F., Martha and James. Some years after Mrs. Dorrance married Freeman Bessett, who has also since departed this life. She is now a widow and has reached her seventy-ninth year. Her last marriage was in 1857 and soon after she removed to Texas with her husband, locating near Sherman. For the past eight or ten years she has lived in Indian Territory. Her father, Orange Fuller, was a merchant in Pennsylvania, in which State he served at one time as Justice of the Peace. About 1836, he removed to Illinois, being numbered among the early settlers of Stark County, where he departed this life on August 30, 1838. In politics, he was a Whig, and was married in Pennsylvania to Hepsibah Monroe, who also died in Illinois, and who reared a family of six sons and one daughter, only four of whom are yet living.

Orange Dorrance received a common-school education, also attended the Toulon Seminary, and graduated from the law department of the Chicago University in 1861. The same year he removed to Montezuma, in this county, where he engaged in practice for about one year. Before leaving Chicago, he had enlisted for the three-months service, but was not accepted, as the quota was complete. In July, 1862, he again enlisted, becoming a member of Company C, Twenty-eight Iowa Infantry; he participated with his regiment in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads and served through the Vicksburg campaign. Most of this time he was in the Quartermaster's service and at the battle of Sabine Cross Roads was wounded in the left thigh. He was sent to the hospital at New Orleans, and though he recovered he still carries the ball as a memento of the troublous times of the war. At the siege of Vicksburg he received commendation for his meritorious service, and on July 1, 1863, was commissioned Second Lieutenant. December 27, 1864, he was raised to the rank of First Lieutenant, and in 1865 was mustered out as a Captain. The year before he was appointed Judge Advocate at Madisonville, La., and in July of the same year was sent with Sheridan on the Virginia Campaign, participating in all the engagements of the regiment. His last service was in Georgia, and in August, 1865, he was ordered home from Savannah, being mustered out at Davenport in the same month.

In 1865 Mr. Dorrance was united in marriage with Miss Addie Hicks, who died on August 26, 1866. Some time after our subject married Fannie, daughter of Dr. John and Mary E. (Cunning) Conaway. To Mr. and Mrs. Dorrance have been born six children, who are as follows: Eva, wife of Charles T. Rainsburg; Mamie, Florence, Ada, Nina and Freeman. The parents are active members and workers in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Brooklyn and are always found first in all benevolences. In everything pertaining to county and local affairs Mr. Dorrance is much concerned and is considered quite a leader in political circles, as he is a staunch supporter of the Republican party. His record in the defense of the Union is one of which any soldier might well be proud, and as a private citizen he equally merits commendation, as he is one who warmly advocates educational and all other measures which promote the welfare of the country. As a business man he has always been found honorable and upright in all his dealings with his fellow-men, and thus he has won the entire confidence and respect of all.