Dillon, Peter C.

DILLON, FERNEAU

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 1/5/2013 at 06:54:40

The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa
Des Moines: Union Hist. Co., 1880.

DILLON, PETER C.—Deep River Twp—pg 726. Section 24, P.O. Deep River. His grandfather was probably from Ireland, but married a German lady. His father (John) was born December 18, 1803, in Fiat county, Pennsylvania, and in his boyhood he emigrated with his parents to Belmont county, Ohio, where he was raised on a farm and educated, and where he married, December 25, 1830, Jane Badd, a lady of Scotch-Irish descent, who was born October, 1809; and in 1856 they emigrated to Iowa, and in 1859 to Deep River township, this county, where, at his residence, in Dresden, he died suddenly of heart disease, August 7, 1880. Peter, one among six children, was born September 14, 1838, in Belmont county, Ohio, where he was raised on a farm and educated. Emigrating with his father to Iowa, he farmed one year in Cedar county, when he came to this county, where his father entered 160 acres of land. In August, 1862, he enlisted in company C. of the Twenty-eighth Iowa infantry; participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion’s Hill, Siege of Vicksburg, and Cedar Creek, besides numerous skirmishes. At Port Gibson he received a wound in his left leg, and, during the summer of 1864 he was confined to the hospital. He contracted rheumatism while in the army from which his health is permanently impaired. He received his honorable discharge in August, 1865, when he returned to the family estate, on which he has farmed and lived ever since. He married, March 17, 1867, Martha E. Ferneau, of Pleasant township, who was born in Pike county, Ohio, August 24, 1848. To them have been born: Mary B. (born January 15, 1868); Tena Jane (born October 30, 1870), Sadie (born September 20, 1872; died November 7, 1876), Olive M. (born May 30, 1877) and John E. (born May 13, 1879). Mr. and Mrs. Dillon own eighty acres of good farming land, which is in a fine state of cultivation and unencumbered.