John James DILLON

DILLON, CLARY, CLEARY, ESSER, WEESS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/6/2010 at 23:30:53

John James Dillon
April 16, 1857 -- December 6, 1936

Clinton MO - J. J. Dillon died at his home, 800 North Second street at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, following a brief illness of three days which climaxed several years of declining health, first noticed since the death of his wife in 1933. Friday he was able to have dinner with his family but death had marked him and his passing on the Sabbath was like his life, peaceful and serene. John James Dillon was born April 16, 1857, at Maple Park, DeKalb, County, Ill. There he grew to manhood, on their farm and attended the local schools. In 1884 he was married to Miss Catherine Cleary of Maple Park and soon after they moved to near Clarion, Iowa, to establish their new home. There their children were born, Patrick, deceased in childhood; John, of Pittsburg, Penn.; Miss Margaret and Gus Dillon of the home in Clinton. In 1896 Mr. and Mrs. Dillon and their family moved to a farm six miles south of Clinton, where Mr. Dillon farmed successfully until January 1919, when he moved to Clinton. For some years, Mr. Dillon worked with his team for the city, then he devoted his lessened energies to his home, where a fine garden always rewarded his efforts and where his family claimed his most devoted attention, for his home was truly his castle and it was there he was happiest. He never recovered from his grief over the loss of his wife who was called home in January, four years ago. Mr. Dillon, reared in the Catholic faith, was a member of the Holy Rosary church, where he was regular in attendance until recent years when his strength began to fail. Mr. Dillon and his purebred Boston Bull dog, who was his constant companion and diversion, were a familiar pair in the neighborhood where they took daily walks, visiting with the children with whom they were great favorites and for whom Mr. Dillon always had a kind word or act of kindness. Mr. Dillon always had a great many pets, making friends of them all, his horses included. He was a good man, kind, gentle, considerate. Besides his children to mourn his loss is an only grandson, Patrick Dillon of Pittsburg, Penn.; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Esser, Kansas City; Mrs. Frank Weess, Clinton; four brothers, Tom, Kearney, Neb.; Dan, Pat and Henry, Belmond, Iowa. Funeral services were Wednesday at the Holy Rosary church. Consalus and Peck were in charge. The body was laid to rest in Englewood.

Source unknown, ca. December 1936