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One of the best known and most highly
esteemed citizens of Delaware county is Hon. Rodney W. Tirrill, of Manchester,
pioneer, Civil War veteran, financier, legislator, public-spirited
citizen and philanthropist. Mr. Tirrill was born in Stewartstown,
New Hampshire, December 22, 1835, being one of a family of nine
children born to Timothy and Mary (Drew) Tirrill, both likewise
natives of the Granite state. Four of the children survive. Timothy
Tirrill was a farmer and was also a man of more than ordinary
literary education. In addition to being one of the best linguists
in his native state, he was a legal advisor of no mean ability,
possessed fine talents for administration and a sound sense of
justice and equity. He became by common consent the "people's
chancellor" and was not more admired for his knowledge than he was
respected for the just and generous use he made of it. In 1850 he
removed from New Hampshire to Lodi, Wisconsin, where both he and his
wife passed away, Mrs. Tirrill in 1866, at the age of fifty-six, and
Mr. Tirrill in 1880, at the age of seventy-five.
Rodney W. Tirrill was reared to agriculture pursuits
and early learned the habit of industry, thrift and
self-reliance characteristics that have been
dominating influences in laying the foundation for
his business success. He |
received a good education in the public schools of Colebrook, New
Hampshire, until the age of fifteen years, when he came west with
his parents and attended the State University, at Madison, Wisconsin. He had previously begun to read law
under his father, and, continuing his studies, completed all the books necessary
to secure admission to the bar. He would have been admitted but for the fact
that he desired to take a course in a law school and had just prepared to enter
the Albany Law School of Albany, New York, when the Civil war broke out and he
tendered his services for the defense of the Union. He had, however, taught
school for a number of years, beginning when quite young, and was an instructor
in Lodi Academy, Lodi, Wisconsin. He arrived in Delaware county in November,
1856, at which time Manchester had a population of about five hundred, and since
that time he has been a resident of the town.
His enlistment for services in
the Civil war was in October, 1861, in Company F, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer
Infantry, as a private, but he was soon promoted to sergeant. At the battle of
Shiloh, April 6, 1862, he was shot in the left thigh and was not found and cared
for until Tuesday morning, although he was wounded Sunday evening. He partially
recovered after a time and was discharged January 1863, after which he returned
to this county.
In 1864 Mr. Tirrill was
elected county superintendent of schools and served acceptably in that office
for four years. He established a war claim business in Manchester and continued
to conduct the same for twenty years in connection with his other business
activities. He has an almost unerring judgment in financial matters and has
accumulated much more than a competence. The counsel and advice of his worthy
companion, with whom he has lived for a period of fifty-four years, has been the
inspiration to help him in his life worl. His business acumen and integrity have
gained him the respect of those who come in contact with him and as a citizen
none stands higher. In 1893 both he and his wife attended the State University
at Iowa City, he taking a law course and she studing English literature, French,
and German. They were the two oldest students enrolled in any institution of the
state at the time. In 1894 he was admitted to the bar and has found his legal
knowledge of great value in his business. He has taken a keen interest in public
affairs and in 1879 was nominated by acclamation, and without solicitation on
his part, as candidate fot state senator, a compliment never before tendered in
Delaware county. He was elected by a handsome majority and served in that body
for four years. He was active both upon the floor and in committee rooms and
among other services that he preformed in the interest of the state he drafted
the first oleomargarine bill passed by the legislature and the first passed in
the United States, and supported many other progressive and important measures.
On the 30th of December, 1860, Mr.
Tirrill was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Jane Weeks, who was born in
Massachusetts on the 6th of October, 1836, a daughter of Samuel Weeks, Jr., and
his wife, who was in her maidenhood Miss Ruamy Hall Tinker. Both of Mrs.
Tirrill's parents were natives of Massachusetts and her paternal grandfather was
a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Tirrill remembers her grandfather well
and recalls his amusing her as a child. Her father removed to Clayton county,
Iowa and settled upon a farm, becoming one of the pioneer residents of the
locality. His first home there was a log house, but although the room
availability for the entertainment of guests was very limited, the spirit of
hospitality of the frontier welcomed all who needed shelter. Samuel Weeks, Jr.,
died upon the farm in Clayton county in 1880 and his wife in 1890. Mrs. Tirrill
is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. To Mr. and Mrs. Tirrill
two children were born: L. Claire, who died at the age of eleven years; and John
R. W., who died when a child of seven.
Senator Tirrill is a republican and
has served upon the school board in Manchester for twenty-one years. Fraternally
he is a thirty-second degree Mason and has held most of the chairs in the
various branches of the order to which he belongs. He is a member of W. A. Morse
Post, G. A. R., and in 1908 was department commander of the state of Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Tirrill have made two
trips to Europe, crossing the Atlantic the first time in 1900 and the second
time in 1904. Mapped out in their itinerary were the Nile and Holy Land,
which they visited and as the sailed from San Francisco they almost circled the
globe before returning home.
No citizen of Manchester has done
more for the public good than Senator Tirrill. The many deeds of private charity
preformed by the Tirrills probably will never reach the surface; their
benefactions known to the public were divulged only by recipients themselves. Of
their public beneficences the details will be found in the first volume of this
history. Suffice it to say here that the presentation to the people of
Manchester of a beautiful tract of land for park purposes is the cap sheaf of
all the good deeds of Mr. and Mrs. Tirrill; it is the culminating evidence of
good citizenship. Both have always held the esteem and admiration of the entire
community, a full realization of which is to them a boon greater than the
attainment of riches, and for that reason dearly and sincerely cherished.
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