GEORGE R. McDILL.

View Portrait of Mr. & Mrs. George R. McDill and Daughter

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         A native son of Iowa, George R. McDill was born in Louisa county, where he has passed his entire life. His eyes first opened to the light of day April 20, 1867, his parents being Joseph B. and Martha (Ronald) McDill, the former of whom was born near Charleston, South Carolina, and the latter in Fayette county, Indiana. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent on the paternal side and of Scotch descent on the maternal side, the early ancestors settling in Vermont. The parents of our subject were married in Louisa county, October 2, 1850, and in 1852 the father began farming in Port Louisa township, where he acquired one hundred and sixty acres of land. In 1867 he disposed of his place and purchased two hundred acres on section 11 and 12 of the same township. Eventually he became the owner of a valuable farm of two hundred and eighty-eight acres. He died in August, 1892, but his wife is still living and makes her home with one of her sons, having arrived at the age of eighty-six years. Before his death Mr. McDill divided his estate among his children, his two daughters receiving their shares in cash, the land being given to his sons. In the family were six children: John, who died at the age of twenty-four years; Mary Belle, the wife of Louis Agnew, of Pawnee City, Nebraska; William M., of Louisa county; Chalmers R., of Fort Morgan, Colorado; Florence E., born in 1864, who became the wife of William L. Curtis, of Columbus Junction, and died in 1897; and George R.

The subject of this review possessed the advantage of attendance at the public schools and continued with his parents until eighteen years of age. He then engaged as clerk in a store, but after two years at this vocation, feeling the importance of a wider educational training, he spent six month at school. He then engaged in farm work until after his father’s death in 1891, his portion of the homestead being eighty-eight acres. This land he has since cultivated with marked success and he also rents sixty acres of his brother’s land, which he cultivates in connection with his own. His farm is located on section 11, Port Louisa township, and, as it is maintained in excellent order, is one of the most attractive properties in this part of the county.

On the 15th of January, 1902, Mr. McDill was married to Miss Elizabeth Dodder, a daughter of Joseph H. and Margaret (Stineman) Dodder. The father was born in New Jersey and the mother in Ohio, but they were married in Iowa. Mr. Dodder responded to the call of President Lincoln at the time of the Civil war and served valiantly for three years in the Union army. After receiving his . . .

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. . . discharge he came to Louisa county, Iowa, and purchased a small farm, which he sold a few years later. He then rented land for four years, after which he bought his father’s homestead of one hundred and twenty acres, which he has since increased by the addition of eighty acres, the farm being located in Grand View township. The mother died April 11, 1901, but Mr. Dodder is still living on his homestead. There were five children in their family: Edward H., of Louisa county; Ella C., the wife of John E. McCrew, of Grand View; Elizabeth, now Mrs. George R. McDill; Anna M., who is engaged in teaching school and resides with our subject; and Myrtle, who became the wife of Charles E. Rilliet, of Los Angeles, California, an instructor of mechanical engineering in the Polytechnic high school at that place. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McDill, two of whom died in infancy, the other being Margaret Marian, who was born October 14, 1904.

         Mr. McDill and his wife are both strong believers in the Christian religion, he being a member of the United Presbyterian church and she being connected with the United Evangelical church. On account of their many estimable qualities they are both held in highest regard by all who know them.