Mr. DILLEY is one of the influential young men of the community in which he lives. He has resided here but a few years, yet he has taken a place among the foremost citizens and is very popular. He was born June 29, 1859, in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was Lewis S. Dilley, at one time managing editor of the Cleveland "Leader," and during the war a captain in the One Ilundred and Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He died in May, 1868, of consumption contracted during the war. His father was Patrick Dilley, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, of Irish extraction, born in New Jersey, and a farmer for years in the vicinity of Warren, Ohio . Lewis S. Dilley's wife was Elizabeth E. (Anderson) Dilley, a native of Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Lewis Anderson Dilley resided on a farm with a grand-uncle during the time his father was in the war. His mother had died when he was six months old. After Mr. Dilley returned from the war he was with the Cleveland “Leader” for a year and then became one of the proprietors of the Canton “Repository” and removed to Canton, taking his family with him. The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood days in the latter city. He went to public schools there until he was fifteen years of age and then learned the machinist's trade. He had a number of friends in large manufactories there, and for three years was given every opportunity which he could desire to obtain an intimate knowledge of everything pertaining to the machinist's craft. He remained at this work for two years after his apprenticeship was completed and then became a traveling salesman for manufacturers of machinery. During one year he traveled for a Beloit, Wisconsin, firm , for two years he traveled for an Akron firm, for one year he was with a Canton firm and for one year with the Deering Company of Chicago. During the fall of 1884 he left the Deering Company and came to Davenport, where during the following winter he took a course in a business college. This was during the winter of 1884-85. In June of the latter year he accepted a position as bookkeeper in P. F. Collier's branch publishing house. This branch was then under the management of G. F. Pepper, who gave it up on December 1, 1890, and to whose position Mr. Dilley succeeded.
Mr. Dilley was married May 8, 1884, to Miss Edith Anna High, daughter of Mathias High of Davenport. Miss High was a school teacher here for several years previous to her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Dilley have two children: Edith Luella, aged seven, Margaret Elizabeth, aged five. Another child, William High, died in infancy.
Mr. Dilley has been very prominent in the Sons of Veterans for a number of years. He was a charter member of Joe Hooker Camp No. 17, which was started in 1885. He has several times been captain of the local camp, and in June, 1890, he was elected lieutenant-colonel of the division of Iowa for a term of one year. In June, 1892, he was honored with the commandership of the division. This term ran for one year, since which time — June, 1893 — he has been out of office. He is a Mason and a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
BIOGRAPHIES