DUNTON, L. B.

DUNTON, TYRREL, FOSTER, BIXBY

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 3/26/2010 at 12:37:07

L. B. Dunton was one of the honored pioneer settlers of Mitchell county, prominently identified with its educational interests, its public activities and its business affairs for many years, his labors contributing much to the upbuilding and development of this section of the state. He was born April 4, 1834, in Georgia, Vermont, and was a son of Thompson and Aurora Dunton, who removed to Battle Creek, Michigan, during the early boyhood of their son, L. B., who was one of the eldest in a family of nine children. He was nineteen years of age when he severed home ties and removed to Illinois in order to teach school. While in that state he was much interested in debates and in singing schools. While residing in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, he met Hon. R. T. St. John, from whom he received his inspiration for a life of public service. In 1856 he left Illinois in order to come to Iowa with Foster, Samuel and George Tyrrel. He preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land in Jenkins township, Mitchell county, near the frontier village of Riceville, and thus cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of northern Iowa, from which period he was closely associated with the development and upbuilding of his section of the state.

On the 31st of December, 1857, L. B. Dunton was united in marriage to Miss Cynthia Tyrrel, of Illinois, after which he brought his bride to Iowa. They became the parents of six children, three of whom are yet living: Levi, who resides in David, Iowa; Fred, living in Riceville; and Bert, whose home is in Cresco, Iowa. For his second wife Mr. Dunton chose Mrs. Alvina Foster, a sister of his first wife, who had died in 1878. Their children are: Wayne, living in Montana; and Aldis, born in Riceville, Iowa. Mrs. Dunton was born September 16, 1840, in the state of Vermont, a daughter of Artemus and Abigail (Bixby) Tyrrel. The Tyrrel family removed to Jo Daviess county, Illinois, in 1846 and there the parents passed away, the father dying in January, 1863, and the mother several years later, their remains being interred in that state. Mrs. Dunton removed to Iowa in the fall of 1863. She was married in 1860 to Thomas Foster, and on coming to this state they purchased land in Jenkins township, Mitchell county. Mr. Foster continued to engage in general farming until his death, which occurred in October, 1873, when he was fifty-six years of age. They were the parents of three children: Frank E. Foster, who is now living retired in Riceville; Ernest Foster, deceased; and Freland Foster, living in the state of Washington.

During the early years of his residence in Iowa, L. B. Dunton engaged in teaching through the winter seasons, while he devoted the summer months to farm work and became one of the progressive and enterprising agriculturists of this section of the state. During the later years of his life he removed to Riceville, where he engaged in merchandising, and was thus actively connected with the commercial development of the county. He lived here through all the pioneer period and enlisted for military service at the time of the New Ulm Indian massacre, being engaged on guard duty and in training for several months. For thirty-five years he was secretary of the school board of Riceville, and the cause of education ever found in him a stalwart champion. He was also justice of the peace for about the same length of time and made a most excellent record in public office by the prompt and faithful manner in which he discharged his duties. He was a Royal Arch Mason, belonging to Osage Chapter for forty-two years, and for twenty years he was master of his lodge at Riceville. He was thus prominently known as one of the leading Masons of his part of the state and exemplified in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. In a word, he did much for the benefit of his county along material, intellectual, social and moral lines and his death was the occasion of deep and widespread regret when he was called to the home beyond.

Source of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 195.