JOHN DEALY
John Dealy was born September 19, 1843 in Decatur county, Indiana. His early life was spent in that county, and one adjoining (Bartholomew) In July, 1862, he enlisted in company I, of the Sixty-seventh Indiana Infantry. He was first under fire at Mumfordsville, Kentucky. He took part in Sherman's attack at Chickasaw Bayou, the capture of Arkansas Post, and the campaign against Vicksburg, also the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge and Jackson. He then went to New Orleans and participated in Banks' Red River campaign, and the battles of Fort Gaines, Fort Morgan and Fort Blakely. He was honorably discharged at Galveston, Texas, in July, 1865. He returned to Bartholomew county, Indiana, and engaged in farming, teaching school during the winter seasons. He went to Grant county, Indiana, where he had some relatives, and lived there about three years, and taught three or four terms of school. There he got acquainted with and married Matilda Jane Crawford, in 1869, daughter of John Crawford, now a resident of Lewis, Iowa. In 1871, Mr. Dealy and wife moved to Cass county, locating on eighty acres of raw prairie, on section 31, in Bear Grove township, where he now resides. Mrs. Dealy was born September 12, 1841, in Grant county, Indiana. They are the parents of three children--Jennie L., William C, and Joseph M. Mr. Dealy is now serving his fifth term as school director.
Contributed by Lisa Varnes-Rex from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pg. 725.
