landed possessions until he became recognized as one of the most worthy and influential men in the county. He remodeled and improved the family residence on Locust street, making it one of the most attractive homes in the city, and he became identified with many business interests, in which he displayed a rare judgment and foresight, producing gratifying financial returns.
On the 24th of December, 1867, Mr. Dillin was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Furnas, a sister of Elwood Furnas, a record of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Two children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dillin: Elwyn O., now a merchant of McCallsburg, Iowa, who married May Loomis and has two children; and Viola M., the wife of Charles McCord, a real-estate dealer of Nevada and the mother of four children.
Mr. Dillin from the time of arriving at voting age was an adherent of the republican party. He never desired or sought political honors, preferring to devote his attention to his private affairs. He was a valued member of J. C. Ferguson Post, No. 31, Grand Army of the Republic, and served as post commander. He was essentially a man of business. Alert, enterprising, sagacious and clear-sighted, he made few mistakes in his judgment of men and accomplished many remarkable feats in business organization and management. He was very positive in his convictions and having once deliberately made up his mind on any subject, he was scarcely ever known to change his opinion. He possessed a strong and pleasing personality and a convincing manner which assisted him very materially in the advancement of his business and social relations. Mrs. Dillin still makes her home in Nevada and is held in high esteem by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in Story county.
JACOB E. ERICKSON.
One of the well known native sons of Story county now engaged in business in Roland is Jacob E. Erickson. He was born on the 25th of December, 1870, and is the son of Michael Erickson, who was born in Norway in 1835. The father came to the United States at the age of fourteen years with his parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Erickson. The family located in Story county, Iowa, in 1856, where the father entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, on a portion of which the town of Roland now stands. He was first married in '1856 to Sarah Wooster, by whom he had two children : Lizzie, who married Henry Thompson and died about twenty-five years ago ; and Ida A., who became Mrs. O. T. Hanson. For his second wife Mr. Erickson married Martha Wooster and they became the parents of four children of whom three still survive, as follows : Olaf, now a resident of New Mexico; Jacob E., our subject; and Annie May, who became the wife of J. H. Larson of Roland. The father was a mem-