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Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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Biographical History of Cherokee County, Iowa
W. S. Dunbar & Co., Chigago - 1889

[page 488-489]

     PETER WESLEY DINGMAN was born Christmas day, 1833, in Middlebury,
     Wyoming County, New York.  His parents were HENRY and CATHERINE
     (VADER) DINGMAN, descendants of early Dutch settlers on the Mohawk.
     In 1857 they emigrated from New York to Fond du Lac County, Wiscon-
     sin, where the father died the following year.  His widow is still
     living, at the age of ninety years.  At the age of sixteen years the
     subject of this notice entered the office of the Attica Atlas as an
     apprentice.  The editor of the Atlas was SILAS FOLSOM, a brother of
     Mrs. GROVER CLEVELAND'S father.  His health failing after one year
     of type-setting, he returned to the farm and attended school for a
     time.  He then entered a bakery at Rushford to learn the trade, and
     remained there nearly two years.  After working at his trade at
     Jamestown one summer he returned to Batavia, and entered the employ
     of a firm with whom he remained three years.  In the fall of 1856 he
     was sent to Chicago by his employers as foreman in a steam bakery.
     He occupied this position for two years, and the following two years
     were spent in Janesville, Wisconsin, as foreman in a bakery.  January
     1, 1859, Mr. DINGMAN was married in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, to
     Miss ELLEN FOLLY.  His father having died the year before, he went
     to Fond du Lac County and purchased the home farm, adding forty acres
     to it.  After two years he sold this place, and the next two years
     farmed in another portion of the county.  He then removed to Oshkosh,
     Wisconsin, and for a year and a half was engaged in the wholesale and
     retail bakery and confectionery business.  During this time he was
     twice burned, and having no insurance he was $1,000 behind.  In the
     spring of 1866 he came to Sac City, Iowa, and took a homestead near
     that place.  He next accepted a position as cook to a party of sur-
     veyors locating the Northwestern Railroad, which was pleasant and
     profitable employment.  The following season he was cook on the
     steamer Lincoln, plying on the Fox River.  He next conducted a bakery
     and restaurant, and in 1871 resumed farming, which he continued until
     1876, when he removed to Van Buren County, Iowa, and bought a farm
     upon which he lived for eight years.  Since his residence in Aurelia
     he has been engaged in handling real estate, loans and insurance.
     Having a natural gift for language, he is widely known as a forcible
     and genial auctioneer.  During the past three years he has had charge
     of the city scales.  Politically Mr. DINGMAN is a Republican.  He is
     a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and of Maple Lodge, No.
     495, I.O.O.F.  His family consists of JULIA., wife of A. A. REED;
     ESTELLA MARIA, wife of NELSON SIGHU; CORA ELCIE, wife of T. B. PARKER;
     CLARA MAY, wife of H. K. LEONARD; ARTHUR and LEON.

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