Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/273

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DILLINGHAM


DIMAN


DILLINGHAM, Paul, governor of Vermont, was born in Shutesbury, Mass., Aug. 10, 1799; son of Paul and Hannah (Smith) Dillingham, and grandson of Paul Dillingham, who was killed at Quebec while serving under Wolfe. He was edu- cated in the public schools and was admitted to the bar in 1823, entering into partnership with Judge Dan Carpenter of Waterbury, Vt He was town clerk, 1829—44; representative in the legis- lature, 1833, 1834. 1837, 1838 and 1839; state's attor- ney for Washington county, 1835, 1836 and 1837 ; a member of the constitutional couA-entions of 1836, 1857 and 1870; and a state senator, 1841, 1842 and 1861. He was a representative in the 28th and 29th congresses, 1843-47; lieutenant- governor of the state, 1862-65; and governor, 1865-67. He was succeeded in 1867 by John B. Page. He retired from law practice in 1875. He was married to Sarah P. Carpenter, daughter of Judge Dan Carpenter. She died in 1831, and in 1832 he was married to her j'ounger sister, Julia, who died in September, 1898. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from the University of Vermont in 1836 and was a trustee, 1871-83. He died in Water bury, Vt.. July 26, 1891.

DILLINGHAM, William Paul, governor of Ver- mont, was born in Waterbury. Vt.. Deo. 12, 1843; son of Paul and Julia (Carpenter) Dillingiiam. His education was acquired at the Xewl)Ui-y sem- inary and at Kimball Union academy. He was admitted to the bar in 1S67. In 1866 he was a ppoi nted secretary of civil and military affairs, and again held that office, 1874- 76. In 1872 he was made state's attor- nej- for Washington count}- and was re- elected in 1874. He was a state repre- sentative in 1876 and 1884 ; a state senator in 1878 and 1880; tax commissioner of the state, 1882-88 ; and governor. 1888-90. He married, in 1874, Mary Ellen, (laughter of the Rev. Isaiah H. and Char- lotte R. (Cook) Shipman of Lisbon. N.H. He re- ceived the degree of A.M. from the University of Vermont in 1886. In 1900 he was elected U.S. senator, to complete the term of Senator Justin S. Morrill, and was re-elected in 1902.

DILLON, John Forrest, jurist, was born in Montgomery comity, N.Y., Dec. 25, 1831. He was taken by his parents to Davenport, Iowa, in 1838. He received the degree of I\f.D. from Iowa university in 1850, but afterward studied law,


gaining admission to the bar in 1852. In the same year he became prosecuting attorney of the state, and in 1858 was appointed U.S. district judge, holding that position until his election to the supreme bench of the state in 1863 for a term of six 3'ears. He was re-elected in 1869 and became chief justice of the supreme court, but after serv- ing a few months he resigned to accept the appointment of circuit judge for the eighth cir- cuit, embracing Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and subsequently Colorado. He served in this position until 1879, when he accei^ted tlie chair of real estate and equity jurisprudence in the Columbia college law school, New York city. He also became general counsel for the Union Pacific railway in 1879. He resigned his chair in Columbia in 1882 to devote his entire attention to private practice. In 1884 he was elected a member of I'lnstitut de Droit International. He was married in 1853 to a daughter of Hiram Price of Iowa and had two sons, one of whom, Hiram Price Dillon, became a lawyer in Kansas. Judge Dillon received the honorary degree of LL.D. He is the author of U.S. Circuit Court Reports (5 vols., 1871-80) ; Municipal Corporations (1872) ; Removal of Causes from State to Federal Courts (1875) ; and Municipal Bonds (1876).

DILLON, Sidney, contractor, was born in Northampton, N.Y., May 7, 1812. His parents were poor and he earned his first monej' as water carrier to men working on the Albanj^ & Schenec- tady and the Rensselaer & Saratoga railroads. He later purchased a horse and cart and continued in the employ of the contractor, adding to his equipment for hauling wood and earth. He be- came overseer of a section of the Boston & Pi-ovi- dence railroad, and finally a contractor on his own account on various railroads then in course of construction. He built for Cornelius Vanderbilt the tunnel from the Grand Central depot at 42d street. New York city, to the Harlem river at a cost of 87.000,000. He then contracted to build the Union Pacific railroad. He broke the ground with his own hands in 1865 and drove the silver spike completing the work in the spring of 1869. He was a director of the road, 1864-92, and its president, 1874-84 and 1890-92. He died in New York city, June 9, 1892.

DIMAN, Byron, governor of Rhode Island, was born in Bristol, R.I., Aug. 5, 1795; son of Jeremiah and Hannah (Luther) Diman. He attended Bishop Griswold's private school and at an early age entered the counting house of James DeAVolf. He was largely interested in whale fishery and also in the cotton industry. He was for many years a member of the state legislature and diu.-- ing the Dorr war was a member of the governor's council. He was lieutenant-governor, 1843-46,