GEORGE B. DILLEY, carpenter, Forty Fort borough, was born February 11, 1850 at Ashley, Pa., and is a son of Richard and Mary (Barnes) Dilley, natives of Luzerne county, and of French and English origin, respectively. The father was a farmer by occupation, and reared a family of six children, five now living, of whom our subject is the oldest. He was educated in the common schools, and at the age of twenty was apprenticed to learn the carpenter trade, which he followed for seven years. He was then employed as Government detective, under the Treasury Department, for two years; then for four years in the insurance business at Kingston, after which he came to Forty Fort, where he now resides, and where he has followed his trade up to the present time. He was elected justice of the peace in 1886, still holding the office; he was also burgess for the year 1887. In 1885 he purchased three lots, and built his own comfortable home on one of them, where he now lives. He was married September 30, 1874, to Emily O., daughter of William and Catherine (Butler) Dilley, natives of Pennsylvania, and of French and Irish origin, respectively. By this happy union they have two children to cheer their cozy home: Mary B. and Sheldon R. Mrs. Dilley is a member of the St. Stephen Episcopal Church, of Wilkes-Barre, and both she and Mr. Dilley are members of the Independent Order of Good Templars. Mr. Dilley votes the Prohibition ticket.
JOHN F. DILLS, manager of the Florence Coal Company store at Dupont, was born in Berlin township, Wayne Co., Pa., November 26, 1855, a son of John D. and Lucretia (Kimble) Dills, the former of whom was born in Sussex county, N.J., the latter in Wayne county. John D. Dills was the son of John Dills, a native of New Jersey, and a farmer by occupation. He removed to this county in 1819, purchased a large tract of timber land, and engaged extensively in the lumber business, his location being at the junction of Spring brook and Mill creek. He was a thorough going man of business, and a loyal citizen, manifesting his patriotism by serving under Gen. Jackson in the war of 1812. He died in 1872 at the age of ninety-two years, having reared a family of five children, two of whom are now living. His son, John D., was four years of age when he removed to this county, and he first entered business in Wayne county as a farmer and lumberman on the Lackawaxen river. he was a successful business man, and was possessed of the courage of his father. While too old to serve his country during the Rebellion, yet as a loyal citizen he did good service. During one of the drafts he was chosen to serve draft notices on a certain element in his neighborhood, a duty not pleasant, yet he did it unshrinkingly at the risk of making many enemies for himself, sometimes even risking his life. He held township offices with much credit. In 1891 he died at the age of seventy-six years; his wife surviving him. Their family consisted of seven children, six of whom grew to maturity, and five of them are now living. John F. Dills, who is the youngest in the family, was reared and educated at the common school in Wayne county, afterward attending the Prompton Normal School. After he finished his courses in that institution, he taught school for several terms. In 1881 he entered the services of S. N. Stettler, as head clerk in his store at Old Forge, and here he continued till 1885, when an opening presenting itself in the Florence Coal Company's store as chief manager, he accepted the position, which he has since held with much credit to himself and profit to his employers. On December 12, 1889, he was appointed postmaster of Dupont, the postoffice having been opened at that date, and it is now a money order office. On December 30, 1883, Mr Dills married Miss Sarah, a daughter of Benjamin and Ella Richardson, and by her has had three children: Duane R., Nellie and Horace G. Mrs. Sarah (Richardson) Dills was born in England in 1866. Mr. Dills is a young man of marked ability, well adapted to his present vocation, and possessed of sound principles and sterling qualities. politically he is a Republican.
J.A. DILS, Hudson, engineer on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad, was born in Wayne county, Pa., October 14, 1854, and is a son of John and Permilia S. (Mills) Dils, also natives of Pennsylvania, and of German and Irish origin, respectively. He is a great-grandson of Jesse Dills, who was a very early settler of Pittston. The father, who was in the Fifteenth Engineer Corps during the Civil war, helped to build the Pennsylvania Gravity Railroad, and then as conductor ran the first train over it; he was killed by the cars on that road in December, 1865, at the age of forty-five years. The family consisted of three children, viz.: William H., a mason in Carbondale; John A., and Elmer, a brakeman, living at Mill Creek. Our subject received a common school education, and commenced practical life as a brakeman on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad, in which he continued eight years; then fired five years. He was married, March 14, 1883, to Miss Ellen, daughter of John and Mary (Bray) Trethaway, and the fruits of this union were four children, three of whom are yet living, viz.: Charles H., John S., and Ralph R. Mr. and Mrs. Dils attend the Primitive Methodist Church, of which she is a member. He is a member of the F. & A. M., I. O. R. M., and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman; in his political views he is a Republican. He built his present beautiful residence in 1889.
NOTE: Copied from pages 841 and 842 exactly as typed.