Received the following email and pictures from Jerry:

I have a small oil painting done by Ralph Dille. It is picture of an old Aquaduct in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Below is a copy of a message I sent to our local historian regarding this picture.

Can you fill in some gaps? What can you tell me about Ralph. Age? Born? Death? His occupation? Painter???

Curious.

Jerry

My mother goes to St. Vinney's every Saturday. She found a small framed picture that she thought might be interesting to have. Turns out to be a 5 x 7 oil painting of the Old Aquaduct on the St. Marys River. It is signed by "Ralph Dille"

An old typewriter was obviously used for the note on the back:

The "Old Aqueduct" which carried the Wabash and Erie Canal over the St. Mary's River. It was used as a Swimming Poool by
the old time boys of 1860 and 1870. In 1872 the roof was removed.

The winter of 1882 was very severe and on February 14th, an ice gorge formed. Our Old Aqueduct became a menace and em-
ployees of the Nickle Plate Railroad destroyed it with dynamite.

This is a Memory Picture

By Ralph Dille.

Link to another work of art by Ralph Dille

Facts known about Ralph Dille:

Artist. Died 6 June 1937 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Son of Joseph Dille, who was also an artist (per obit)

Per the following census entry, father was Joseph H. Dille and mother was Elizabeth Hedges, who were married 23 Feb 1854 in Allen Co., Indiana. It appears Ralph Dille was born after 1870 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

1870 census for Ft. Wayne, 3rd Ward, Allen Co. IN - p.323 (474-324):

Joseph H. Dille 37, ARTIST, born OH
Elizabeth 35 IN, Joseph 10 IN, Morton 4 IN.

NOTE: Can anyone link this Joseph H. Dille to an ancestry line please?? Contact Teddy with any further info.

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