[WED]James Dyer of Dyersville IA

[mcginnis]

Hi List,

I wanted to share a part of the letter which they copied for me at the 
Burlington, Racine County, Wisconsin Historical society.  At the top of 
the paper it has hand written:
Dyersville, Iowa, It's relationship to Burlington, Wisconsin
There is no date on the paper.
Last July the Burlington Historical Society received a letter from the 
Rev. V. T. Hovermann of Dyersville, Iowa, asking for a short history of 
the beginning of Burlington.  Rev. Hovermann said, "In writing a history 
of the City of Dyersville I was reading the letters of the founder, 
Judge Dyer, and therein found a reference to the settlement at 
Burlington, Wisconsin.  Rev. Hovermann said, "I feel certain that there 
was a close relationship between these two communities in the early 
pioneer days."
Quoted from the book "Dyersville, Its History and Its People" by Rev. 
Arthur A. Halback (1939), Rev. Hovermann includes the following:
"Why did these Englishmen who were in quite comfortable circumstances at 
home desire to emigrate?  The explicit answer to this inquiry is nowhere 
given, yet certain deductions can be drawn from the contents of their 
letters.  Other citizens of Somerset had migrated to America earlier; 
for example, the Toogoods to New York state; Gadd, Norris, and Ducket to 
Burlington, Wisconsin.  Their roseate reports induced the migrating 
fever in others."
"Pausing for a word of comment. (this is Rev Hovermann speaking) The 
Duckett mentioned was my grandfather Thomas Duckett.  The Gadd was 
Joseph Gadd, whose wife was my grandfathr's sister.  They came to 
Burlington in October, 1846.  Robert Norris came the year before.  The 
three families settled on adjoining farms about three miles east of the 
village of Burlington on the Burlington and South Port Road, now Highway 
43."
Quoting again from Rev. Halbach's book on Dyersville:
"Thus the English, lead by the Dyers, came to western Dubuque County 
when it was still in its swaddling clothes.  To it they gave strong 
guidance in its youth and, after making a distinct impression of 
refinement upon it, they began to relinguish their leadership to the 
growing German Catholic immigration whose influence began in 1857..."  
He further quotes from Halbach:
"The statement may be startling, but Manchester like Dyersville was 
founded by James Dyer in company with William Chesterman who in 1854, 
bought four forties from Allen Love at $10.00 an acre for the express 
purpose of founding a town on the banks of the Big Maquoketa and the 
name of this town, history records, was chosen by Dyer with the 
remark'There's a Manchester in England, and we'll call this 
Manchester.'"
>From Hovermann:
How close a relationship there may have been between the two 
communities, situated approximately one hundred and seventy five miles 
apart, I am not prepared to say.  On March 10, 1848, it is stated (by 
Halbach) 'About 60 persons were reported ready to emigrate from Wedmere, 
a a large number from the villages around.'  A number of them came here 
(Dyersville), among them my father's cousin, George Duckett.  The John 
Toomer family also came at that time.  John Toomer's brother, William 
Toomer settled in North Fork Township, five miles southwest of 
Dyersville.  William died in 1890.  His wife, who was Sophia Bisgrove, 
of Stoughton, near Wedmore, Somersetshire, died in 1900.  They are 
buried in the cemetery at Rockville.  One of the earliest settlers in 
Dyersville was Augustine Day.  My father had a cousin in England named 
Mrs. Day.  Thus we see that there were people in the two communities who 
were acquainted with and related to each other, probably more than we 
will ever know...But I would particularly like to establish a 
relationship between James Dyer of Dyersville and our own Dr Dyer.  Both 
were men of character and integrity.  They were leaders in their 
communities...Doctor Dyer was born in New York State in 1807.  James 
Dyer was born in Banswell, Somersetshire, England, in 1820.  Thus he was 
thirteen years younger than Dr. Dyer.  Dr Dyer's father, Charles Dyer 
was born in Vermont in 1784.  This puts the possible relationship, 
perhaps, a little distant, but if we can establish Dr Dyers ancestors 
came from Somersetshire; or that they had a coat of arms with 'Ich Dien' 
on it; or if we can find that any of the descendants know of a 
relationship between the two families." Note:  Dr Dyer was in 
Burlington.

So--hope these exerpts will have meaning to some on the list!

As far as my family, the widow of Hugh Roper of Crickham/Wedmore 
emmigrated with her youngest daughter, Jane, wife of Samuel Evans of 
Cheddar in June 1849 to Burlington, Wisconsin.  The other 3 children of 
Hugh and Jane Davis Roper also came to Burlington in the late 1840's or 
early 1850's--son John & wife Betsy Wheeler Roper, James and Mary Ann 
Roper Curry,and George and Betsey Roper Tincknell.  By 1853 I have found 
land records that the Tincknells and Evans had purchased farm land in 
North Fork township of Delaware county, Iowa which is just west of 
Dyersville & not far from Manchester. The Curry's had an adjoining farm. 
Only the son, John & family, remained in Burlington. So they certainly 
fit with all that was included in the paper which I have shared with 
you. 
Sandi McGinnis
Amarillo, TX