Washington M. Dillon, President and Treasurer of the Northwestern Barbed Wire Company, of Rock Falls, was born in Putnam, muskingum Co., Ohio, July 2, 1842. His father, Lloyd Dillon, was an iron manufacturer and built the first iron furnace west of the Alleghanies, in company with his father, John Dillon, at Dillon Falls, above Zanesville. The maiden name of Washington's mother was Margaret A. Culbertson. His father was born in Baltimore, Md., and his mother in Ohio.
The subject of this sketch was but five years of age when his father died, and then lived with his grandmother until 14 years of age; next, he was with an uncle on a farm for six years, receiving also a fine education. In 1862 he enlisted in the service, remaining two years, in the 148th Reg. Ohio Vol. Inf. and engaging in several battles in TN and AL and with the Army of the Potomac. After serving his time he was honorably discharged.
Returning from the exciting scenes of war, he attended the commercial school at Lebanon, Ohio, complted the course of study and received his diploma. Then he was clerk for a year in the bank of Culver PA & Co. 19 and 21, Nassau Street, New York city. Next, he came west to St. Louis MO and conducted a paper for a year. Selling out, he came to Dixon IL and clerked in the dry goods house of Isaac Jones for a period of six months; then for four yers he was engaged in the grocery and queensware trade in the same city; he then sold out and came to Sterling, entering the hardware business with W.C. Robinson, on Mulberry Stree, in which he continued about nine years. Again selling out in 1879, he engaged in the manuacture of barbed wire, on which he owns the patents. A stock company was formed, at first with a capital of $10,000, which has since been increaed to $100,000. Their factory is at Rock Falls, where they turn out 600 spools of wire per day of 24 hours. Mr. D. retains a controlling interest.
Mr. Dillon is a wide-awake, representative business man of sterling, a Republican, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the A.O.U.W. and of the Presbyterian Church; Mrs. D. also belongs to that denomination.
Mr. Dillon was married May 8, 1875 to Miss Sarah J. daughter of John Martin, of Sterling, and they have four children - Mary K., Margaret A., John M. and Paul W.
Portrait & Biographical Pg. 789
