John Dyer was born in the town of Orleans, Jefferson county, New York, March 6, 1824, and upon coming west stayed in Wisconsin from May 1856, until November of that year, when he went to Clinton, Iowa, where he remained until October 5, 1857, when he premanently settled in Fulton. He engaged in the boot and shoe trade, at first in Fulton in company with George S Phelps, the store standing on the site of Ald. A. D. Mitchell’s present store. The partnership existed about six months when Mr. Dyer went into business for himself, afterwards in partnership with W. W. Curtis, and so remained until 1861, when Mr. Curtis secured a government position at Washington. In September, 1861 Mr. Dyer enlisted in what was then known as the Lincoln Regiment, and became Second Lieutenant of Company F—a company raised mainly through his efforts, and was mustered into service in November of the same year. The regiment was afterwards known as the 52d Illinois Volunteers. He was with this Regiment in all of its duties until March 1862, when he was prostrated by severe sickness brought on by an unusually heavy cold taken during the previous winter in northwestern Missouri, and compelled by reason of it to resign andi home. He could not willingly, however, remain at home when his country demanded the services of its loyal citizens in the field, and when the Preident issued the call for more troops in July, 1862, although not fully recovered from his late illness, again enlisted, this time being connected with the 93d III Volunteers. Company F. of that Regiment, was raised by him, and Captain Knight, of Albany, and he again had the position of the Second Lieutenancy conferred upon him. The Regiment went to the front in November, 1882 and was with Gen. Sherman at Tallahatehie, expecting to do some severe fighting but when the rebels made the raid on Holly Springs, were ordered back to that point, so that during the time Lieut. Dyer belonged to the Regiment, it did not take part in any heavy battle. Sickness again overtook him in the spring of 1863, or in fact never had left him since his attack the year before, and in April he resigned and came home. He was prostrated during the following summer and fall; and did not resume business until December 1863, when he again came engaged in the boot and shoe trade, and has so remained, with exception of a few months, until the present time. Mr. Dyer has been honored by his fellow citizens with various offices since his residence in Fulton, having been elected Collector of the township in 1860; Supervisor in 1868 and 1874. Justice of the Peace in 1871, serving four years. He was Alderman of the city for the second ward in 1869 and 1870, and in the spring of 1877 was Police Magistrate of the city. To each of these offices he brought a faithful and intelligent discharge of its duties.
Bent-Wilson 1877 Pg 191-192
