William H. Dillman, the well-known president of the Clay County State
Bank at Louisville, Illinois, was born in Oskaloosa township, on the family
homestead, where he grew to manhood. The date of his birth was July 14,
1867. He is the son of Louis Dillman, a native of Kentucky, who came to
Illinois when fourteen years old and settled in Oskaloosa township on a
farm, where he lived for many years. He is now retired, making his home in
Louisville. He was formerly president of the State Bank and is well known in
the county as a man of much ability. Vachel Dillman, grand-father of the
subject, was also a native of Kentucky, who came to this state at an early
day and developed a good farm. The subject's mother was Harriett B. Smith,
whose people were natives of Tennessee, where she was born. She is still
living. Eleven children were born to the subject's parents, namely: Dr. Asa
E., of Steuben, Wisconsin; Mrs. Mary E. Graham, of Oskaloosa township; Mrs.
Sarah E. Burdick, of Oskaloosa township; William H., our subject; Dr. J. V.,
at Ingraham, Illinois; Lillie M., now deceased; Mrs. Ida Steeley, of
Louisville, this county; Mrs. Della Montgomery, also of Louisville; Dora,
deceased; Polly Ann, deceased; Henry, deceased.
William H. Dillman
was united in marriage in 1898 to Cora P. Brown, the refined and
accomplished daughter of P. P. Brown, of Louisville, Illinois, and two
children have been born to this union, namely: Howard B. and Robert V., ten
and five years old respectively at this writing, 1908, both bright and
interesting lads.
Mr. Dillman acquired a good common school
education, and after spending three years at the State Normal, at the Union
Christian College of Merom, Indiana, and at the Orchard City College at
Flora, Illinois, where he graduated with honors, Mr. Dillman entered the law
office of Hagle & Shriner in that city, and in 1896 was admitted to the bar,
since which time he has been ranked as one of the leading lawyers of Clay
county, and has built up an excellent business, practicing in all the courts
in this and adjoining counties with great success.
When Judge Farmer,
now one of the Supreme Judges of the state of Illinois, was on the bench of
this, the Forty-second Senatorial District, he selected Mr. Dillman as the
Master in Chancery of this county. Later on, upon the death of William H.
Hudelson, Mr. Dillman, by the terms of the will, was made the executor, the
will conveying to him in trust for twenty years money and property
representing over two hundred thousand dollars. No better testimony of
confidence in a man's integrity has ever been paid to a citizen of this
county. Mr. Dillman was Master in Chancery for six years. The directors of
the Clay County State Bank elected him president of that institution in the
summer of 1908.
He was the Democratic nominee for Representative from
this district in 1908, but was defeated. He has always been a stanch
Democrat and has taken an active part in his county's affairs. Fraternally
he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the In-dependent Order of Odd
Fellows, the Home Circle. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dillman are members of the
Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Dillman, busy with the management of
the bank, which he gives the most careful attention and which is regarded as
one of the solidest banks of the southern part of the state, finds
insufficient time to carry on his law practice, although it is not entirely
abandoned. Mr. Dillman throughout his career has been very active,
progressive and determined, carrying forward in successful completion
whatever he has undertaken in a business way. Mr. Dillman attributes a very
large measure of his success to his many and faithful friends. He is clearly
entitled to be classed among the leading citizens of Clay county - a man
whose strong individuality is the strength of integrity, virtue and deep
human sympathy and no one has more friends than he throughout the district.
Extracted 27 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay & Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 41-42.
| Fayette | Effingham | Jasper |
| Marion |
 |
Richland |
| Wayne |
Clay County ILGenWeb Copyright
Design by 