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James B. and Frances Dingman

James B. and Frances Dingman

Husband's Full Name:  James B. Dingman

Husband's Place of Birth:  Kansas

Husband's Father's Name:  Richard R. Dingman

Husband's Mother's Name: Nancy Lenora Gabriel

Husband's Siblings' Names: unknown

Wife's Full Name:  Frances Foley

Wife's Place of Birth:  Atlanta, Illinois

Wife's Father's Name:  unknown

Wife's Mother's Name:  unknown

Wife's Siblings' Names:  unknown

Children's Names: none

J. B. Dingman took possession of the shaving department of the Hotel Johnson Annex in November 1906. He was a popular city barber. By November 1908 he opened a barbershop equipped with everything modern science requires for health and the convenience of its customers in the Johnson Place, the new pool hall. He also was the correspondent for the Manfred News column, writing in a very colorful manner. He began this position in March of 1907.

 

1 Jan 1907 - Mrs. J. B., Dingman, wife of our esteemed tonsorial artist, arrived here from Minneapolis last Monday and they have gone to housekeeping in the Sorenson Building.  Manfred is slowly coming to the front as a town of some importance and a permanent barber is a long step in the right direction.  [written by S. O. Grane, the previous correspondent]

 

7 Mar 1909 – The Building season has already opened and we call it an early opening indeed. The man who is to start the growth of Manfred this season is J. B. Dingman, our popular barber, who is building a new house in the east end of town.  There is room for more, let the good work go on.

 

It was 28 April 1911 that this article was in the county paper.   The Grim Reaper made a call Saturday morning at the home of J. B. Dingman and called to the Great Beyond the loving wife, after a long and vain struggle against the incurable disease, tuberculosis.  She had been sick for quite awhile and everything had been done to resist the sickness and prolong life, but to no avail. Mrs. Dingman, whose maiden name was Frances Foley was born at Atlanta, Illinois, and reached the age of 34 years, 2 months and 8 days. 

 

She had lived in Manfred four years and during that time she had made everybody a friend whom she came in contact with.  She was of a cheerful and hopeful disposition always ready and willing to aid and cheer.  All of life’s changes she met with courage and patience.  The many friends in town brought and placed a very beautiful wreath of roses on her coffin as a small token of the esteem in which she was held.  Numbers of people from both town and country followed her to her last resting place in the Manfred cemetery.  She leaves a husband who has the sympathy of the community in his bereavement.

 

So J. B. Dingman lost his mate.  Apparently he kept active in the community in various ways.

 

The Growing with Pride book of Harvey history reports that he was the director of the Harvey Junior Band. 

 

In March of 1918, he was one of the organizers of the Modern Woodmen of America, Camp No 13540.  It was J. B. Dingman who painted the Renden Blacksmith Shop in June of 1918. 

 

There is no census record of his whereabouts in 1920, but by 1930 he had moved to Los Angeles, California and lived there until he passed away in 1947.

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