Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-01-19

Nelson a. Ding1ey, Jr.
due TO pneumonia He was uncon
scious most Of the day, and death
came quietly without consciousness be
ing regained. There were present a
the time Mrs. Dingley, Miss Edith
Dingley, Messrs. E. n. and A. H. Ding
ley, sons of the deceased, and James G.
Hooe, an intimate friend of the family
While the past few days have given
great hopes for recovery, the progress
or the disease had made the patient
dangerously weak and had seriously
much Frustrated 10y her husbands
death, and is now under the care OF a
physician. There were many heart
felt expressions of sympathy
when it became known that the Maine
congressman was dead.
Dingley's Illness dated back to Dec.
%, when he complained that he was not
well. A physician diagnosed the case
as one Of grip, so commonly prevailing
here, and cautioned the patient to keep
to his room. The following Saturday
pneumonia developed
The funeral will be conducted from
the house OF representatives Monday.
The body will be taken to the house at
10o'clOck and there lie in state till noon,
when services will be conducted in the
presence of the house and senate.
In the afternoon the funeral party will
leave for Lewiston, Maine, arriving
there Tuesday afternoon. Further
services will be held at the family res
idence on Wednesday. The interment
will be in that city.
In speaking Of Dingley's death last
night Senator Hale said: In the pres
ent condition of public affairs Ding
ley's death>is a great national loss. In
all questions relating to finance, lie
revenues of the country and the adjust
ment of great fiscal questions, Dingley
was above all others in authority. 1t
is difficult to say who can take his
place"
Nelson Dingley , Jr., governor OF
Maine in 1874 and 1875 and member OF
congress from the second congress on
al district OF Maine since 1881, was
born in Durham, AndrOscoggin county,
Maine, in his grandfather LAMBERT
farmhouse on the banks OF the andre
scoggin river Feb. Is, 1892, being the
son of Nelson and Jane UamberD
Dingley. The year following his birth
his parents moved to Pakman, Pisca-
taquis county, where they lived on a
farm for a short time, and then took
charge 81 the village tavern, with
which a store was connected. In 1888
the family removed to Unity, Waldo
county, and thence, in 1854, to Auburn,
Androscoggin county. At IL he taught
winter school in the town of China,
fourteen miles from home, and he con-
for college. In 1850, at the age of Is,
he entered Waterville (Maine) Acad-
envy, of which the well known Prof. j
II. Hanson was principal, and there
completed his preparation for college
Entering Waterville College (now Col
by University in 1851, he remained
there a year and a half and then be-
came student at Dartmouth College
from which institution he was gradu-
ated in 1856 with high rank as schol-
az, debater and writer. After leaving
college Dingley studied law in 1885,
with Merritt & Fessenden in Auburn
to which city his parents had removed
while ne was in college, and the latter
year he was admitted to the bar. In
stead Of entering upon the practice OF
Jaw he decided TO become journalist
fCE which profession he always mani
rested 4 decided taste. In September
| 1856, he purchased the Lewiston Jour
nal, of which he had been practically
| the editor while studying law and tC
| which in 1861 ne added daily edition
| The paper rapidly increased in circula
| ton and influence under his manage
| ment.
His first vote was cast in 1854 fo
Arson P. Morrill,, the anti-slavery ant
| temperance candidate for governor, ;
political combination from which aros,
the republican party of Maine during
the following winter. He threw him
self into the Fremont campaign In 1856
with all the aa'dor of youth and abilit.
Of age.
| In 1861. at the age of 20, he wa
| elected representative to the state leg
islature, in which body he at once tool
high rank; was reelected in 1862, an
chosen speaker of the house at the SEES
sion of 1863. In 1863 he removed T.
| Lewiston, where a few months after h
was elected to the legislature, and wit
the opening OF the legislative session
Of 1864 was unanimously re-electe
speaker.
At the state election of 1864 he wa
elected to the house fourth time, an
with the session of 1865 was again ter