Sigel Granville Dyer (1877 - 1950)

Born 15 May 1877 in Bethel, Anoka, Minnesota, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Theresa Thiede — married 1 Aug 1905 in Shakopee, Scott, Minnesota, United States

Descendants

Died 5 Dec 1950 at age 73 in Fort Snelling Reservation, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States

Biography

Sigell Granille Dyer was born on May 15, 1877 in Bethel, Anoka, Minnesota. He was the son of Stephen Dyer and Roxie Cooper.

He married Mary Theresa Thiede (1881-1940) on August 1, 1905 in Shakopee, Scott, Minnesota.^[1] The couple had 4 children.

1. Arline Marie Dyer (1906-1991)^[2]
2. Adella Elizabeth Dyer (1910-1988)
3. Sigel George Dyer Jr. (1915-1987)
4. Mary Jane Dyer (1927-2008)

Segell was a Lineman for Western Telegraph in 1910, at age 32, and Mary was taking care of the home and children, Arline-3 and Adella-0.^[3][4]

He was a Toll Engeneer for the Telephone Co. in 1920, living in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota with wife Mary-38, Arlene-13, Adelle-9, and Segel-4.^[5]

His wife Mary Theresa passed away on February 11, 1940, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the age of 58. They had been married 34 years.

He died at the age of 73, on December 5, 1950, in Fort Snelling, Hennepin, Minnesota,^[6] and was buried on 9 December 1950 in Shakopee, Scott, Mn.

Research Notes

Notes from external profile

Note: Holbrook, Franklin F.. Minnesota in the Spanish American War & Phillipine Insurrection. Vol 1; Publ. by Minn. War Records Commission. p301. San Diego Public Library, San Diego, CA, 14th MN Volunteer Infantry, Company B, Private Sigel G. Dyer; age 21; b. Anoka Co.; res Anoka; enrd Apr 29, 1898 Anoka; m i May 8 Camp Ramsey; on duty with guard Camp Van Duzee during part of furl of regt; with Leech Lake exdn Oct 10 to 23; on furl Oct 24 to 29; m o Nov 18 St. Paul.NOTE: Camp Ramsey was so named on Apr 28th. It was on the MN State fair grounds in St. Paul. Camp Van Duzee, named after the 14th's Commanding Officer Col. Charles A. VanDuzee, was set up upon return of the 14th from Chickamauga, GA to St. Paul, on the corner of University and Hamline Ave. The 14th Regt. was renamed from the 3rd Regt. This book also gives a good account of the 14th at Chickamauga and on the Leech lake Campaign.

Minneapolis City Directory. late 1800's - 1900's. Minnesota Genealogical Society, 1650 Carroll Ave., St. Paul, Ramsey, Mn, 1906 - p576: DYER, Sigel G. asst foreman NW Tel Exch Co. r 2418 16th Av S. 1912 - p645: DYER, Sigel G. foreman NW Tel Co. res 2419 16th Av S.1918 - p535: DYER, Sigel G. eng N W Tel Exch Co res 1400 E 21st [JWP]

1877 - Sigel Granville Dyer was born on the family farm [according to daughter Mary Jane] located in

Bethel,MN. This farm is on the west side of the present Hiway 65 at what was called "Dyer's Corner" or 220th St. It is across the road from a Methodist Church (now moved farther down the road - May 2001). This intersection is about 20 miles north of the Minneapolis City limits. It is the original homestead land obtained by Jane S. Mitchell and passed down to Sigel's father Stephen S. Dyer. It is now owned by an Atkins descendant. His actual date of birth is not clear. His Birth Certificate, registered in 1877, says 15 May 1877. His daughter Mary Jane Dyer says "My father always celebrated his birthday on May 24th. A family bible record says May 24th 1877. However, when Dad was getting ready to retire, he had to get his birth certificate, and I remember him coming back from Isanti County saying they had him listed as being born on May 17. We asked how that could have happened and he said his father didn't get to the county seat to register Dad's birth until maybe a month later. So I suppose Grandpa Dyer just said well, I guess it was about the 17th of May, and that's what went in the books". His death certificate says 24 May 1877.

Family tradition has it that he was named Sigel after the last name of a Civil War General (Union Army?)

admired by his father, Stephen S., and named Granville after a town in Pennsylvania that Stephen S.

passed through when he came from New Brunswick. This is plausible as Stephen S. would have been about 20 years old when he came with his mother and siblings. That they passed through Pennsylvania is unknown. However, Stephen's future wife, Rocselana M. Cooper born and lived in Pennsylvania until her parents brought her to Minnesota. However, The Coopers came to Minnesota before 1860 [1860 US Census, Anoka Co.] so I doubt that the Dyer's migration path in 1866 had anything to do with the Coopers living in Pennsylvania six years earlier. There is also a town in Nova Scotia (now New Brunswick, along the SE shore of Cumberland Bay on Grand Lake in Queens Co.), (also one in Hampshire Co., Mass) called Granville. It is more likely that Granville comes from Stephen's second cousin, Benjamin Granville Jackson, who was about the same age as Stephen and at about the time of Sigel's birth had just sailed around Cape Horn with his brother Samuel.

Note: The 1880 US Census,MN, Anoka Co. p5 SD 3 ED 46 shows what looks like "Franz S Male age 3".

Was he named something else at birth.? Other sources have said that Freeman Dyer (b. 1870, d. 1870) was called "Fraz".

ca 1882 - 1888 Attended a one-room school and completed sixth grade.

1898 - At age 21, in 1898 Sigel enrolled in Company B, 14th Minnesota Volunteers on 29 April 1898 at

Anoka. He was mustered in on 8 May at Camp Ramsey. "The Anoka County Union", Wed. 11 May 1898, article "Sunday with the Soldiers"; reports on visit of Anoka citizens to Camp Ramsey to witness

mustering of Co. B, 14th Regiment - the men of Anoka. Lists Dyer, S.G. as a Private. One of his visitors

was one J. Mitchell, probably James Mitchell, his brother-in-law. This was during the Spanish American War. He was in Knoxville, Tenn. at Chickamauga until Sept. 1898. A notebook he kept describes the train trip home through Cincinnati, Louisville, Chicago, Madison, through a "big crowd" at Baraboo, Hudson to St. Paul. He was in Minneapolis on 24th Sept. and the Regiment was furloughed on 29 Sept. 1898. A detail of 24 men from each Company was left on guard at Camp Kittson(?) and those were sent to Leech Lake to fight Indians. He was with the Leech Lake Expedition from Oct 10th to Oct 23rd. [Holbrook, Franklin F., "Minnesota in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection", Minn. War Records Comm., St. Paul, 1923] and was stationed "along the Fosston Branch of the Great Northern R.R. from Oct 13 to Oct 23, 1898" [Sigel G. Dyer Spanish American War record, Card number 41557003, National Archives]

1898 - While on the Leech Lake Expedition, he wrote a letter to his mother on birch bark. Grandson Joe

Pehoushek has donated the original letter to the Minnesota History Center. The letter describes his duty

at Farris, MN "gourding a RR camp" as boring, cold and hunger filled. "Well I haven't had any very

thrilling experience only I held us a Indian and brought him into camp he had on war paint and was a

most horrible looking sight. I was going to shoot him but he layed down his gun to quick so of course I

didnt have any excuse". [excerpt from letter, Sigel Dyer to Mrs. R.M. Dyer, written Oct 1(?), 1898 from

Camp Shafer, Farris, Hubbard Co. - donated Minn. History Center]

Nov 18, 1898 - Mustered out of Military Service according to his Spanish American War service record.^[7]

1900 - In July he was living in Minneapolis at 1 High St. with about 30 other telephone linemen. It was

owned by William Pauley and was either a Hotel or Boarding House. [US Census, Minneapolis 1900]

1900 - In a letter to his Army reunion group at Christmas 1900, he describes "stringing wires for people to talk over at Merrill, Wisconsin". (He was a telephone lineman) He says that mail addressed to him at

Bethel, Minn will be forwarded. His Grandson, Joseph W. Pehoushek has a revolver which Sigel carried while working out in the woods. I was told he carried it to shoot snakes.

1905 - Sigel married Mary Theresa Thiede at St. Mark's Church in Shakopee,MN. I have always thought

they must have met when he was stringing telephone lines through the area. She was teaching school in Jordan until two years before they were married.

1906 - Lived at 2418 16th Ave. So., Minneapolis when first daughter, Arline Marie was born at home.

[Arline M. Dyer Birth Cert.], [Mpls. City Dir. - 1906 - p576: DYER, Sigel G. asst foreman NW Tel Exch Co.

r 2418 16th Av S.]

18 Apr 1910 - US Census. Living at 2419 16th Ave. So., Mpls. with wife Mary and daughters Arline and Adella.. Listed in census as Sigel Grant Dyer. Did they move across the street by 1910? I'm confident the Census is correct as the houses are listed consecutively down one side of the street as odd numbers. The even numbers on 16th Ave. are on different pages and another family lives at 2418.

1912 - Minneapolis City Directory -1912 - p645: DYER, Sigel G. foreman NW Tel Co. res 2419 16th Av S. [Did they move across the street, or is this an error]

1913 - A Methodist until he married, converting to Catholicism in about 1913.

1917 - In February 1917 lived at 1400 S.E. 21st Street, Minneapolis according to post card received by

Arline from her Aunt Lizzie.

1918 - Minneapolis City Directory - 1918 - p535: DYER, Sigel G. eng N W Tel Exch Co res 1400 E 21st.

12 Sept. 1918 - WW I Draft Registration Card. Lives 1400 E 21st , Mpls.,MN, Age 41, b. 24 May 1877,

white, native born, Telephone Enginre for North west Phone Co., nearest relative: Mary Theresa Dyer,

tall height, medium build, brown eyes, mixed grey hair.

Jan 1920 - US Census, MN, Hennepin Co., Mpls, ED 208, p3A: At 1400 21st Strett: Sigel Dyer, head,

Renting, male,white,married,born MN,father born Maine,mother born PA,, a toll engineer Telephone Co.

1920 - On 11 Nov 1920 was living at 1400 E. 21st St., Mpls. - according to probate of Mother's estate.

1922 - He bought the house at 3817 Standish Avenue in 1922, then the Avenue was called 22 1/2

Avenue So. It was renamed Standish in about 1931.

ca1900 - 1942 - Sigel spent his working life with the telephone company. It was as a result of this that his son Sigel George Dyer, his daughter Arline Marie Dyer and his son in law Melvin B. Dahl also worked for the telephone company. To this day, a Grandson David Dahl, works for the same company.

3 April 1930 US Census, Minnesota, Hennepin, Minneapolis, Ward 12, Block 353;;

at 3817 22 1/2 Ave. So.

Dyer, Sigel G, age 52, married at 28, b. MN;Engineer Tel Co.; parents b. United States

Dyer, Mary T., 48, b. MN, father b. Germany, mother b. Czech

Dyer, Adella E., 20, b. MN; clerk Tel Co.

Dyer, Sigel G. Jr., 15, b. MN

Dyer, Mary J., 2 5/12, b. MN

1942 - He retired from Northwestern Bell Telephone in May 1942 after 42 years, 6 months of service.. He became a certified Red Cross First Aid Instructor. Worked in Mare Island Naval Base, California for six months during WW II. Daughter Mary Jane says he was in Vallejo with the Red Cross. He was staying in a rooming house next door to a fire station. One night when 5 ammunition ships blew up at nearby Port Chicago, Calif. he ran to the fire station and rode out to the shipyard to help rescue the injured.

There may be some connection between DYER and McGREAVY families in Isanti County, Minn. - Yes,

Wm Porter Washburn, founder of Washburn-McGreavy Funeral Home and spouse of a McGreavy

woman, is Sigel Dyer's third cousin. Their common ancestor is Lewis Mitchell.

ca 1945 - Daughter Mary Jane Dyer told JWP on Sep 21, 1997 that her father might have fathered a

child with Marie Sperl of Albany, MN. Marie was housekeeper forFr. Rowan of St. Helena's Church.

Later she moved into Dyer's home to keep house for G'pa Sigel. She left suddenly in 1945,46 or 47.

Sources

1. ↑ "Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M5-8GFN : Sat Mar 09 11:49:37 UTC 2024), Entry for Sigel Dyer and Mary Thiede, August 1905.
2. ↑ "Minnesota Births and Christenings, 1840-1980", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FD4T-3Y4 : 5 February 2020), Segel G. Dyer in entry for Arline Marie Dyer, 1906.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2GH-1FQ : Fri Mar 08 18:14:11 UTC 2024), Entry for Segel Grant Dyer and Mary Dyer, 1910.
4. ↑ 1910 United States Federal Census; 1910; Census Place: Minneapolis Ward 7, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll: T624_703; Page: 4A; Dwelling 64; Family 73; Line 3; Apr 18, 1910; Enumeration District: 0120; FHL microfilm: 1374716; Ancestry's 1910 Census Ancestry Record 7884 #13070660
5. ↑ 1920 United States Federal Census; 1920; Census Place: Minneapolis Ward 11, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll: T625_837; Page: 3A; Dwelling 46; Family 57; Lilne 31; Jan 3, 1920; Enumeration District: 208; Ancestry's 1920 Census Ancestry Record 6061 #45162889
6. ↑ "Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4HV-JQD : 4 December 2014), Sigel G. Dyer, 05 Dec 1950; from "Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2001); citing Hennepin, Minnesota, record 1141164, certificate number 005579, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis.
7. ↑ "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP5P-9CP2 : Sat Mar 09 03:13:33 UTC 2024), Entry for Sigel G Dyer, 18 November 1898.

See Also:

• Title: Descendants of Jones Dyer, Senior. Author: Joseph W Pehousek, Punta Gorda, Fl. Publication: October 1999, and Feb.2006. Abbreviation: Descendants of Jones Dyer, Senior. Note: NS116823. Source Media Type: Manuscript. Master Listing Source: Y

Acknowledgements

This person was created through the import of dyermaeettaaug2010.ged on 10 September 2010.