Biography of William H. Dills, pages 864 / 865.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

William H. Dills, attorney at law, Auburn, Ind., was born in Dearborn 
County, Ind., March 15, 1834, a son of Jacob and Tena (Dawson) Dills.  In 
1844 his parents moved to De Kalb county and settled in Spencerville, where 
he grew to manhood.  He was educated in the public schools and a select 
school in Fort Wayne.  When nineteen years of age was employed as civil 
engineer by the Pittsburg, Fort. Wayne & Chicago Railroad, working in this 
capacity about a year when, in 1854, he began the study of law under the 
preceptorship of his uncle, Judge R. J. Dawson, of Spencerville, and in 1855 
and 1856 attended the law school at Greencastle, Ind., and after his 
graduation was admitted to the bar.  In October, 1856, he was elected 
Prosecutor of the Common Pleas District composed of De Kalb and Steuben 
counties, and the same year located in Auburn where he has since pursued 
his practice.  During his residence in Auburn he has held various official 
positions, among others Towns Clerk, and attorney for the town and county.  
He has been identified in the movements to secure the various railroads 
through Auburn, and at times has been connected with the local press, 
editorially and otherwise.  He has always been identified with the 
Democratic party, and has taken an active part in politics, as speaker and 
writer, in both county and State.  In 1882 he was a candidate for Circuit 
Judge, but was defeated by a small majority.  In 1884 he was elected one 
of  the Democratic electors, and took an active part in the campaign.  He 
has the distinction of being the only man from De Kalb County that ever 
voted directly for the President and Vice-President of the United States, 
and also of receiving the largest number of votes from the people, of any 
resident in his Congressional District, viz.: 244, 992.  He has been 
Secretary of the De Kalb County Pioneer Association since its organization 
in 1876.  He has been twice married.  His first wife was Miss Emily A. 
Ralston, of Auburn, by whom he has two children---Frank and Kittie.  May 
30, 1879, he married his second wife, Mrs. Julia May (Miner) Brandon.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com