Biography of Jonas E. Dilgard, pages 558/559/560.  History of DeKalb 
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914



Jonas E. Dilgard



	Among the honored and influential citizens of Waterloo, Indiana, 
is Jonas E. Dilgard, who has shown what an earnest and energetic hard-
working man can accomplish, although forced to hew his own fortune from 
obstacles that beset his way.  He started life without financial aid 
from anybody; has been industrious, and has adhered to those principles 
and ideals that always insure success, so that his later years are 
being passed in the midst of plenty and serenity.

	Jonas E. Dilgard, who is now retired from active labor and is 
residing in the attractive little town of Waterloo, is a native of 
Wayne county, Ohio, where he was born on February 14, 1853.  He is a 
son of John and Mary (Hoy) Dilgard.  John Dilgard was born in 
Westmoreland county Pennsylvania, and in early childhood was brought to 
Wayne county, Ohio, by his parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Dilgard.  Mary 
Hoy, who was a native of Wayne county, Ohio, and the daughter of Jonas 
Hoy, was reared in her native county and lived there until her 
marriage.  In 1865 John Dilgard and his wife moved to DeKalb county, 
Indiana, locating four miles west of Waterloo, where they had acquired 
eighty acres of good farming land and there they made their permanent 
home.  John Dilgard was an active and industrious, man, being born a 
farmer and a carpenter, which dual occupations he followed during all 
his active years. His death occurred in 1899 and his wife died in 1880. 
They were the parents of six children: Jonas, Mina, Emily, Daniel, 
Martha and John.

	Jonas E. Dilgard was reared on the paternal farm and in the 
schools of Waterloo he secured his education.  In 1870, at the age of 
seventeen years, he began a successful pedagogical career, and during 
the following ten years was numbered among the leading teachers of 
DeKalb county, having taught successfully at various places where, a 
high standard of education was in demand. During this period his summer 
seasons were spent in agricultural employment. In 1876 Mr. Dilgard was 
married to Mary Goodwin, the daughter of David and Sarah (Wiltrout) 
Goodwin, she being a native of Waterloo.  David Goodwin was born in 
Ashland county, Ohio, on November 5, 1826, and his death occurred at 
Waterloo, Indiana, on March 9, 1899, in the seventy-third year of his 
age.  About 1854 he moved from Ashland county, and purchased a tract of 
land at the edge of Waterloo, which he cleared and developed, making of 
it eventually on of the best farms in his vicinity.  He was survived by 
a number of years by his widow, who died in October, 1912.  After Mr. 
Dilgard married he rented a farm for about a year and then bought a 
farm located between Auburn and Waterloo in Grant township, where he 
now owns one hundred acres.  In 1880 he gave up teaching school and 
moving on the farm south of Waterloo, he lived there until 1906, when 
he retired from active farm labor and moved to Waterloo, where he now 
resides.  He still owns the farm and in a general way supervises its 
management.  In 1885, while still residing on his farm, Mr. Dilgard 
engaged in the agricultural implement business in Waterloo, but a year 
or two later he sold that business and during the following two years 
he was a traveling salesman for the Altman- Taylor Company and about a 
year for the Plano Binder Company; also for about two years after 
leaving the farm he was engaged in the restaurant business at Auburn, 
having bought the same from his son, Carl.  He was successful in this 
enterprise, but eventually sold it and returned to his home in 
Waterloo.  He is a man of good business ability and sound judgement, 
and because of his excellent qualifications he has succeeded in every 
thing to which he has turned his hand..

	Fraternally, Mr. Dilgard belongs to the Knights of Pythias and 
takes a deep interest in the workings of the order. He has taken an 
intelligent interest in public affairs and served four years as trustee 
of Grant township, and is now president of the board of trustees of the 
town of Waterloo, discharging his official duties to the entire 
satisfaction of his fellow citizens.

	To Mr. and Mrs. Dilgard have been born seven children, namely: 
Claude, Roy, Carl, Gladys, Glen, Ralph and Howard, all deceased except 
Carl and Howard.  Carl was born September 16, 1884, married Dora 
Daniels, the daughter of Harrison Daniels, and they have a daughter, 
Bernadine.  He lives in Waterloo and follows the trade of carpenter.  
Howard Dilgard, born July 10, 1898, is a student in the public schools 
of Waterloo.

	Mr. Dilgard is an able, educated, well read and progressive 
gentleman, a fine type of a self-made man who has confidence in the 
people and is ready at all times to do his full part in the advancement 
of the public welfare.  He is not lacking in the qualities of 
sociability and those traits of character which win friends for a man, 
and in the community where he has spent so many of his active years, he 
enjoys a notable measure of popularity.



Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com