From the 1920 History of Northeast Indiana Volume II page 68:

Hugh W. Dirrim is one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, has spent most of his life in Northeast Indiana, and for nearly forty years was a successful farmer of Otsego Township in Steuben County.  He is now enjoying the comforts of life in his home at Hamilton. 

Mr. Dirrim was born in Harrison Township of Carroll County, Ohio, April 13, 1837, a son of James Dirrim and a grandson of Richard Dirrim.  Richard Dirrim was born in Delaware, served in the War of 1812, and in September, 1815, moved to Stark County, Ohio.  James Dirrim was born in Pennsylvania, August 11, 1809, but was reared and educated in Stark County, Ohio.  In May, 1845, he brought his family to Franklin Township of DeKalb County, Indiana, and settled on a tract of heavily timbered land in section 11.  He made a good farm there, and spent the rest of his life in that locality.  He was twice married.  April 15, 1835, he married for his second wife Hannah Gillespie, a native of Ireland.  They had a family of eleven children, and several of the sons fought in the ranks of the Union army.  The children were:  William, Sarah, Hugh W., James, Isaac, Richard, Margaret E., Hannah D., Elizabeth Ann, John and Milton.

Hugh W. Dirrim was about eight years old when he came to DeKalb County, and he received his education in the schools there.  In November, 1862, he enlisted in the Forty-Fourth Indiana Infantry, and was in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga and several other engagements.  He was in the army until the close of hostilities in April, 1865.  He returned home to take up farming and in 1873 removed to Otsego Township of Steuben County, where he acquired 133 acres  He developed that land, putting on the building improvements, and lived there with increasing prosperity for many years.  In 1901 he retired and moved to Hamilton, and in 1908 sold his farm.

He married for his first wife Catherine Spiece, daughter of John Spiece.  She died in October, 1900, the mother of six children, Orlando, Lincoln, Clarence, Jordan, Nettie and Emma.  Nettie is now deceased.  Mr. Dirrim married for his second wife Mary Spiece, sister of his first wife.