Information On The Dillon Family
Wayne County News
Wayne County Roots
by June B. Ashworth
     Someone recently asked me about a Dillon Family and I could not help them. I informed them that I had found Dillon's in Wayne County having been born in Floyd Co., KY. The 1880 Census lists families of a George & Nancy Dillon and a Zachariah & Tennessee (Haney) Ross Dillon. Then I found an obituary and have been able to add information to complete the following history of Robert Lee Dillon. From the obituary I learned that he was born July 3, 1860 in Mercer Co., WV s/o Ballard and Luvenia (Belcher) Dillon and died in Holden, Missouri on July 17, 1919. His father died during the Civil War and his mother married W. S. Moore and came to Wayne County in about 1866 locating at Wayne Court House. In the 1880 Census William and Luvena Moore are listed and the only child in the household was Robert. William was a saddler. From Robert's obituary: "he was taught by his stepfather the saddlery and harness trade, which in connection with the livery business he followed for several years." Later he sold the livery business and bought a farm near the town and lived there until 1900 when he moved his family to Holden, Missouri. This was about the time many Wayne County families joined the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints (known today as the L.D.S. Church) and moved to Holden, MO. He was a member of this church at the time of his death. In Holden he ran a dairy business.
     From the newspaper, Holden Progress, article Robert found out in September prior to his death that he had an incurable disease and "every agency within the knowledge of those dear to them was invoked in a determined fight against the dread messenger". Holden had a fine doctor from our Wayne County hills, Dr. Emery Thompson.
     Wayne County records R. L. Dillon's (age 25) marriage to Georgia Ann Ferguson (age 22) d/o Samuel J. & Lourissa/Leuvissia (Ratcliff) Ferguson on 14 Oct 1885 and lists his mother as "Elizabeth". Their home was on Tom's Creek where all of their eight children were born prior to their movement west. His obituary mentions his wife and eight children as survivors and several who attended the funeral from other areas: J. B. Dillon of Wellsville, MO, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Smith and daughter, Pauline of Independence.
     Georgia lived until 27 Aug 1953. Although all of their children are deceased, many descendants still live in the Holden, MO area. A son and son-in-law have been mayors of Holden. One son Robert P. Dillon was married in Ironton, OH in 1916 to Fanny Lycan. He ran a dairy related business in Holden.
     My first visit to Holden, MO was in about 1970. I have since been to that community several more times.
     It is a small town surrounded by a farming community about 50 miles east and a little south of Independence. While there the first time I met a man who said the late Opal Ward of Wayne was his cousin.
     In addition to this Dillon family, Ferguson, Thompson, Fischbach, Hamilton, Osner, Smith, Milliner, Odell and Chadwick are a few of the local families moved to that community.