Biography - Mrs. W. T. Dwyer
MRS. W. T. DWYER. The city of Vienna suffered the loss of one of its
most valued and highly respected citizens when, on May 20, 1904, there
passed into the land beyond Mr. William T. Dwyer. Mr. Dwyer, although a
native of Ohio, where he was born January 19, 1856, lived the greater part
of his life in Vienna, having been brought here by his parents, Dennis and
Eliza (King) Dwyer, when he was but a young child.
Dennis Dwyer came to Southern Illinois from Columbus, Ohio, in the early
fifties and purchased a large piece of land, which included the site upon
which Vienna is now built. His wife, Eliza King in maidenhood, was born in
Ireland, but came to Vienna before the village was of any consequence in
size, and although now seventy-eight years of age her faculties are
remarkably clear and she recalls many interesting events of the early
pioneer days. She is at the present time residing with her daughter, Mrs. F.
M. Pruett, at Harrisburg.
William T. Dwyer for many years followed in his father's footsteps and was a
successful agriculturist until the year 1899, when he decided to make a
change and went into the livery business in Vienna. A1-though he was a man
of only average school education, he possessed more than average business
ability and succeeded in accumulating much valuable property during his
lifetime. Among his most valuable holdings were some rich coal lands near
Harrisburg, and stock in the Drovers State Bank, with which financial
institution he was connected from the time of its establishment until his
death. Mr. Dwyer was throughout his life a devout member of St. Pauls
Catholic church, a man of sterling character, liberal in his ideas and
methods and possessed of many personal qualities that endeared him to all
with whom he came in contact. His remains lie buried in the cemetery at New
Burnside, Illinois.
Mrs. Minnie Dwyer, widow of W. T. Dwyer, is now a leading resident of
Vienna. She was before her marriage Miss Minnie Kiley, the daughter of
Timothy and Hannah (Cahille) Kiley, of Cairo, in which city Mrs. Dwyer was
born and reared. Her father was a native of Ireland, as was also her mother.
Mr. Kiley was a miller by trade and when twenty years of age came to Cairo
from his native land, to gain for himself opportunities for advancement
which America so generously affords her adopted sons. His marriage to Hannah
Cahille took place after his arrival at Cairo, where he engaged in the
milling business. Besides Mrs. Dwyer, Mr. and Mrs. Kiley were the parents of
one other child, M. J. Kiley, of Cairo.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Dwyer occurred in 1894 and to them were born
five children. Williamette died in August, 1910, at the age of sixteen
years. The others reside at home with their mother, John William being
sixteen years of age, E. Kiley, fourteen years; Julia Dorothy, twelve years;
and Bessie ten years old.
Mrs. Dwyer is a woman of culture and superior intelligence and possesses
executive ability to a marked degree. She is a member of the Vienna Library
Board, and secretary of the Board of Education. She discharges the duties
these positions entail in a most creditable manner and her advice is highly
esteemed by her colleagues. Mrs. Dwyer is also an active club woman, is one
of the most influential members of the Vienna Woman's Club and has held the
office of president in that organization during 1909 and 1910. A leader in
social and educational life, a woman of charm and pleasing personality, she
leads a life of activity and usefulness and holds the respect and admiration
of a legion 'of friends throughout the community.
Extracted 14 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 716-717.
