JOHN DYER.—Among the prominent and progressive citizens of Meridian, [Texas,] whose advent into the state dates back to 1854, is the genial and pleasant gentleman above named, who is now serving as tax collector of Bosque county. He is one of those quiet, unassuming gentlemen of the true southern type, whom it is a pleasure to meet. He has resided in the state for over forty years and has the confidence and esteem not only of his official colleagues but also of all with whom he has dealings. His official career extends over a period of ten years, during which time the affairs of his office have been carried on in a strictly business-like and methodical way, showing conclusively that a master hand is at the helm.
Through care and honorable business transactions, outside of his official capacity, Mr. Dyer has accumulated a competency, sufficient at least to guarantee himself and family their evenings of life in peace and prosperity. He has associated himself with and is one of the directors of the Lone Star Commission Company, for the handling of livestock. This company was organized and incorporated in Texas in the year 1894, with headquarters at Kansas City, Missouri, with branch offices at Chicago and at other important cities of the country, having large stockyards. Its capital stock is one hundred thousand dollars, and from its inception it has done a safe, conservative and constantly increasing business. It is well known among stock dealers, not only in this but also in surrounding states. The directors and managers are as follows: E. G. P. Kellum, of Valley Mills, Texas, president; F. Kell, of Clifton, Texas, vice-president; M. N. Baker, of Hamilton, Texas, secretary; S. D. Felt, of Kansas City, Missouri, treasurer; A. Wheeler, of Waco, Texas; John Dyer and J. S. Rizer, of Meridian, Texas; A. Y. Reeder, of Amarillo, Texas; and R. A. Riddels, of Kansas City.
Our subject is a Georgian by birth, born in Cherokee county, August 19, 1849, and is a son of Simpson C. and Sarah A. (Bell) Dyer, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Georgia. The father is now deceased, having died in August, 1876. Mr. Dyer, of this review, was the seventh in a family of ten children and accompanied his parents to this state in 1854, locating first in Hill county. From early boyhood he has been actively engaged in the cattle business, buying, feeding and shipping, and in the year 1895 handled about three thousand head. He has also farm property, consisting of six hundred acres, fifteen miles east of the city of Meridian, nearly all of which is under cultivation.
Mr. Dyer was married in Louisiana, on the 6th of June, 1866, the lady of his choice being Miss Marie F. Wootten, a native of Georgia, and five children have been born to them who are now living,—Lucile, Ernest H., Alma Pearl, Camille and Rudasill. Eugene W., the eldest child, died April 14, 1895. The family hold[s] their religious membership in the Baptist church. Mr. Dyer was elected tax collector on the Democratic ticket in November, 1886, and has been constantly in office since that time, giving general satisfaction.
Source: History of Texas, Supplemented with Biographical Mention of Many Families of the State: A Concise History of the State From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Date; Together with Biographical Sketches of Many of the Families of Central Texas, Vol. I (Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1896, repr.), pp. 81-82.