George Whitefield Dyer

George Whitefield Dyer was born August 20, 1839, in Jefferson, Schoharie County, New York. He was the son of Calvin Dyer and Betsy Sherwood. He attended Hudson River Institute. In October 1861, he entered the Law Office of Abraham Becker in
Otsego, New York. He practiced several places in New York. He was admitted to the bar in New York in 1863.

George married Emma Parslow on July 8, 1865. They moved to Nevada in 1875. On October 12, 1877, he was granted a divorce in the district court and gained custody of daughters Grace and Jessie.

He was married on September 16, 1886, in Nevada to Martha “Mattie” Kellogg. Martha was born October 29, 1856, in Nevada to Dr. Nathan Alonzo Kellogg and Hannah (Martin) Kellogg. She was born after her father’s death. She graduated from high school and attended Iowa State College for two years. She taught in rural schools and in Nevada for 10 years. She also served as librarian at the
Nevada Public Library. In his History of Story County, William G. Allen states, “the library is under the care of Miss Mattie Kellogg, now Mrs. Mattie Dyer, who will see that things are kept right.” Records for 1886 indicate Mattie received $63.40 for
salary and library expenses for the year. She was nearly 30 years of age when she married and George was 47.

George was a lawyer, a judge, and served as county attorney. He was a member of Modern Woodmen of America and Knights of Pythias. They were active in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mattie was a member of PEO and the Nevada
Women’s Club.

During early married life, they lived at 409 I Avenue. They built a two-room house just east of there for Mattie’s mother, Hannah, who took her meals with the Dyers. Around 1900 they moved to the house on 5th Street, now called Dyer-Dowell
Victorian Home.

George died October 12, 1923. Mattie’s mother, Hannah, died in February of that year. After George died, Mattie’s daughter, Ruth, came and lived with her mother until Mattie died December 24, 1938. George had two daughters, Grace and Jessie, by his first wife. He and Mattie had three children: Ruth, born July 29, 1887; Winthrop Kellogg, born October 14, 1889; and Isabel, born May 22, 1892.