Historyof Old Vincennes And KnoxCounty, Indiana Greene Volumel & 2 1911         Surnamesin this biography are: Dyer, Terrer, Allen, Dunham, Stickney, Byard, Parish,Bannerman, WILLIAMH. DYER.                     William H. Dyer, a well known andsuccessful business man of Vincennes, who is recognized as one of its mostcapable and energetic captains of industry, is a native of Ohio, born in thetown of Hamilton, north of Cincinnati, in 1853. He comes of good fightingstock, Grandfather Dyer having valiantly defended the cause of the colonists atthe time of the Revolution, also wearing a uniform as a soldier of his countryin the war of 1812. The father, Elbridge Gerry Dyer, was born in Saco county,Maine, in 1815, and had passed the age for active service at the time of theCivil war, but he was a patriotic citizen and provided for numerous familieswhose beads he had influenced to enlist under the stars and stripes. He engagedin the manufacture of machinery and his plant at Hamilton was one of thelargest and best equipped of the kind in the country during the time he was incharge. The mother of our subject was before her marriage Margaret          Terrer and was born in Wales in1824. There were eight children in the family, five of whom are now surviving:William H.; Abbie, the wife of Dr. E. T. Allen, of Chicago, and the mother ofthree children; Albion M., curator of the Cleveland public library, who marriedElla Dunham and is the father of four children; Mabel, the wife of George A.Stickney, of Boston, and the mother of two children; and Margaret, the wife ofD. R. Byard, of Hamilton, Ohio, and the mother of one daughter. The subject ofthis review grew up in the Buckeye state and received his education in thepublic schools of Hamilton, Ohio, and at Denison University of Granville, Ohio.After leaving the university, Mr. Dyer entered the shop of his father and therebecame thoroughly acquainted with the machinist's trade, continuing for aboutfifteen years and passing through various departments during that time. He thenbecame identified with a canning factory at Hamilton, with which he was alsoconnected for fifteen years. Having         gained a practical knowledge of the details of the canning industry andalso of the markets and demands in various parts of the country and of theworld, he decided to embark in business for himself. In 1907, having selectedVincennes as his headquarters, be leased a canning plant in this city, which helater purchased, anti the business is now conducted under the title of the DyerPacking Company and has attained a wide reputation. Seventy persons areemployed at the plant and its capacity is twenty-five thousand cans daily allthe year round, the operations being confined exclusively to pork and beans andcatsup. The products of this factory find a ready market in the United Statesand foreign countries and the plant over which Mr. Dyer presides is one of themost completely appointed institutions of the kind to be seen anywhere. Thevisitor may here note the operation of many features, which are the directresult of Mr. Dyer's intimate knowledge of mechanics and his experience in thepacking business. By his energy and progressiveness he has added to thematerial wealth of the city and trade it indeed more pleasing place ofabode.  In 1900 Mr. Dyer was united inmarriage to Mrs. Isabella Parish, NEE Bannerman, a native of Bradford, Canada,born in 1863. An adopted daughter, Ruth, now nine years of age, is one of thepleasing members of the household.             Mr. Dyer is essentially a man ofbusiness, but he has devoted some attention to politics and as a result is aninsurgent, believing that the independent voter is the hope of the country. Heis a valued member of the Presbyterian Church and in his various duties andresponsibilities has shown a fidelity and clear judgment, which have beendistinguishing characteristics of his entire life. He is a man whosecooperation may always be depended upon in any undertaking that aims to promotethe general welfare and he is esteemed as a progressive and substantial forcein the up building of         Vincennes.