Caldwell County MO Archives History .....BUSHROD M. DILLEY, EARLY HAMILTON LAWYER 
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Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 8, 2008, 4:14 pm

BUSHROD M. DILLEY, EARLY HAMILTON LAWYER
	Narrators:  Mrs. Lottie Daniels, Seth Young, etc.

     The Hon. Bushrod M. Dilley, better known as B.M. Dilley or Doc Dilley was 
a prominent figure in Hamilton life in the seventies and early eighties.  He 
was born in Licking county O. 1841, received his early education in the very 
mediocre common schools of that time and then went to Dennison University O.  
In 1862, he began to read medicine with Dr. Draper of Cumberland O. which was 
the ordinary way those days to get a medical education.  He stayed in that 
office four years then he was ready to practice.  He started "west" which was 
also the ordinary thing for young doctors then.
     Reading the railroad ads in the Ohio papers about the new towns developed 
along the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad, he picked out one and came to 
Hamilton 1866.  Ague set in here soon after his arrival and while doctoring 
others, he got it himself, so much that it make him sick of the place.  To get 
rid of his "chills and fever", he went back home to Ohio, and decided to 
change his calling.  He entered a law office for study till about 1868.
     Again he returned to Hamilton, but this time as a lawyer.  In Aug. 1869, 
he was admitted to practice at the August term of court at Kingston by Judge 
Clark.  He was naturally a student, and very quick minded.  He was not long in 
reaching a high place among the young lawyers of the county.  He was endowed 
with a rare sense of social fitness which gave him an easy entry into what was 
then Hamilton's best society.  He entered into the fun of the town as well as 
its business.  The Hamilton high school under Prof. Guttery, in the early 80s 
put on a Shakespeare play, "Merchant of Venice," for the school benefit.  Doc 
Dilley helped coach and also took the part of the Duke.  
     When a good bye dinner was staged for Jimmy Kemper, a merchant who was 
leaving town for St. Joseph in the early 70s, Dock Dilley led in the plans and 
composed a parody song, "Don't go, Jimmy, don't go!" which was sung at the 
dinner.
     He was twice married.  His first marriage is rarely mentioned because it 
was an unfortunate affair, his wife running off with another man.  The Dilley 
home at that time was on south Main.  His second marriage was some time 
later.  He married Cora Harvey, daughter of the merchant Harvey who kept a dry 
goods store here in the late 70s and early 80s.  The Dr. Dilley home was now 
in a cottage the present home of Harley Shively.  He lived there till they 
moved to Okla.
     In politics, he was a strong democrat, although both his law partners (at 
different times), M.A. Low and Seth M. Young were strong republicans.  The 
fact that he was personally very popular accounts for his election to the Mo. 
state legislature as a democrat from a strong republican county.  He served 
also as city mayor and city attorney.
     In the 70s before his law practice was heavy, he was local editor of the 
old Hamilton News when M.A. Low ran the paper, and after Low went to Trenton 
to live, Mr. Dilley for a while was managing editor of the paper.
     It was in the 80s when his ability became recognized by national 
Democrats, and he was sent to Okla. Ty. in a good federal job.  He moved there 
and died there.
     Interview  1934.


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