Biographies:  Dighton S. GRILLEY, Rice Lake, Barron Co., WI 

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Dighton S. Grilley, veteran of the Civil War, pioneer farmer, and former
clerk of court for Barron County, was born in Palatine, Cook County, Ill.,
Nov. 28, 1848, son of Leander F. and Sarah (Briggs) Grilley, natives of New 
York State, who came to Illinois in 1845, and there farmed until 1863. They 
then located in Houston County, Minnesota, in 1873 coming to Barron County 
and taking a homestead in Section 28, Sumner Township, where they improved 
the land, erected buildings, and lived until their deaths, the father dying 
in July, 1900, and the mother in April, 1876.  Dighton S. attended school in 
Illinois until he was fifteen years of age, and after coming to Minnesota in 
1863, attended here still another term.  Then he went to Chicago, near his 
former home, and enlisted in Company E, 113th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
and was later transferred to the 120th Illinois Infantry, serving until 
mustered out Sept. 10, 1865.  Then he returned to Houston County, Minnesota, 
and remained with his parents on the farm. In 1871 he rented a farm in Alden, 
Minn., but the next year engaged in the meat business at Houston Village, 
Minn. When his parents came to Barron County, Wisconsin, in 1873 he came with 
them and took a homestead in Section 27, Sumner Township. The next few years 
were devoted to improving and developing this farm. He sold out in 1881, and 
in 1883 moved to Cameron, in this county, where he took up railroad work. He 
served as town clerk and justice of the peace, and in 1887 became assistant 
postmaster. In 1893 he went to Sumner Township, in this county, to look after 
his father. There he engaged in small farming, making a specialty of the bee 
business.  For thirteen years of this stay he served the town as assessor. 
In 1908 he sold the farm and moved to Barron, to take up his duties as clerk 
of the Circuit Court. Eight years later on account of ill health he refrained 
from again offering himself as a candidate. In 1919 he came to Rice Lake, 
where he has since resided. He belongs to the G. A. R. and worships at the
Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Grilley was married at La Crosse Wis., Oct. 3,
1870, to Mrs. Emma (Freeman) Parkes, daughter of Daniel and Mary Freeman.
This union has resulted in seven children: Lillian M., Howard, Archer C.,
George, William D., Irene and Myrtle. Lillian M. was born Jan. 23, 1872, at
Alden, Freeborn County, Minnesota. She married Marlin Mettel in August, 1892, 
and died April 8, 1899. Her son, William J., now lives with Mr. and Mrs. 
Grilley, at Rice Lake.  He served in the World War twenty-two months in the 
14th Field Artillery, and after his discharge re-enlisted for aviation duty. 
Howard was born Sept. 8, 1873, in Houston, Minn., was married Oct. 15, 1902, 
and lives at Rice Lake. The rest of the children were born in Barron County. 
Archer C. was born March 23, 1876, was married in April, 1901, to Leanna 
Blood and lives at Rice Lake, Wis. George was born March 5, 1878, was married 
in 1901 to Tena Hanson and lives in Minneapolis.  William D. was born April 
10, 1880, was married in 1900 to Mildred Leonard and farms at Drummond, Wis. 
Irene was born April 9, 1886, was married in 1906 to Harry Colbert and lives 
in Chetek, where her husband is a farmer. Myrtle I. was born Jan. 3, 1889, 
and died in April, 1892.

--Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.,
1922, pg. 203