Dingman Family
To trace back this family to the first of whom we can get any knowledge, we only can go back three generations from the present to that of James Dingman, the grandfather of the subject of our sketch. He was born in Canada in 1754, but came to the colony of New Jersey prior to the Revolutionary war, for we find that he engaged in that struggle for independence, and was wounded in battle. After the close, or during the war, he married Anna Vankamp. By this union there were thirteen children. Just how long he remained in New Jersey we cannot learn; but we find that he had removed to Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1803, when learning that the Territory of Ohio had been admitted into the sisterhood of States, he brought his wife and eight children to try their fortunes in this new and fertile State.
He made his first purchase of land within the present limits of the city of Columbus. This land he sold again in 1805 and came to the present limits of Shelby County and made an entry of 2000 acres on the banks of the Great Miami River. This embraced lands in fractional section 20 in Salem Township, thence down the river, including sections 5, 4, and 3 in Clinton Township. Mr. Dingman settled on this land in 1807, and built his cabin on what is now known as the Fulton Farm just below Dingmansburg, he being the first settler in this part of the county.
The names of these children were as follows: Sally, Betsy, Catharine, Rachel, Daniel V., James, Adam, and Abram.
In 1812 the four sons entered the army and served throughout the war. Adam was killed at Fort Defiance in 1813. Mr. Dingman remained here until 1834, when he went to the State of Illinois, where he entered a large tract of land, remained there about four years, then returned to Sidney and remained here until 1844, when he again returned to Illinois, where he died in Springfield in 1850, aged ninety-three years. His wife had died in Shelby County in 1832. Of the three sons who survived the war of 1812, Daniel V. located where his son Daniel V., Jr., now lives. James located on what is known as the Staley Farm in Salem Township. He married Sally Weeks in 1814 and settled on his farm soon afterward. Adam, the youngest son, remained with his father through life, and died in Illinois in 1848. James died near Fort Wayne about 1848.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883