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Note: BRIEF SUMMARY OF "ED's LIFE W. E. (Ed) Dillon, born October 8, 1913 to Evan E. and Levena (DeWitt) Dillon, in Beardwell, Nebraska, moved by train to Vale, Oregon in 1918 at the age of Five. He related a story that at the age of five the winter was cold with a lot of snow. He walked the streets without shoes, as the family did not have money to purchase them. On day a Salvation Army Officer saw him without shoes and ask if he had shoes. Ed said no. The Officer took him and to a building and gave him a pair. Ed had a very soft heart of the Salvation Army because of that incident. The Dillon family moved to Skull Springs, west northwest of Vale, where cattlemen held their round ups to dehorn, brand and "dock" the bull calves. There, at Skull Springs a boarding house and school was the home of the Dillon's. It was at Skull Springs that Ed remembered first and only seeing his Grandfather Dillon, E. E. Dillon. The Dillon's moved to the Homedale, Idaho area, where Ed, as a teenager assisted his father and neighbors in farming. He often was given the task of working wild mustangs, particularly to mow alfalfa hay. Ed went to the Homedale School system. Played football and baseball in high school. He related that on one occasion he really hurt with "bloat" after eating too many peanuts before a football game. During the game he made more tackles than he had during any game. He stated that as a result he was just slow enough to be at the right place at the right time to make those tackles. Yet, even though he made more tackles that ever before, the coach still chewed him for "being so slow." Ed pitched for the high school baseball team. He never talked about his honors in baseball, other than he could throw hard, had a good curve ball and had many strike-outs. Ed related that he once told his coach that he could not do something because "his old man" would not let him. The coach said, "he is not your old man, he is your father, and don't you ever forget that and I don't ever want to hear you call your father the old man again." This stern statement reached into the inner core of Ed and he felt bad that he had disrespected his father. Ed and a high school friend went to a community dance. Sometime during the dance a young lady with a very tight dress on came by them, when his friend stretching a rubber band to snapped her when she reached back and grabbed and broke the rubber band. The end of the rubber band hit Ed's friend in the eye putting it our. Ed never allowed anyone to use rubber band to tease and pester anyone. Ed liked to put on the gloves and box, but was always afraid that he would hurt some. He had very fast hands nearly always beating his opponent to the punch. His friend, Raymond Reed, stated that Ed was always afraid he would hurt someone, because of his strength. He had fast hands and strong. Raymond stated that he put the gloves on with Ed, but Ed would seldom ever throw a punch, but only "knock" his opponents punches away. Ed did hit Raymond once knocking him to the ground. Raymond said, "he hit me real good, like I had never been hit. I did not want to be hit like that again. Ed removed his gloves and said, "that is enough, I don't want to hurt you." Ed met an 18 year old lady, Esther Lucille Hawley, who lived with her parents in the Wilder, Idaho rural community of Fargo. The Hawley's lived one mile south, two miles west, one mile south and about 1/16th mile west of Wilder. Ed related that Esther could run like a rabbit, jump fences like a deer. They were married at the Hawley's home on October 21, 1933. Their first home was a farm known as the "Barns Place," in the Big Bend Community, South of Adrian, Oregon and on the Idaho side of the Snake River. The place was bounded by a county road on the North, private properties on the East and West and the Snake River on the South. Ed built and maintained the irrigation canal that supplied water to these small farms. His pay was, $1.00 per 10 hour day, using his horses. It was during this time that he began his occupation as a Dairyman. During the winter months he milked cows by hand, in the morning, harnessed the horses, drove a minimum of one mile, worked 10 hours, return home, put the horses away, milked cows, and feed animals. During the summer months he farmed 40 acres at Big Bend. He also grew potatoes and stored them in a straw lined pit in the ground for the winter months. This farm did not have electricity. In about 1938 or 39, Ed dug for the holes for the power poles so the electric company (Idaho Power Company) could install the electrical power lines. Oh, the day electricity was turned on in the house. Ed, in his way, wanted to be friendly, but never new how. He would rather sit back and enjoy watching people "have fun," than to enter in. He had a feeling that people did not like him, and yet he knew he could do things just as good or better than others. He loved and was proud of his family, but did not know how to show that love. Tears had been seen as he related his love and pride for his daughter and sons. When Ed retired he sold hid dairy cows, saved the Holstein-Angus cross heifers. He missed the milk cows very much, so he bought a milking goat to have something to milk. He continually talked about wanting to mile the Angus cows and forget the beef cattle business. His retirement gave him a lot to do. He rode his horse a lot with his friend Raymond Reed, fished some and raised alfalfa hay. Ed passed away doing for others. He was out cutting wood for a grandson when he passed away.
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