My Family Tree

Henry Dyer was born at home in Kidare on the O'Leary Road in 1863, the son of Henry Scott Dyment and Matilda S. Hardy.

He gave his year of emigration as 1886 on the 1910 US census form, and was listed in a Malden, Massachusetts directory in 1887 as a woodworker.

In 1889, he married Emma Ellis from PEI, who had also emigrated in 1886. The marriage of Dyer Diamond and Emma J Ellis, both of Cambridge, was noted in the Cambridge Chronicle, Volume 44, Number 2278, 26 October 1889.

Their eldest daughter, Stella, was born in Massachusetts. In 1893 they started moving west, with son Harry Dyer born in Montana in January 1894. Settling in Tacoma, Washington they had four more children: Ray Ellis, Thaddeus William, Lloyd, and Lois.

In the 1900 census, Henry was working as a carpenter. Henry and Emma had been married for 11 years, and at that time had had 4 children, 3 living. One son, Harry Roy, had died young. In the 1910 census, Emma reported that she had had 8 children, 6 of whom were living. The children listed were Stella (19), Harry (16), Ray (10), Thad (5), Lloyd (3) and Lois (11 months).

At this time, Dyer was a patrolman for the City. During prohibition, Dyer was noted as one of the top members of the "dry squad" in Tacoma. Dyer worked his way up, becoming Chief of Police by 1921. In 1926, he was elected as part of a new slate of city councilmen, responsible for Public Safety. He served two terms as Commissioner of Public Safety. In 1932, he celebrated 25 years on the Police Force.

In 1930, Dyer and Emma were living with Thaddeus and his wife Gertrude, Lloyd, and Lois and her husband Thomas. In 1940, Lloyd, and Lois with her second husband Virgil Thompson, were living with their parents.

Dyer died in 1943 at the age of 79.

HENRY DYER DYMENT IN WHO'S WHO IN WASHINGTON

"DYMENT, Henry Dyer, City Councilman, Commr. Public Safety, City Hall, Tacoma; b. Prince Edward Island, Can., Oct. 3, 1965; s. Henry and Matilda (Hardy) Dyment; m. Emma Jane Ellis, of Prince Edward Island, Sept 23, 1890; six children, Stella M. (Whitney), Harry D., Ray E., Thad W., Lloyd W. and Lois E. (Cummings); came to Wash. 1898 and entered police dept. of Tacoma in 1907, passing through all grades to chief; chief of police 1921-1925; Commr. of Public Safety (elected) 1925-1927. Lodges: Masonic Shrine, Moose, Elks, Eagles, W.O.W. Clubs: Kiwanis, Young Men's Republican, Chamber of Commerce; Republican; Protestant; rec., hunting and fishing; res. 5601 S. Sheridan Ave. "(As quoted in "Who's Who in Washington State," Vol. 1, 1927)