Dr. Wilson S. Dingman, a leader of the school of veterinary surgery of Northern Kansas, is a native of Ohio, born near Fort Washington, in Tuscarawas county, October 10, 1838. He is the son of George W. and Sarah (Cleaver) Dingman, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Kentucky, and a descendant of a pioneer Kentucky family. Col. George W. Dingman was born in 1797, and was a merchant tailor, following this occupation until the Civil war broke out, when he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Eightieth Ohio infantry, and soon afterward was promoted to be colonel of his regiment, which he led through many hard-fought battles. To Colonel Dingman and Sarah Cleaver were born three sons, including the subject of this review, all of whom served in the Union army in the Civil war, two of them being commissioned officers.

Dr. Dingman received a good common school education and at the age of nineteen, or in 1857, he started west with a party, intending to go to Iowa, but upon arrival at Wellsville, Ohio, his companions abandoned the idea, and some of them decided to return home, and others to locate in that vicinity. But young Dingman, with characteristic determination, continued the journey alone. He sold some of his surplus clothing and took passage on a river steamer to St. Louis, Mo. Upon arrival there his funds became low, and he secured employment as a roustabout on another river boat, bound for Savannah, Mo., and from there he walked to Iowa, later returning to Missouri and crossing the river at Leavenworth, where he located for the winter. Here he worked at odd jobs until spring. He then worked at various occupations in one place and another, and was in Iowa when the Civil war came on. He enlisted in Company K, Ninth Iowa infantry, for three years, and served in the Army of the Cumberland until the expiration of his time. He then re-enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Ohio infantry, as a private. This regiment served in the Army of the Potomac, and in a short time Dr. Dingman became captain of his company.

He saw much service in the camp, on the march and on the field of battle, but is inclined not to talk to any extent about the stirring events of the '60s. However, his record speaks for him. The soldier who enlisted as a private and in a short time became captain of his company must necessarily have many credit marks upon his record for gallantry on the field of battle and general efficiency as a soldier. At the close of the war he returned to Iowa, and a short time afterward attended the veterinary college of Cincinnati. Returning to Iowa he engaged in farming and merchandising, and was interested in various business enterprises there until 1891, when he returned to Kansas and settled at Frankfort, and engaged in the practice of his profession. He was also interested in farming and stock raising, making a specialty of thoroughbred Short Horn cattle and Poland China hogs. In 1910 he retired from the practice of veterinary surgery, but still has his farming interest, to which he devotes some attention. Dr. Dingman was first married to Mamie Squires, a daughter of Martin and Lucy Ann Squires, of Kentucky. To this union were born five children: Cora, married Joseph Winch, an undertaker of Seattle, Wash.; May, married E. C. Cooper, civil engineer in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company in California; Carrie, married Joseph Krieger, a merchant of Pasadena, Cal.; Nellie, resides in Pasadena, and Colonel, State agent for the Omaha Life Insurance Company for Kansas, is located at Clay Center.

Dr. Dingman's second wife, to whom he was married October 10, 1894, was Mrs. Agnes McCulloch, daughter of John and Margaret (McDowell) McConchie, both natives of Scotland.

Mrs. Dingman was also born in Scotland, and came to Knox county, Illinois, in 1849 with her parents, and in 1878, when the family located in Marshall county, Kansas, she came with them. Her mother died here in 1878, at the age of sixty-nine years, and the father lived to the ripe old age of eighty-eight, and passed away in 1881. Mrs. Dingman is the mother of two sons by her first marriage, James T. McCulloch, live stock auctioneer of Clay Center, and Oscar Clark McCulloch, harness maker of Frankfort, Kan. Dr. Dingman is a member of the Henderson Post, No. 53, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is a past commander, and his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church.