Allen Dale Hileman. Belonging to that class of business men whose practical education, quick perceptions and great capacity for painstaking industry have advanced them to positions of business prominence formerly occupied only by men many years their seniors, Allen Dale Hileman, while representing the vigorous and resourceful present of Kansas, gives promise of participating in its more enlightened future, more especially at Cherryvale and in Montgomery County, where he is engaged in a well-established real estate, loan and insurance business and also connected with the Montgomery County National Bank.
Allen Dale Hileman, or Dale Hileman, as he is universally known, was born in Andrew County, Missouri, June 3, 1875, a son of John S. and Mary J. (Briggs) (Shelby) Hileman. The Hilemans came originally from Germany and settled in the colony of Pennsylvania prior to the Revolutionary war. In that struggle fought the great-great-grandfather of Dale Hileman, while his great-grandfather was a soldier in the Mexican war. Daniel Hileman, the grandfather of Dale Hileman, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1808, and was there educated, reared and married. He was a man of diversified talents and at different times during his life followed the vocations of farming and carpentering and the profession of medicine. Mr. Hileman was a pioneer into Ohio as a young man and subsequently moved on westward to the State of Missouri and took up his residence in Andrew County on a farm, which he cultivated while also following the vocation of physician. He became widely known throughout the countryside, and no weather was too inclement for him to fare forth on horseback to ride perhaps miles across the prairies to minister to some sick person. During the Civil war he became a member of the Home Guards in Missouri, and in his later years drew a pension from the Government for the services thus rendered. In 1881 he left Missouri and came to Kansas, settling in Labette County, on a farm of 320 acres, which is now occupied by his son, D. O. Hileman, and on which the grandfather died in 1899. He became a man of substance and importance in his community and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. In politics a stanch republican, he always warmly supported the candidates and principles of his party, and prior to the Civil war on one occasion served as presidential elector. He was a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Hileman were the parents of the following children: Erskine, who enlisted in the Union service during the Civil war and died while in a Confederate prison; John S., the father of Dale Hileman; Dallas, who is a veteran of the Civil war and a retired farmer and now lives near Baxter Springs, Kansas; D. O., who is engaged in agricultural pursuits on the old homestead of his father near Oswego, Kansas; Anna, deceased, who married Wallace Crockett, also deceased, a veteran of the Civil war and a farmer of Labette County; and one daughter who died in infancy.
John S. Hileman was born in Ohio, in 1845, and received his education in the public schools of his day. He was a young man when he accompanied the family to Andrew County, Missouri, and was little more than a lad when, in 1861, he enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil war, as a member of the Thirty-fifth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, an organization with which he remained for over three years. He saw some hard fighting, including the engagement at Helena, Arkansas, and established an excellent record for courage, fidelity and the display of soldierly qualities. When he received his honorable discharge he returned to Andrew County, Missouri, and there continued to be engaged in farming until 1882, when he removed to Labette County, Kansas. There he was a successful farmer and stockraiser until 1896, at that time leaving the farm and going to Edna, where he has since been engaged in the real estate and insurance business. He has been successful in his business enterprises, being possessed of acumen and foresight and his name is an honored one in business circles. He has also been prominent in republican politics, and for one term represented Labette County in the Kansas Legislature. His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is serving as a deacon. Mr. Hileman is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He married Mrs. Mary J. (Briggs) Shelby, who was born in Ohio, in 1841, daughter of Hanover Briggs, of Northwest Missouri. To this union there have been born three children, as follows: Gertrude, who is the wife of Rev. H. W. Todd, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, stationed at Altamont, Kansas; Lora H., who is the wife of J. H. Lower, president of Montgomery County National Bank, of Cherryvale, Kansas; and Allen Dale, of this review.
Dale Hileman attended the public schools of Labette County, Kansas, the State Normal School at Emporia for one year and the Southwestern College of Winfield, Kansas, for two years, then entering, in 1897, the Gem City Business College, at Quincy, Illinois. While he was attending this latter institution, the Spanish-American war came on, and Mr. Hileman joined the First North Carolina Regimental Band, with which he served six months in Georgia and Florida. On his return he again located in Labette County, but in 1900 went to Columbus, Kansas, where he received an introduction to abstract and insurance work and remained in an office of that nature for four years. He had a natural liking for this business, assimilated its principles readily, and soon perfected himself in his chosen vocation. In 1904 he came to Cherryvale and established his present business, in real estate and insurance, which has since grown to large proportions and is justly accounted one of the leading enterprises of its kind in the county, the business being mostly confined to Cherryvale and the vicinity. Mr. Hileman maintains well-appointed offices in the Ringle Building, while his home is situated at No. 624 East Main Street. Mr. Hileman has engineered some of the most important real estate transactions in this section. He is shrewd and far-sighted, has a thorough knowledge of city and town land values and is well posted as to the resources and advantages at the disposal of people contemplating settlement or change of location at Cherryvale.
Mr. Hileman has always been a republican and at various times has been honored by his fellow-citizens who have sent him to serve in positions of public trust. He has for nine years been a member of the school board, for the past five years has been a justice of the peace, was city clerk of Cherryvale for one year, and in 1914 was strongly urged to run for the mayoralty, but declined because of pressure of business. In the discharge of his official duties he has displayed excellent executive capacity and a conscientious endeavor to serve his community to the best of his powers. He is an active member of the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally, Mr. Hileman belongs to Cherryvale Camp No. 142, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past grand; Verdigris Encampment, Independence, Kansas; and Edna Camp, Modern Woodmen of America; and also belongs to the Commercial Club. He is the leader of the Cherryvale Band, an organization of twenty-four pieces, and known as one of the best musical associations in this part of Kansas. Mr. Hileman is also local agent for the Astna Building & Loan Association of Topeka.
On December 31, 1901, Mr. Hileman was married at Cherryvale to Miss Eve Fair, daughter of E. W. and Rachel (Shunk) Fair. Mr. Fair, who died November 19, 1914, was a Union veteran of the Civil war, and Mrs. Fair still survives him and resides at Cherryvale. Mr. and Mrs. Hileman are the parents of two children: H. Dwayne, born August 8, 1903, who is in high school; and Keil E., born March 10, 1906, who also attends the public schools and is in the sixth grade.