Traer Star Clipper, Friday, September 28th, 1945 – Page 1
Thomas Bicket, founder of the village of Dinsdale, a resident there 55 years and of Traer during the last year and a half, died at his home here at 10 o'clock Monday morning. He would have been 90 years old had he lived until the 17th of next month. Although he had been gradually failing in recent years, Mr. Bicket's general health improved considerably during the time he and his wife have lived in Traer under the tender care of Mr. and Mrs. J W. Dodd. He was bedfast only during the last week. Greatly weakened condition from an abdominal trouble caused his death. Funeral services were held in the Congregational church in Traer at 2:30 yesterday afternoon, following a brief prayer service at the Dodd home at 2 o'clock. The Rev. B. T. Schwab, pastor, was in charge of the services, assisted by Rev. A. H. Boettcher, Reinbeck. Rev. S. E. W right, of Exira, Iowa pastor of the Dinsdale Congregational church from 1924-26. And an old friend of the Bickets, preached the funeral sermon.
A mixed quartet—R. G. Stoakes, Mrs. Evelyn Wilson, Mrs. Irene Calderwood and H. J. Whannell—sang Mrs. W. J. Breakenridge, Mrs. John Townsend and Mrs. Albert McMillan were in charge of flowers W. M. Henderson, Leonard Philp, W. J. Breakenridge, John Brown, George Dinsdale and Dalton Wilson were casket bearers. Burial was in Amity cemetery in Grant township.
Thomas Bicket, a son of Hugh and Janet Fife Bicket, fourth child in their family of 13, was born in Peterborough county, Ontario, Canada on October 17, 1855, and was 11 years old when the family came from Canada to north Tam a county, settling on a farm six miles south of Traer. The Bicket homestead has been owned and operated many years by Charles Podhajsky. Mr. Bicket attended Baker's 'Grove school, southwest of Traer, and also a college in Keokuk, Iowa as a young man. On October 17, 1882, he was united in marriage with Jean Lusk Dodd, at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Dodd. Their marriage date was Mr. Bicket's twenty-seventh birthday, and the nineteenth birthday of his bride. The couple began farming west of Traer on a farm of 360 acres which Mr. Bicket had purchased. After a year or two on the farm, Mr. Bicket engaged in the lumber business for a year at Lake View, Iowa. Returning to north Tama county, he operated a store in Lincoln more than four years and was also postmaster there. Then for a year he operated a store in Grundy Center.
In 1889, Mr. Bicket decided that the passing track on the Rock Island between. Traer and Reinbeck offered a good location for a country store. He bought half an acre of land from L. P. Dinsdale a few rods from the railroad, erected a store building and dwelling, and opened for business in December of that year. A few weeks later he made application for a postoffice and received the appointment as postmaster. That was the beginning of the village of Dinsdale, in which the founder and his wife were beloved residents and the leading citizens for more than half a century. Mr. Bicket was postmaster until 1920, except during the administration of President Grover Cleveland. He was succeeded in that office and also in the store by his son, Will, who was Mrs. J. W. Dodd's first husband, and who died in December 1932. Several years ago, the Bickets sold the Dinsdale store to Fallgatter Bros. but continued to live in the apartment at the rear of the store. On account of impaired health, they moved to Traer in April. 1944. His death this week ends a happy marriage relationship of nearly 63 years. Mr. Bicket early in life became a member of Amity United Presbyterian church. The Dinsdale Congregational church was organized in his home on July 31, 1891 and services were held there until a church was erected in 1892. The structure burned in 1921, and was never rebuilt, although the society functioned and church services continued in Dinsdale for many, years in the auditorium of the consolidated school. Mr. Bicket was a deacon of the church many years.