Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JOHN T. DIRSTINE, who is engaged
in the drug business in Lind, is a native of Lapeer, Michigan, born on
May 30, 1875. The parents of Mr. Dirstine were Elias T. and Isabel
(Sutton) Dirstine, also natives of Michigan. The family lived in
Michigan until 1902, when they came to Lind, where the mother died, survived
by the father and three children, Isaac, of Connell, Washington; Pearl,
and the subject of this sketch. The father makes his present home
in Lind.
After passing through the grammar school of
Thornville, Michigan, John T. Dirstine took a course in Valparaiso college.
At the age of fourteen he came to Hatton, Washington, where he taught school
for four years, when he returned to Valparaiso and was later graduated
from a course in pharmacy. He then came to Millbank, South Dakota,
where he was employed in a drug store for one year, then returned to Lind
and engaged in his present business in 1898. He has a handsome home
in Lind, also a drug store in Connell.
In 1903 Mr. Dirstine was married to Johanna
B. Hitchcock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Hitchcock, natives of Muscatine,
Iowa, where Mrs. Dirstine was reared.
John T. Dirstine is a member of the Odd Fellows
and a prominent and active worker in the ranks of Democracy. He was
elected mayor of his city in 1902, which office he still holds.
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