John
Elmer "Jack" Dyer was born on July 12, 1876 in Pierce City, Lawrence
Co., MO. He was the son of Samuel Dyer and Sarah
Jane Mann
Ollie Phillips was born on July 08, 1883 in Forsyth, Taney Co.,
Missouri. She was the daughter of Thomas
W. Phillips and Sarah Jane Moore
Lula LaPlant was born on February 10,
1888 in Salinas, Kansas. She was the daughter of John
LaPlant and Mary Huard
THE FAMILIES OF JOHN ELMER "JACK" DYER
First marriage:
 | Jack Dyer |  | Ollie Phillips | Jack Dyer married Ollie Phillips September
21, 1899 in Phelps, Lawrence Co., MO. They were married at the Thomas W. Phillips'
house. Jack and Ollie Dyer are in the 1902 City Directory for Canon City, CO,
with Jack's occupation listed as Hostler at W.B.Knox, which was a saloon there.
He also worked part-time helping the guards at the Colorado State Penitentiary,
which was less than a block from their house in Canon City. In the 1903 City Directory,
Jack is listed as living alone in the rooms above W.B.Knox - Ollie had taken Bessie
and was living elsewhere. I assume she returned to Missouri, where she got her
evangelist license in July 1907. They were possibly divorced by 1910 - on the
1910 census Jack is living in Florence City, Fremont Co., CO and he is listed
as married, but Ollie is living in Harrison Twp., Boone Co., Arkansas, and she
is listed as divorced. Jack and Ollie were divorced by 1916 - Jack remarried
in 1916 to Lula LaPlant, and Ollie remarried in 1917 to Samuel Franklin Helsel.
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The Children of Jack Dyer and Ollie Phillips:
 | Bessie Belle Dyer | Born March 9, 1901, near Mt. Vernon, Lawrence
Co., MO. She disliked the name Bessie and was known as Betty as an adult,
although her family still often called her Bessie, and she is listed as Bessie
on all census records through 1930. She moved with her parents to Canon City Colorado
by 1902, but her parents separated by 1903 and she had returned with her mother
to Missouri by 1907.Betty spent her childhood in in Missouri and Arkansas, moving
around with her mother Ollie, who was a licensed evangelist in the Free Methodist
church. Ollie & "Bessie B." are listed on the 1910 census of Harrison
Twp, Boone Co., MO, both listed as "companion" in the household of Eliza
Witherspoon. At the time both Eliza Witherspoon & Ollie Dyer's occupations
were listed as Minister. In 1917, when Betty was 16, Ollie remarried Frank Helsel
and the family settled in McPherson, KS where Betty met and married Lester Alvin
Dye on May 14, 1919. Lester & Bessie are listed on the 1920 census of McPherson,
McPherson Co., KS. Lester and Betty had three children, and the family moved often
with Lester's jobs. They lived in Nebraska, North Dakota, California and Colorado.
They are listed on the 1930 census of Superior, Nuckolls Co., NE. They were managers
of the La Casita Apartments in Denver, CO for many years. Known as "Momo"
to her grandchildren, Betty had a sweet and gentle disposition, and a great sense
of humor. Betty Belle Dyer died September 26, 1974 in Omaha, NE, and is
buried with Lester in the Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO. The Family of Lester Alvin Dye & Bessie "Betty" Belle Dyer |
Second marriage:
 | Jack Dyer |  | Lula LaPlant | Jack Dyer married Lula La
Plant June 5, 1916, in Raton, Colfax Co., NM. Jack and Lula met in
Florence, Fremont Co., CO, and they moved to Raton, NM where they married and
lived for a few years. Jack & Lula adopted a 4 year old girl in Raton in 1918,
and they were living in Raton when Jack filled out his WWI Draft card on September
12, 1918. At that time Jack was working as a Bartender. They moved from New Mexico
to Arizona about 1919, joining Lula's brother Edward who was living in Tucson
by 1918. I have not Jack or Edward's famillies in 1920 at this time, but a 1928
Tucson Arizona newspaper article about Jack Dyer states that Jack "was appointed
patrolman by Chief Dallas Ford eight years ago. He received his appointment at
10 o'clock at night, and ten minutes later was walking his beat." Jack became
Chief of Police in Tucson, and held the position for 8 years. He and Lula are
listed with their family on the 1930 census of Tucson, Pima Co., AZ, with Jack's
occupation listed as Chief of Police, City. Jack later worked in Tucson as a Sheriff's
deputy. He was well liked and respected, and known as a kind, honest and generous
man. |
Children of Jack Dyer and Lula LaPlant:
 | Mary Jane Dyer | Born about 1914 in Colorado or New Mexico.
Mary Jane was adopted by Jack and Lula in Raton, NM on August 27, 1918 when
she was 4 years old. Her name had been Minnie Ireland and she was the daughter
of Richard & Pearl Ireland - her father Richard Ireland gave his consent and
testified for the adoption. Guessing in this photo she is about age 6(?) which
would be about 1920. Mary Jane Dyer died about 1926 (at about age 12) in Tucson,
Pima Co., AZ. Photos of Mary Jane Dyer Death Certificate Mary Jane Dyer |
 | John Edwin Dyer | Born December 4, 1919 in
Tucson, Pima Co., AZ. Photo was taken at age 5 or 6, which would be about
1925. John Edwin Dyer died at age 7 of meningitis on Sept. 6, 1927 in Tucson,
Pima Co., AZ. The loss of two of their children in less than a year was extremely
hard on Jack and Lula. |
 | Robert Dyer | Born 1925. He is listed with his parents at age 4 on the 1930 census of Tucson, Pima Co., AZ. Photo was taken at age 6 or 7, so about 1932. |
