MRS. HARRIETT A. TRUMAN

MRS. HARRIETT A. TRUMAN was born in Dover, England, and is the daughter of William and Susan (Laws) Ashman. Until she was thirteen years of age she resided in her native country, receiving excellent instruction and training. She then became companion to Lady Pemberton Knight who had been a schoolmate and intimate friend of Mrs. Truman's mother, and who also proved a most loyal friend to her young companion. In the society of this gifted person Mrs. Truman visited all important points of Europe and the West Indias, obtaining in this way an education superior to that of most people of her day. Mrs. Truman was married in 1865, in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to N. M. Dickinson, a man of unusual intelligence and education, and a very successful business man; he was a native of Vermont, and during the late civil war he served his country in the Sixtieth New York Regular Infantry, for three and a half years; he held the office of Lieutenant and Adjutant, and was a faithful and efficient officer. After the close of the war he entered the United States postal service at Omaha, Nebraska. >From Omaha he came to Harlan, in which place his death occurred March 4, 1875. Mr. Dickinson and wife were the parents of three children-Elena, died at the age of eleven and a half years; George W., died at the age of six and a half years, and Norris M. still survives. Mrs. Dickinson was married in November, 1877, to P. C. Truman, an attorney of Harlan. Mrs. Truman owns 240 acres of well-improved land and good residence property in Harlan. She is a woman of intelligence, culture and education, and is a worthy member of the Baptist church.

Source: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby County, Iowa, pp. 374-375. Transcribed by Marthann Kohl-Fuhs.