Gen. Elisha Dyer, Jr. (1839-1906)
45th Governor & Adjutant-General of Rhode Island, etc.
He was born in Providence, son of Elisha Dyer, 25th Governor of Rhode Island. He graduated in chemistry from Brown University before taking a Ph.D. from the University of Giessen in Hesse, Germany. Returning to Providence, he went into business for himself as a manufacturing and and pharmaceutical chemist. He joined the State militia in 1856 and enlisted with the Rhode Island 1st Light Artillery Battery on the outbreak of the Civil War. He was promoted to Captain in April 1862 and Major in June before serving as aide-de-camp to Governor Smith (1863-66) with the rank of Colonel.
After the war, in 1869, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Providence Marine Corps and he was given the rank of Brigadier-General following his appointment to Adjutant-General of Rhode Island (1882-95). In the meantime, he had been elected to the Rhode Island State Senate in (1877-78) and was re-elected in 1904-05. Following in his father's footsteps, he served two consecutive terms as the 45th Governor of Rhode Island (1897-1900) before his last appointment as Mayor of Providence (1905-06). In 1861, he married Nancy, daughter of Col. William Viall, of Providence. They lived in what had also been Dyer's childhood home (see images) on Power Street, Providence, had four children.
He succeeded (1890) to First Class Membership in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and in 1898 was admitted as an hereditary Member of the Rhode Island Society of the Cincinnati by right of his descent from Governor William Jones. He was a Charter Member of the Rhode Island Society of Colonial Wars (1897) and served as President (1903-04) of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
After the war, in 1869, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Providence Marine Corps and he was given the rank of Brigadier-General following his appointment to Adjutant-General of Rhode Island (1882-95). In the meantime, he had been elected to the Rhode Island State Senate in (1877-78) and was re-elected in 1904-05. Following in his father's footsteps, he served two consecutive terms as the 45th Governor of Rhode Island (1897-1900) before his last appointment as Mayor of Providence (1905-06). In 1861, he married Nancy, daughter of Col. William Viall, of Providence. They lived in what had also been Dyer's childhood home (see images) on Power Street, Providence, had four children.
He succeeded (1890) to First Class Membership in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and in 1898 was admitted as an hereditary Member of the Rhode Island Society of the Cincinnati by right of his descent from Governor William Jones. He was a Charter Member of the Rhode Island Society of Colonial Wars (1897) and served as President (1903-04) of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
