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(*Including other known variations of Dillmann, Stillman, Tillmann,

Dielman,Dhyllmann, Dihlmann, Dillaman, Tighlman, Dieleman, etc.)

The Official Publication of the Dillman Family Association – Published Quarterly

www.dillmanfamilyassociation.org

“Cousins by Choice” We are a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies.

Dillman* Descendants and Ancestors

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming Reunions

2. Dillman Family Association News Items

3. American Cancer Society Relay For Life

4. Part of the DFA Trip to France and Germany

5. Dihlmann and Dillman found on the Internet

6. Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society 7. Family Tree Magazine’s Online Research Categories

8. Dillman Name Variations to Consider for the DNA Project

Volume 8, No. 1

September 2015

Phil Dillman – Editor

pd62pepsi@sbcglobal.net

Don Dillman – Co-Editor

Andrew Stillman – Co-Editor

DFA Genealogical Conference

AUGUST 11-13, 2016 Ft. Wayne, IN

Open to ALL Dillman (and variations) family researchers! Time will be available to visit the Allen County Genealogy Library

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DILLMAN DESCENDANTS & ANCESTORS

1. “DILLMAN REUNIONS” Several groups of Dillmans hold reunions in different locations each year. In this part of the newsletter,

those reunions will be posted with times and locations updated as they become available to us. All dates,

locations and times are subject to change. Please send photos and info that you would like to share from any past gatherings or to announce an

upcoming Dillman reunions to Phil Dillman at pd62pepsi@sbcglobal.net. Thanks!

2016 Sunday, June 26, 2016

Near Bloomington, Indiana

Conrad/Hans Georg Dillmann Group through Andrew Dillman & Elizabeth Bruner.

Potluck Lunch served around noon Eastern Daylight Time

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Near Bloomington, Illinois

Conrad/Hans Georg Dillmann Group through John Wesley Dillman Sr’s son, Samuel.

Potluck Lunch served around noon Central Daylight Time

AUGUST 11-13, 2016

DFA Genealogical Conference

Ft. Wayne, IN

Open to ALL Dillman family researchers

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Tamms, Illinois

Conrad/Hans Georg Dillmann Group through John Wesley Dillman Sr’s son, John Jr then through Frank.

Potluck Lunch served around noon Central Daylight Time

This is some type of opener that was given to Marsha Dillman Slack, current DFA Secretary. It says

Dillman’s and 60,000 items. Anyone know what it opens or where it’s from? Please, let us know!

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2. Dillman Family Association News Items

Treasurer’s report as of October 25, 2015 From Treasurer Louise McKinney

Total 15,764.16

Reimbursement to Andrew via Paypal 12,200.00

Balance 3,564.16

Current DFA President Rod Dillman will be traveling to Ft. Wayne, Indiana to look into what

hotels are available to meet the needs of the DFA within the budget we desire for the 2016

Dillman Genealogical Conference. Aside from the need for a meeting room that is large

enough to accommodate the attendees as well as the DFA Library and artifacts display, we

hope to find a hotel that serves breakfast and has an onsite restaurant.

The schedule for the Conference in Ft. Wayne will be such that there will be time for re-

search at the Allen County Genealogy Library.

Based on what Chris Dillman shared with the group during the September DFA Board Meet-

ing via Skype, the trip to Germany went well and many wonderful memories were made. Some

of her photos are featured in this issue.

If it’s possible, I’d like us to create a brochure that we can either hand out to specific people

and/or text or e-mail it with a request for them to please participate in the Dillman DNA Pro-

ject, especially if we believe that they may or may not connect to any of the current groups.

Perhaps an incentive to draw them in. Thoughts?

Remember, the DFA is always interested in submitted materials like Dillman-related stories,

photos, memorabilia, etc, for the newsletter and for the archives. Thanks!

If you have any NEWS items that pertain to any Dillman family, please let us know!

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Every year, my cousin, Pam Montgomery invited me to join her in the American Cancer Society Relay for

Life. I was always too busy – working, summer, working, family, working. I admired that she was active, but

really didn’t understand what a Relay for Life was! I was always active in school, and always loved relays -

but this sounded depressing! It was connected to cancer! Yuk!!!

Then, on Super Bowl Sunday, 2014, my brother, Rex Dillman, fell backward down 14 stairs, suffering a

traumatic brain injury (TBI). While unconscious in urgent care, a large mass was discovered in his chest that

no one even knew about – Stage 3 lung cancer! Yikes! By that 2014 holiday season, he had been through six

punishing rounds of chemo, lost his hair, nearly his mind, and was scheduled straight into yet another month-

long series of radiation treatments – daily – 5 days a week – solid. Winter was coming. He was exhausted,

physically & mentally.

In stepped the American Cancer Society. Housing was arranged so he would not need to undergo the hour-

plus round-trip car ride every single day. American Cancer Society volunteers provided professional, reliable

transportation daily from the hotel to the treatment facility. He was empowered to face this portion of his

treatment with peace, comfort, and rest. Following chemo & radiation, Rex rested, healed, and fought. He

was determined to win! We were also determined to thank the American Cancer Society! Not just with

money! We’d already done that! How else can we help?? How can we share this most personal message &

convey how important these services & volunteers are?? Answer: “You can participate in the Relay for

Life!!”

Oh! I know about that! My cousin does that! Now, what exactly is the Relay for Life again..??..

The Relay for Life is an organized, overnight community fundraising walk. Teams of people camp out

around a track, and members of each team take turns walking around the track. Food, games, and activities

provide entertainment in this family-friendly environment - all the while, spotlighting and focusing on cancer

patients, caregivers, and survivors. During the evening hours, a beautiful luminary program honors those who

have lost.

So, we joined up with Pam’s team, Circle of Friends, and shared Rex’s story at the local Relay kickoff

program in February 2015.

3. American Cancer Society Relay For Life - by Valerie Wurn

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On July 18. 2015, Rex and our mother, Eldie Dillman walked in the opening & closing survivor laps at the

Niles-Buchanan Relay for Life at Niles High School (Niles, MI). Eldie is a 15-year plus breast cancer

survivor.

Somehow, they both ended up getting “a lift” around the back side of the track (hey!) (we had to walk!)

Pam was not able to honor her dad, Cliff, in the luminary program due to inclement weather. However, she

was there, walking & working hard, as always!

While we are all busy – working, families, etc. – the American Cancer Society is still working for us. They

are all “real” people, just like us! who have had cancer, or family members who have suffered from cancer.

We were all very proud & honored to be part of this great event. People helping others!

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4. Part of the DFA trip to France and Germany

These are just a fraction of photos that

were taken during the DFA trip recently.

The above photo featuring some wonderful

desserts and champagne, Perrier water, and

coffee was at Barbara Dillman’s cousin’s

home in France. The top left photo is of

Barbara (center) and two of her French

cousins, Michelle (Dillmann) Werling and

Celia Dillmann. Left center is a photo of

the tour group in Wetzlar where the Dill

River flows into the Lahn River. The

bottom left photo is of the group visiting

with Bernhard Dillmann and his wife,

Bridgitta, in Barbelroth, Germany at their

bed and breakfast.

Photos supplied by Chris Dillman

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Here are a couple of images that were

found on the Internet. Emil Dihlmann

was the son of Hermann Dihlmann

(Wurtemburg, Germany) and Fannie

Rehorka (Bohemia). Emil was born 6

Sep 1916 in Shutesbury, Massachusetts

and died 27 Jun 2013 in Massachusetts.

The photo below is from a Dillman

reunion in Bangor, Michigan around

1900. I have been to the cemetery near

Bangor where many of the Dillmans

from that group are buried but I haven’t

yet found if they connect to any of our

DDNA participants or if there are any

Dillmans still living in the area.

5. Dihlmann and Dillman found on the Internet - by Phil Dillman

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I personally like the Ancestral Fan Chart offered by this group so I wanted to give them some exposure and

give you the information on where you can order the charts from. They also have past newsletters available

that feature some of the names that figure into our own family trees. The address is on the next page.- Phil D.

6. Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society

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Below are the categories that Family Tree Magazine uses for their annual list

of the 101 best genealogy research websites. The websites are listed

alphabetically within each category. Some are free and some have fees. If you

are serious about your research, they are worth investigating.

Best Virtual Library Websites

Best Big Genealogy Websites

Best Historical Newspaper Websites

Best Large-Database Genealogy Websites

Best State Genealogy Websites

Best Websites for Finding African-American Ancestry

Best Military Genealogy Websites

Best Family Tree Websites

Best Geographical Genealogy Websites

Best Genealogy Tech Tools

Best Websites for Vital Records

Best Immigrant Genealogy Websites

Best Canadian Genealogy Websites

Best Continental European Genealogy Websites

Best Social Media Websites for Genealogy

Best Genealogy Blogs

7. Family Tree Magazine’s Online Research Categories

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8. Dillman Name Variations to Consider for the DNA Project

A thought from Phil

Dillman- Aside from the

surname of Dillmon,

as shown on this page,

it might be worthwhile

to reach out to other

s i m i l a r n a m e

variations for the

Dillman DNA Project

as they might connect

to some of the existing

participants. Other

folks that we could

contact would be those

with the name of

Dillaman and Dilman.

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Phil’s Phamily Tree Phunnies by Phil Dillman

“FUTURE ARTICLES”

We would like to include any Dillman-related stories and/or photos that you might

wish to submit for upcoming newsletters. We will try to include your submitted stories/

photos as quickly as possible.

Phil Dillman, 18351 Cowing Ct., Homewood, IL 60430, pd62pepsi@sbcglobal.net

The DFA newsletter, “Dillman Descendants and Ancestors,” is available by e-mail to all

paid members of the Dillman Family Association. Membership is available to any individual

with interest in the activities of the Dillman Family Association for $25.00, which covers the

two year period between Genealogical Conferences (August 2014-August 2016). Membership

in the DFA entitles individuals to receive an e-mail copy of each newsletter, and information

on other DFA activities. Membership dues should be mailed to Louise McKinney, Treasurer,

at 1510 W. Delmar, Godfrey, IL 62035 (merrielouise@yahoo.com).

You can now join the DFA ONLINE through Paypal! Log into Paypal at

www.paypal.com , set up a personal account and use the Send Money feature to deposit

your payment into the DFA account using this e-mail address: merrielouise@yahoo.com

Members may request receiving copies of the newsletter by postal mail instead of e-mail.

Donations of $10.00 per year to cover the cost of printing and mailing such copies will be

greatly appreciated.

DILLMAN DESCENDANTS & ANCESTORS

A little self-promotion that is still relevant to this

publication. The bottom cartoon is from my first

book “Scripture Scribbles...cartoons from the choir

loft” while the one on the right is from my

upcoming second book of Scripture Scribbles.

Each of these cartoons have something to do with

genealogy and are ‘relatively’ entertaining (I

think). The typical Phamily Tree Phunnies will

resume in the next issue. Thanks!