Burl Dyer

Burl Dyer (Nov. 7, 1891 – Feb. 16, 1918) was a Brimstone man who died of illness during World War I.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born Nov. 7, 1891, Burl Dyer was the son of Alexander Dyer (1859-1920) and Minerva Jane Shannon (1863-1912). He had five siblings: Charles Dyer (1889-1920), Earl Dyer, Albert Dyer (1893-1944), Erie Robbins (1898-1916) and Leamon Dyer (1899-1955).

The Dyer family lived at Cortland, which was the name of the community around Lone Mountain, near the head of Brimstone, given by the post office there.

Burl was employed as a laborer at the New River Lumber Co. in Norcross (Norma). His brother, Earl, was also employed by the lumber company and later served as postmaster at Turley (Elk Valley) in Campbell County. Albert later moved to Oneida and worked as a taxi driver. Erie married Jerome Robbins in 1914, but died in 1916 and was buried at Lone Mountain Cemetery, where their mother had also been buried in 1912, and where their father would be buried in 1920.

World War I

PFC Dyer enlisted in the U.S. Army on July 25, 1917 at Harriman, Tenn. He was assigned to Headquarters Company, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. He never made it overseas; he was training at Camp Sevier, S.C. when he fell ill with influenza in February 1918. He died of pneumonia on Feb. 16, 1918, at age 25.

Aftermath

PFC Dyer’s body was returned home for burial at Lone Mountain Cemetery. His father was informed of his death by the U.S. Army.

His name does not appear on either the VFW Post 5669 Memorial Wall in Oneida or the Veterans Memorial Wall in Huntsville.