Person:Charles Dingman (1)

THE TOPEKA STATE REGISTER
May 28, 1932,
CAR CRASH KILLS (Page 1, first column)
Charles W. Dingman Dies in Accident Near Topeka.
Motor Car turns Over in Ditch on Highway No. 40.
RETURNING FROM GOODLAND
Widely Known Insurance Man Was With Kansas Tourists.
Was President of Guaranteed Securities Insurance Co.
Charles W. Dingman, 60, president of the Guaranteed Securities Life Insurance Company, of Topeka, was almost instantly killed about 6 o'clock Friday night when the car he was driving went into a ditch and turned over on U.S. highwas No. 40, about one-half mile west of its intersection of the brick-brickyard bridge road.

Dingman, who was returning from Goodland, Kan., where he had gone Thursday, was alone in his Hudson car and apparently traveling at high speed. Ahead of him were two other cars, the foremost driven by Roy Laframboise, of Silver Lake. Dingman attempted to go around the middle car, driven by a man whose identity was not learned. Just at that moment the unknown driver turned out to the left, preparatory to passing the Laframboise car. In order to avoid hitting him, Dingman apparently swerved sharply to the left: The left wheels of his car along the edge of the ditch for more than 150 feet. Then it suddenly turned end-over-end and crashed into a Kansas Power and Light pole.

Dingman Thrown Out of Auto.
The impact broke the heavy pole off about 10 feet above the ground. The car hurtled over the stump and landed on its wheels faced back in the direction of Silver Lake. Dingman was thrown out of the door and the left side of his chest crushed.

J.W. Cochran, opposite whose farm the accident occurred, heard the crash and turned just in time to see the car turning over. He hurried to the scene, arriving just as Dingman died. The upper part of the electric pole was held up by the tautness of the wires, which prevented the high tension cables from falling upon anyone.

Dr. H. L. Clark, county coronoer, and Tom Powell and Bill Frey, deputy sheriffs, went to the scene of the accident.

Mr. Dingman had been attending the appreciation tour of the Association of Kansas Owned Life Insurance Companies. The car he was driving was a Hudson, belonging to the company.

Prominent in the Insurance Field.
Mr. Dingman was one of the most prominent insurance men and widely known sportsmen in Kansas. Before coming to Topeka in 1921 he was for several years in the insurance business at Clay Center, Kan., where he also operated a large Holstein dairy farm. Shortly after the National Reserve Life Insurance Company was organized, Mr. Dingman came to Topeka to become the company's superintendent of agents. In May, 1927, he resigned that position and organized the Guaranteed Securities Life Insurance Company.

He was born in Benton county, Iowa, left an orphan at an early age and raised himself to prominence and success by his own efforts.

Company in Fine Shape. "The Guaranteed Securities Company is in fine shape," Charles F. Hobbs, state insurance commissioner, said today. "It has been conducted along conservative lines and Mr. Dingman has, in recent months, been shifting the burdens and responsibilities on to his son, and to other members of the efficient office force.

"The company itself is behind all contracts, not any individual connected with the company. Any policy that becomes a claim is paid immediately. The state has ample reserves behind all contracts.

"Mr. Dingman's death is a loss to all the insurance companies of the state. He was a fine man."

Hunting was one of Mr. Dingman's favorite hobbies. In a trip to the mountains last year he managed to bag nearly every kind of big game animal native to the region. He had been planning a similar trip for this year. Recently he purchased a tract of 1,000 acres on the West Tenth avenue road which he was developing into a game preserve. He had spent a large sum in building artificial lakes and beautifying the property. He was greatly interested in sports and athletics and was a regular attendant at boxing and wrestling exhibitions.

Mr. Dingman is survived by his widow; a son, Ben Dingman, vice president of the insurance company and a former Washburn football star, and a daughter, Mrs. Winifred Stewart of San Diego, Calif.

Mrs. Dingman now is visiting her daughter and arrangements for the funeral were held in abeyance pending word from them.

NEWSPAPER OBITUARY
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL, 30 May 1932
Charles W. Dingman
funeral services for Charles W. Dingman, president of the Guaranteed Securities Life Insurance Company, who was killed in a motor car accident west of Topeka Friday, will be Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at Penwell's chapel. Burial will be in Mount Hope cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be Coach Ernest E. Bearg, Coach Elmer Holm, of Washburn, and Fred Dornbush, Eugene Barnett, Clearence Edwinson and Warren Shaw, four members of the Washburn football team.

Honorary pallbearers will be Charles Hobbs, L. D. Lichty, Carl goernandt, William Bryden, George Godfrey Moore, Hugh T. Fisher, Dr. wiliam E. Michener, James Pruett, Herbert Clark, John Williams, Harvey Estes and James A. Rout.

The body will lie in state at Penwell's chapel Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

From back of portrait--I believe it was written by Winifred Dingman Stone "Charles Webster Dingman (ran away from home at age 13-) drove horses across the country became a jeweler which he loved, but lost his eye sight? became an (life) insurance agent for years Bought Hobby Hollow in Topeka Kansas Started his own insurance company, Topeka Kansas (National Reserve Life) Was killed in an automobile accident trying to avoid another car which pulled out, at the height of his career. Buried in Topeka."

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 1920 Census, Kansas, Clay Co
   Series: T625 Roll: 527 Page: 94.

   Year: 1920;Census Place: Clay Center, Clay, Kansas; Roll: T625_527; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 4; Image: 189
   Address 524 (Fredrick?)
   Dwelling 185
   Family 193
   Dingman, Charles, head, owns house, mortgage, male, white, age 49, married, b. IA, father b. OH, mother b. KY, occupation insurance agent
   Louise, wife, age 46, b. IL, father b. IN, mother b. IL
   Winifred, dau, age 14, b. KS, father b. IA, mother b. IL
   Ben, son, age 10, b. KS, father b. IA, mother b. IL

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 1900 Census, Kansas, Marshall Co
   Series: T623 Roll: 489 Page: 10.

   Quality: 4 Blue Rapids Twp.
   Also lists Zella Mitchell, sister-in-law
   and Amelia (Firko?), servant

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 1910 Census, Kansas, Clay Co
   Series: T624 Roll: 434 Page: 88.
4. ↑ 1930 U.S. Federal Census (Population schedule): Kansas, Shawnee, Topeka.

   Roll: 723; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 41;
   1303 High St.
   Dwelling 306
   Family 320
   Dingman, Charles W., rents for $100/month, male, white, 50, married since 26, b. IA, father b. OH, mother b. KY, manager of life insurance office
   Benjamine F., son, age 20, b. KS, father b. IA, mother b. IL, occupation none

5. ↑ Frankfort, in 1905 Kansas State Census: Kansas, Marshall.

   Roll ks1905_93 , line 4
   Family #21
   C.W. Dingman, male, white, age 33
   L. M. Dingman, female, white, age 30
   Howard Mitchell, male, white, age 17