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Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. Joseph Rives Dickenson: Birth: 15 APR 1861 in Paris, Edgar Co., Illinois. Death: 1926 in Columbia, Oregon

  2. Charles Franklin Dickenson: Birth: 24 FEB 1862 in Knight's Landing, Yolo Co., California. Death: 19 NOV 1946 in (age 84 years) San Francisco, California

  3. Virginia Viola Dickenson: Birth: 17 JUL 1864 in Knight's Landing, Yolo Co., California. Death: 23 MAY 1950 in Tacoma, Pierce Co., Washington

  4. Elizabeth Bell Dickenson: Birth: 2 OCT 1866 in Knight's Landing, Yolo Co., California. Death: 30 NOV 1947 in Seattle, King Co., Washington

  5. William Shelby Dickenson: Birth: 16 MAY 1868 in Knight's Landing, Yolo Co., California. Death: 14 JUL 1869 in Knight's Landing, Yolo Co., California

  6. Rose Jane Dickenson: Birth: 16 SEP 1870 in Knight's Landing, Yolo Co., California. Death: 7 OCT 1960 in (90 years) Tacoma, Pierce Co., Washington

  7. Marie Frances Dickenson: Birth: 7 FEB 1875 in Sumner, Pierce Co., Washington. Death: 3 FEB 1966 in (90 years) Tacoma, Pierce Co., Washington

  8. Rezin Shelby Dickenson: Birth: 15 NOV 1876 in Sumner, Pierce Co., Washington. Death: 5 OCT 1901 in Tacoma, Pierce Co., Washington


Sources
1. Title:   Washington State Certificate of Death - Pierce Co
2. Title:   Marriage License - Vermillion Co., Indiana

Notes
a. Note:   Joseph Rives Dickenson was born in Franklin Co., Virginia on September 17, 1828. He was the son of Robert Nathaniel Dickenson and his wife, Cynthia (Rives) Dickenson, and lived in Franklin County until he was eight years old. He was named for his mother's father, Joseph Rives. In 1835 his family moved to Edgar Co., Illinois where they were among the earliest settlers in the area. Joseph was educated in Edgar County and attended the Methodist Academy of Paris, Illinois which was conducted by Jesse H. Moore who was later appointed Minister to Chile.
  When his father died in 1851, Joseph became the administrator of his estate and took charge of the family farm. In 1855 his father's 320 acre farm was partitioned into sixths, with one portion going to each of the children. Shortly thereafter, Joseph sold his portion of the farm.
  In 1858, Joseph married Mary Shelby, the daughter of Judge Rezin Shelby and his wife, Jane [Thompson) Shelby, of Eugene Township, Vermillion Co., Indiana. In 1861, Joseph, Mary and their young son, Joe, traveled to New York to take the steamer Oreqaba around Cape Horn to California. Off the coast of Mexico the Oreqaba ran onto a rock. It was a bright moonlit night. It made such a noise that that the passengers rushed on deck. The captain sent the officer below to see if there was a leak. When he returned he said there was not a drop. They were freed when the high tide took them off the rocks and they continued up the coast to San Francisco, California. They then went on to Sacramento where they stayed some time before moving on to Knight's Landing where Joseph bought a farm.
  They spent about ten years farming in the Sacramento Valley. In 1866, they owned land in Grafton Township in Yolo County, approximately six miles north of Woodland and three miles south of Knight's Landing where they had about 200 acres under cultivation. On June 5, 1871, Joseph and Mary sold their land in Yolo County to Isaac J. Ely for $2,600. The property was described as: "the south half of the northeast quarter and the north half of the southeast quarter of section thirty three. Also, the east half of the northwest quarter of the same section in township 11 ... containing two hundred and forty acres." The Knight's Landing parcel is located west of the current County Road 101 and south of the current County Road 15, and in the mid 1980's was still under agricultural use.
  On June 14, 1871, Joseph purchased the east half of lot No. 87 in the Knight's Landing Cemetery [located just south of the town of Knight's Landing) for the re burial of his young son William Shelby Dickenson who had died in July 1869. Shortly thereafter, Joseph, Mary, and their five children left by covered wagon for the Washington Territory. They stopped at Portland, then continued on to Tumwater and then Old Tacoma. They went on to Seattle where they looked around for a farm. They ended up in Sumner, Washington, in the Puyallup Valley.
  On September 5, 1871, Joseph Dickenson and his wife Mary purchased from Cyril Ward and his wife Susan, 160 8/100 acres which consisted of the west half of the Abial Morrison donation claim located on the east bank of the Stuck River, on the north edge of the Town of Sumner (Pierce Co. Deed Book 3, page 195). William Baker lived on the farm and they had to wait until his time was up before they could move in. They went to Tumwater where they lived at the Ward's until Baker moved out. They also stayed a while at John Kincaid's farm near their "old" house. Their daughter Marie and son Rezin were born in the "old " house.
  Joseph was a petit juror in January 1875 and again in January 1876. He was selected for the grand jury in 1879 and was an election judge on November 2, 1880. He was listed as a hop grower on the June 9 and 10, 1880 Pierce County census, with his wife, seven children, and two Chinese servants. Joseph was very successful in his farming activities, and, as a result, accumulated a considerable fortune. In a single year he sold his hop crop for 84 cents a pound and cleared $30,000. In 1882 he used this money to build a beautiful new home on the bank of the Stuck River across from where the industrial district in Sumner is now located. He sent to Italy for black marble from which he had eight fireplaces constructed. He also went to San Francisco where he purchased the finest furniture. The home remained until 1960 when the then owners (the Zenders) tore it down.
  On September 6, 1883, Mary Dickenson died intestate, leaving as her minor heirs, Rezin and Marie Dickenson. On October 30, 1886 J. R. Dickenson purchased Lot 5 Block 4 (the N. E. corner of Chemeketa and High Streets) in Salem, Oregon from Eliz. L. Kinney and Joseph and the family moved to Salem. However, he continued to own land in Sumner and would return every summer to oversee the hop harvest. The 1893 Polk's Salem City and Marion County Directory lists: "Joseph R. Dickinson, farmer, Chemeketa between High and Church" and "Miss Rose Dickinson, teacher Miss Ballou's Kindergarten, r. Chemeketa between Church and Liberty". Joseph appears again in the 1896 Polk's Salem and Marion Co., Oregon Directory which on page 48, for the Town of Salem, lists "Joseph R. Dickinsen, farmer, r. 179 Chemeketa". On January 22, 1897 J. R. Dickenson deeded a right-of-way (probably Fryrer Avenue) to Pierce County (Pierce Co. Deed Book 129, page 208).
  During the Alaska gold rush of 1899, Joseph went to Nome, Alaska where he acquired considerable mining property. About 1900, he sold his holdings in Sumner to the Zehnder brothers. He appears in the 1909-1910 Polk's Alaska-Yukon Gazetteer on page 362, under the Town of Nome, which lists "Jos. R. Dickinson, mining, r. 700 E Street and Jennie [Virginia] Dickinson, dressmaker, r. 700 E Street". Joseph later moved back to Tacoma where he reportedly was seriously injured in a street car accident. He died at his daughter Rose Albutt's home in Lemon Beach on August 7, 1912, at the age of 83.
  His son Joseph Rives Dickenson Jr. was last known to have been living in Montana. His sons, William Shelby Dickenson and Rezin Shelby Dickenson, both died without marrying. William died in California as a young child and Rezin worked on the Tacoma street cars and died at the age of 24 when a Point Defiance street car derailed on October 5, 1901. _____
  REFERENCES TO J. R. DICKENSON'S FAMILY FROM THE DAILY LEDGER NEWSPAPER - Tacoma, WA:
  Friday, November 12, 1886: "Arrivals at Central Hotel - Mrs. Dickeson, Indiana"
  Tuesday, January 4, 1887: "Arrivals at The Tacoma - J. R. Dickinson, Portland"
  Wednesday, January 19, 1887: "Arrivals at The Tacoma - J. R. Dickenson, Salem"
  Thursday, January 20, 1887: "Sumner Notes - Two of Sumner's old settlers have gone east to bathe in the blizzards now playfully caressing the inhabitants of Illinois and New York. John Kincade will spend the remainder of the winter in Missouri (Pike County), visiting the scenes of his boyhood, which he has not seen in some thirty-three years and will close up his trip with a sojourn in Philadelphia and Washington City. Joseph Dickenson is the other wanderer now in Illinois, but will spend some time in New York before returning west. Some of his friends are wondering if he will buy one ticket for the return trip, or two." _____
  REFERENCES TO J. R. DICKENSON'S FAMILY FROM SUMNER HERALD NEWSPAPER - Sumner, WA:
  July 18. 1890: "J. R. Dickenson Jr. left Tuesday on a business trip to Helena, Montana."
  "J. R. Dickenson and daughters arrived Monday from Salem, Oregon where they resided since last fall. They will occupy their Sumner home until after the hop picking season."
  August 22, 1890: "J. R. Dickenson Jr. is home from a six week sojourn in Montana."
  August 29, 1890: "C. F. Dickenson is erecting a new barn."
  September 5, 1890: "J. R. Dickenson Jr. brought into the Herald office on Wednesday a sample of home-grown peaches, which will compare favorably with the finest California varieties. It has been claimed that the climate of western Washington is not adapted to peach growing but the peaches grown on Mr. Dickenson's place prove this statement to be unfounded in fact."
  September 12, 1890: "Thieves carried away a box of bees and honey from J. R. Dickenson's apiary Sunday night. After carrying it some distance they broke the box and extracted the honey."
  January 23, 1891: "J. R. Dickenson Jr. of this place is now in San Francisco where he will spend the remainder of the winter."
  February 6, 1891: "J. R. Dickenson returned from Salem, Oregon the fore part of the week, but intends to return in a few days. He reports Oregon real estate as being on the advance in price."
  March 20, 1891: "The misses Dickenson have returned from their winter home in Salem, Oregon, to Sumner where they will remain until fall."
  "W.P. Bonney, the most popular druggist of Tacoma, spent Tuesday in Sumner the guest of his sister, Mrs. C. F. Dickenson."
  April 5, 1891: "J. R. Dickenson, Jr. who spent the winter in San Francisco, returned to this place Monday night. "Joe" fully understands the knack of enjoying life."
  "Last night J. R. Dickenson Jr. carelessly missed the late train at Puyallup and he was returning from California and walked home from the place. He reached the Puyallup River bridge in the south part of Sumner shortly after midnight when he discovered the body of a tramp lying on the trestle near the north end of the bridge. ...."
  April 17, 1891: "C. F. Dickenson and Richard Shortell have beautified their respective properties by planting shade trees along the front of their yards. 'The later also embellished his yard fence with a coat of paint." _____ From newspaper column written by Amy Ryan dated Thursday January 16, 1964 - Found in the Sumner City Library: "J. R. Dickenson sold his crop (hops) at 84 cents a pound clearing $30,000 in one year his daughter Mrs. Marie Dickenson Taylor living in Tacoma told me so. He built a beautiful home by the river across from where our factory district is now. He sent to Italy for black marble of which he had eight fireplaces constructed. He went to San Francisco and bought the best furniture. It is a pity that this house was torn down a few years ago."
  "In 1883, Rev. Rufus Patch and his wife started an academy in the little church. Among the first students was Lizzie Dickenson." _____
  1860 US CENSUS - Stratton Township, Edgar Co., Illinois - page 163: Dickenson, Joseph R. 31 m farmer b. VA Dickenson, Mary W. 23 f b. IN Dickenson, Joseph R. Jr. 2/12 b. IL _____
  1870 United States Census: Name: Joseph Dickenson Estimated Birth Year: 1829 Gender: Male Age in 1870: 41y Color (white, black, mulatto, chinese, Indian): White Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1870: California, United States Household Gender Age Joseph Dickenson M 41y Mary W Dickenson F 32y Joseph R Dickenson M 10y Charles F Dickenson M 8y Virginia V Dickenson F 6y Lizzie B Dickenson F 4y William S Dickenson M 1y _____
  1880 US CENSUS - Puyallup, Pierce Co., Washington [FHL Film 1255397/NA Film T9-1397] - page 456D: Joseph Dickenson: Birth Year <1830> - Birthplace VA - Age 50 - Occupation Farmer - Marital Status Married - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Self - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace VA
  Mary Dickenson: Birth Year <1835> - Birthplace IN - Age 45 - Occupation Keeps House - Marital Status Married - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Wife - Father's Birthplace OH - Mother's Birthplace PA
  James R. Dickenson: Birth Year <1860> - Birthplace IL - Age 20 - Occupation - Marital Status Single - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Son - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace IN
  Charles F. Dickenson: Birth Year <1862> - Birthplace CA - Age 18 - Occupation - Marital Status Single - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Son - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace IN
  Virginia Dickenson: Birth Year <1865> - Birthplace CA - Age 15 - Occupation - Marital Status Single - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Dau. - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace IN
  Lizzie Dickenson: Birth Year <1865> - Birthplace CA - Age 15 - Occupation - Marital Status Single - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Dau. - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace IN
  Rose Dickenson: Birth Year <1871> - Birthplace CA - Age 9 - Occupation - Marital Status Single - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Dau. - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace IN
  Mary Dickenson: Birth Year <1875> - Birthplace WA - Age 5 - Occupation - Marital Status Single - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Dau. - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace IN
  Reason Dickenson: Birth Year <1877> - Birthplace WA - Age 3 - Occupation - Marital Status Single - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Son - Father's Birthplace VA - Mother's Birthplace IN
  Foo (male): Birth Year <1856> - Birthplace CHI - Age 24 - Occupation Laborer - Marital Status Single - Race Asian - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Servant - Father's Birthplace CHI - Mother's Birthplace CHI
  King (male): Birth Year <1850> - Birthplace CHI - Age 30 - Occupation Laborer - Marital Status Single - Race Asian - Head of Household Joseph Dickenson - Relation Servant - Father's Birthplace CHI - Mother's Birthplace CHI _____
  October 30, 1886: J. R. Dickenson purchased Lot 5 Block 4 (the N. E. corner of Chemeketa and High Streets) in Salem, Oregon from Elizabeth Lee Kinney (who was the widow of Robert Crouch Kinney who died on March 2, 1876 in Salem at the age of 61 years) . (Recorded November 29, 1886 - Marion Co., OR Deed Book. 34, Page 215) _____
  1889-90 SALEM, OREGON CITY DIRECTORY: Marion (Co.) Dickinson, Jr. $1100 assessed value - Salem _____
  1891 SALEM, OREGON CITY DIRECTORY: Dickinson, Joseph R. farmer res. 322 High Dickinson, Miss Virginia V. bds. 322 High Dickinson Jr. $2424 assessed value - Salem _____
  1893 SALEM, OREGON CITY DIRECTORY: Dickinson, Joseph R. farmer res. Chemeketa bet. High & Church Dickinson, Miss Rose teacher, Miss Ballou's Kindergarten res. Chemeketa bet. Church & Liberty _____
  1895 MARION CO. OREGON CENSUS: Dickenson, J. R. - b. VA, 5'9", 200#, dark, farmer, Protestant, voter, m., 65 Dickenson, Virginia - b. CA, 5'5", 135#, dark, housekeeper, Protestant, f., 25 Dickenson, Lizzie (Elizabeth) - b. CA, 5'4", 125#, dark, housekeeper, Protestant, f., 24 Dickenson, Rose - b. CA, 5'4", 135#, dark, housekeeper, Protestant, f., 23 Dickenson, Mae (Marie) - b. WA, 5'1", 116#, light, housekeeper, Protestant, f., 20 Dickenson, Regine (Rezin) - b. WA, 5'4", 165#, dark, farmer, Protestant, m., 18 _____
  1904 TACOMA CITY DIRECTORY: Albutt, John E. farmer h. University Pl. _____
  1905 TACOMA CITY DIRECTORY: Albutt, John E. farmer h. University Pl. _____
  1909-1910 NOME, ALASKA CITY DIRECTORY: Dickinson, Jennie dressmkr. r. 700 E. Front Dickinson, Jos. R. mining r. 700 E. Front Albutt, John E. mining r. 700 E. Front Taylor, Samuel C. stengr. U. S. Dist Clk. h. rear Bridge School _____
  1909-1910 COUNCIL, ALASKA CITY DIRECTORY: Adams, Gilbert A. prop. Kane Hotel, lawyer and U. S. Comnr. Div 2 _____
  1909-1910 COUNCIL, ALASKA CITY DIRECTORY: Adams, Gilbert A. clerk U. S. Dist. Court P. O. Box 70 _____
  1910 U S Census - Tacoma, Washington:
  name: Joseph Dickenson birth 1829 Virginia residence 1910: Tacoma Ward 2, Pierce, Washington child: Jennie Dickenson relationship to head of household: Self marital status: Widowed race : White gender: Male father's birthplace: Virginia mother's birthplace: Virginia family number: 8 page number: 1 _____
  1923-1924 NOME, ALASKA CITY DIRECTORY: Adams, Gilbert A. Dep. U. S. Marshal _____
  The Daily Ledger Friday, August 9, 1912 Page 5, Column 2 Joseph R. Dickenson, age 84, a pioneer of Sumner, died Wednesday at the Sumner home of his daughter, Mrs. J. E. Albott, at Lemon's beach.
  Mr. Dickenson was not a pioneer of this state but of Illinois, California and Oregon as well and spent several years in Alaska in the early days. He was born in Franklin county, Virginia, Sept 17, 1828, his parents being Robert N and Cynthia A (Rives) Dickenson the father being of English origina and the mother a lineage descendant of the French Huguenots. In 1837 the family removed to Edgar county, Illinois and were among the earliest settlers in that section. Mr. Dickenson was educated in Edgar county and attended the Methodist Academy of Paris, Ill., counducted by Jesse A. Moore, who afterwards was made Minister of Chile.
  On the death of his father he took charge of the farm until 1861, when he went to California, by way of Panama and remained there 10 years, most of the time at Knight's Landing.
  In 1871 he reached Oregon stopping at Portland and after a little while going on the Puyallup Valley, buying a farm near Sumner 41 years ago. This he occupied, with the exception of a few years at Salem, Oregon from 1886 and 10 years to Alaska before coming to Tacoma two years ago.
  Mrs. Dickenson who died in September 1883, was Miss Shelby, her father being Judge Rezin Shelby of Indiana. Mr. Dickenson had been a republican from the inception of the party and voted John C. Fremont. He is survivd by four daughter, Mrs. J. E. Albott and Miss Jennie V Dickenson of Tacoma; Mrs. S. C. Taylor, Alberta, Canada, Mrs. G. A. Adams, Council, Alaska and Charles F. Dickenson, Three Forks, Mont. The funeral will be held by C. O. Lynn's company's at 11 a.m. Saturday.


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