Clark County ArArchives Biographies.....Dicken, Charles Ernest 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 12, 2009, 6:43 pm

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

CHARLES ERNEST DICKEN, LL. D.
    A most prominent figure in educational circles in Arkansas is Dr. Charles
Ernest Dicken, the president of Ouachita College at Arkadelphia. He was born in
Elizabethtown, Hardin county, Kentucky, December 1, 1877, and is a son of the
Rev. Charles W. and Mary (Williams) Dicken, the latter a daughter of William
Williams, D. D., who was one of the founders of the Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary at Greenville, South Carolina. The Rev. Charles W. Dicken, deceased,
was born in Campbell county, Kentucky, November 24, 1842, and his life record
covers the intervening years to June, 1913. He was the ninth in order of birth
in a family of four sons and six daughters, whose parents were Charles and Mary
(Cherry) Dicken. His father was a native of Campbell county, Kentucky, and died
in 1863, at the age of sixty-three years. He in turn was a son of Joseph Dicken
of Virginia, who was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war and who became a
resident of Campbell county, Kentucky, about 1795. There he owned a large farm
and many slaves. He was of English and Welsh origin, the family being
established on American soil in colonial days. Joseph Dicken wedded Mary Sutton
of Virginia, and died at the ripe old age of eighty four years. Succeeding
generations of the family continued to reside in Campbell county, Kentucky, and
there Charles Dicken, grandfather of Dr. Dicken of Arkadelphia, made his home
for many years. He wedded Mary Cherry, a daughter of Nicholas Cherry, who
removed from Pennsylvania to Kentucky during the pioneer epoch in the history of
the latter state.

    Their son, Charles W. Dicken, spent his youthful days in the usual manner of
the farm bred boy, and upon his father's death was thrown on his own resources
for a livelihood. When but eighteen years of age he was licensed to teach
school, which he did for a time, and then became a student in Bethel College,
while in 1864 he matriculated in Toronto University at Toronto, Canada. Some
time later he became a student in Georgetown College in the District of
Columbia, and was there graduated in 1868. On the 12th of July of that year he
was ordained to the ministry of the Baptist church and engaged in teaching and
preaching for a year at Aspen Grove, Pendleton county, Kentucky. He then entered
the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Greenville, South Carolina, in
which he studied for two years, after which he took charge of churches in
Kentucky, spending two years in pastoral work in Woodford county and two years
in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, where he engaged in both teaching and preaching.
Later he became president of Murray Institute of Calloway county, and still
later was actively engaged in ministerial work for five years. In June, 1884, he
located near Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he had charge of several churches.

    On the 26th of March, 1871, the Rev. Charles W. Dicken wedded Miss Mary
Williams of Greenville, South Carolina, who is a native of Montgomery, Alabama,
and a daughter of Dr. William and Ruth (Bell) Williams, who were born near
Athens, Georgia. Dr. Williams was educated in the Georgia University and
acquired his law education in Boston, after which he practiced his profession
for four or five years in Montgomery, Alabama, winning a large clientage and
proving himself a strong and able advocate in the courts. Believing that he
could accomplish greater good and be of more lasting benefit to his fellow-men
in other fields, he entered the ministry, and after twelve years of hard labor
accepted a professorship in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at
Greenville, South Carolina, which position he filled with honor and ability
until his death on the 20th of February, 1877, when he was fifty-five years of
age. His father was William Williams, a wealthy and influential planter of Georgia.

    Rev. and Mrs. Charles W. Dicken had a family of five children: William
Edward; Ryth Bell and Marcissa McCay, both deceased; Charles Ernest, and Hubert
Alvin. Mr. Dicken had given his political allegiance to the democratic party and
fraternally was connected with the Masons.

    The second son, Charles E. Dicken, was educated in William Jewell College of
Missouri, being graduated therefrom with the class of 1903, at which time the
Bachelor of Arts degree was conferred upon him. Ouachita College conferred upon
him the Doctor of Divinity degree in 1916, and from Baylor University at Waco,
Texas, he received the Doctor of Laws degree in 1920. Following his graduation
from William Jewell College he became associate principal of the Liberty Ladies'
College of Liberty, Missouri, and continued in active connection with that
institution until 1911, at which time he was elected president of Woodlawn
College at Jonesboro, Arkansas. Three years were there spent, and he was then
elected president of Mary Connor College at Paris, Texas, and in 1916 he was
elected to the presidency of Ouachita College at Arkadelphia, where he has
remained for five years. The school under his direction has made steady and
continuous progress, not only in the matter of attendance, but also in the
methods of instruction and the system maintained in all the school work.

     In the year 1906 Dr. Dicken was married to Miss Belle H. Quick, a daughter
of Albert R. Quick, one of the officials of the Rocky Mountain Coal & Coke
Company of Raton, New Mexico. Dr. and Mrs. Dicken have one son, Albert R., who
was born February 7, 1910. In his political views Dr. Dicken has always been a
democrat and he has been an active and prominent factor in public affairs,
especially such as have to do with the welfare, progress and benefit of the
community. He is a member of the commission of charities and corrections of the
state of Arkansas, is a member of the Southern Education Association, of the
American Geographical Society and is now at the head of the leading Baptist
college of the state and one of the foremost educational institutions in
Arkansas. Fraternally he is connected with Liberty Lodge, No. 31, A. F. & A. M.,
of Liberty, Missouri, and throughout his life has been a faithful follower of
the teachings and purposes of the craft. His life has ever been guided by high
ideals, and bis methods of attainment have been of a most practical character.
He has ever regarded the teaching profession as a means of preparation for life,
and his work, therefore, has been dominated by the most earnest efforts to
prepare the young for later duties and responsibilities. His successful work has
won wide recognition, and today he is classed with the eminent educators of the
southwest.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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