Crawford Co., AR - Biographies - James M. Dick *********************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: The Goodspeed Publishing Co Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgenwebarchives.org *********************************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------ SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889. ------------------------------------------------------------------ James M. Dick was born in Wayne County, Ky., in 1851, and is a son of Thomas and Nancy (Foster) Dick, natives of the same county. The father is now eighty-seven years of age, and is engaged in farming in his native county in connection with stock raising. He has been twice married. John Dick, the grandfather, was born in Virginia, and in an early day went to Wayne County, where he died. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. The mother of our subject died about 1875. Her father, Fred Foster, was a dative of Virginia, and an early settler of Wayne County, where he died in 1836. James M. Dick was the eldest of seven children, and during his youth received a common-school education. In 1871 he married Amelder, daughter of Cyrus and Zenovia Barrer, who came to Crawford County, Ark., from Kentucky in 1872 with Mr. Dick. He farmed on rented land in different parts of the county for some years, collecting a large herd of cattle in the meantime, and in 1883 purchased a tract of bottom land, which he proceeded to improve. He now has 220 acres of well-improved land, and is successfully engaged in farming and the lumber business, besides owning a cotton-gin. He has accumulated his property by industry and good management, and is one of the self-made men of the county. He is a lawabiding citizen, and has done good service as deputy sheriff and deputy United States Marshal in driving away lawless persons. In 1887 he was commissioned revenue detective, but on account of poor health resigned. In August, 1888, he was appointed agent of the "Lone Star Detective and Information Agency." In politics he is conservative, but cast his first presidential vote for Greeley in 1872.