Marin-Stanislaus County CA Archives Biographies.....Dickson, William J. 1829 - 
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. Publishers (1880)

  William J. Dickson. This gentleman, whose portrait appears in this work, was
born in Caledonia county, Vermont, January 25, 1829, and is the son of Robert
and Janet Lenna Dickson, both natives of Scotland. Young Dickson remained on his
father's farm till 1853, attending in the meantime the common schools of the
State, and the high schools at Peacham and Newbury, and also teaching school
during the Winter sessions. In September, 1853, he sailed via the Isthmus for
California, and arrived in San Francisco about the 27th of that month. He went
at once to Knight's Ferry and engaged in the employ of Locke & Dent, in the
erection of the dam and the first mill that was built there. He remained in that
place till 1856, when he came to Marin county, and in company with his brother,
David S., began the business of dairying and stock raising on the San Geronimo
ranch. The county at that time was sparsely settled; traveling was done mostly
on horseback; fences were almost unknown; bear were plentiful, often killing the
stock in the night. In 1859 he returned to his old home in Vermont, remaining
there till December of that year, when he returned, bringing with him his
sister, now Mrs. W. R. Coburn, of Middleton, Lake county. In 1869, when the San
Geronimo ranch was divided and sold, he bought about five hundred acres, and has
since resided upon this homestead. He has long been prominently identified with
the school interests of his neighborhood, and is one of the officers of the
Presbyterian Church of San Rafael. November 16, 1869, he was married to Miss
Jennie B., daughter of William and Isabella Baxter Barr, born in Glasgow,
Scotland. The marriage occurred in Rochester, New York. Their children
are:—Frederick William, born September 27, 1870; and Edith Isabella, born August
28, 1876.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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