Georgia: Hancock County: Biography of William S. Dickson ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Mary Ann Willoughby mawill@mindspring.com ==================================================================== Georgia, Hancock County. Biography: William S. Dickson Submitted by Mary Ann Willoughby. mawill@mindspring.com WILLIAM S. DICKSON, PLANTER, Sparta, Hancock county, Ga., is a prosperous planter living five miles southeast of Sparta. He was born in the county Sept. 25, 1839, and is the son of James M. and Margaret A. (Crawford) Dickson. The Dickson family history available at this time dates back to William’s grandfather, Curry Dickson, who grew to manhood and passed his life in Hancock county. No data as to his birth and antecedents could be obtained. He married Elizabeth Shy, a name familiar to all Georgians as of the highest respectability, and from their union sprang three boys and one girl: James M., W. S., D. W. and Emily Francis, now Mrs. Thomas Jordan, Craig county, Tex. James M. is the father of William S. and is still living near him at the advanced age of eighty years. He is exceedingly well-preserved and still looks after his little farm as in his younger days. He married in 1838, and has seen eight children grow to maturity, as follows: William S., the subject of this sketch; James C., David W., and Green L., successful planters of the county; Eliza J., single; Sarah, wife of B. J. Clark; Georgia B., single; Emily F., wife of James M. Dickson, also planters of Hancock county. William S. has always resided in the county of his nativity. When the war broke out he enlisted early as a private in Company K, Fifteenth Georgia regiment, and did his duty manfully till the surrender. The regiment arrived too late to be of service in 1861, but from the opening of the campaign in 1862 to the surrender, saw plenty of hard fighting. While Mr. Dickson was in the ranks he participated in the seven day’s battle around Richmond, Fairfax county house, Second Manassas and at Gettysburg. In the latter battle he was severely wounded in the left shoulder, disabling him to such an extent as to preclude his carrying a musket in the ranks, and on his return to the army he was therefore detailed for service on the wagon train. He was married in Hancock County, Dec 24, 1865, to Rebecca, daughter of John A. Kelly. Mr. Dickson is a deacon in the Baptist church, and a most uncompromising democrat in politics. His democracy is of that type that finds no sacrifice too great for the advancement of the interests of the party, and much credit is due him for the solid front which it as been enabled to resent in the county to the advancing hosts of populists. Transcribed from “Memoirs of Georgia”, volume I, published by the Southern Historical Association, Atlanta, Ga. 1895. Page 1033-1034 NOTES: William S. Dickson Born: Sept. 25, 1839 Died: Dec. 30, 1913 Buried: Dickson Family Cemetery, Hancock Co., Ga. Was deacon of the Bethel Baptist Church for 37 years from 1875 until death in 1913