John H. Dickson Biography This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 573 Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm JOHN H. DICKSON, a substantial agriculturist, residing on the northwest quarter of section 23, in Pleasant View township, Beadle county, is well known in his locality as a gentleman of the highest integrity. He is one of the early settlers of that township, and has been active in the upbuilding of the county from its pioneer days. His grandparents on the father's side were natives of Scotland and on the mother's side were natives of Germany. They settled in Virginia, and the parents of our subject were born and married in that state. Our subject was born in Owen county, Indiana, October 20, 1835, the eldest of thirteen children born to Samuel S. and Regina (Noggle) Dickson. There are but four surviving members of this family. Our subject grew to manhood on his father's farm, assisting him until he reached his majority, when he began farming for himself in his native state, where he remained until 1861, when he went to Sangamon county, Illinois, and engaged in the same occupation, for nine years in that and Macon county. He later moved to Vermillion county, where he farmed until the summer of 1882, when he went to Dakota, and took a tree claim, and a homestead claim on the farm which he now owns and operates. He had much difficulty in getting materials and carpenters for erecting a house, but on the completion of the home the family joined him, since which time they have been residents of Pleasant View township. They shipped two car- loads of household effects and stock, and from the first began extensive operations. The stock he took with them was of the best, and they had about one thousand dollars in money, and began raising horses, cows, sheep and hogs, and cropped from three to four hundred acres of land. After settling in Dakota the father retired from active farm labor, and turned the farm to his sons, attending personally to the business operations of the family, the buying, selling, etc. Mr. Dickson was married in 1858 to Miss Sarah Mitchell, a native of Paris, Bourbon county, Kentucky, who was born April 12, 1837. Mr. and Mrs. Dickson are the parents of twelve children, as follows: Margaret E., deceased; Sarah I., now Mrs. S. S. French, of Nebraska; Robert E., married, residing in Pleasant View township; Mary C., deceased; Anna L., a dressmaker of Huron; Flora A., now Mrs. M. F. French, of Iowa; Walter R., married, living near Hitchcock; David M., married and residing in Spink county; Tommy E. and Henry I., assisting on the home farm; Lillie M.; and Jesse C. Mr. Dickson, for a man of his years, is in excellent health, and has never known a severe illness. He has a bright mind and a remarkably retentive memory, and incidents and dates relating to public or private affairs are at his command. He has taken much interest in educational matters, and has exercised his powers for bettering the public school system, and to procure competent teachers. His influence is felt in every good cause, and he has a wide circle of friends, who hold him in the highest esteem.