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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published by John M. Gresham & Co. in 1891.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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DWIGHT DICKSON, a man who enjoys the respect and confidence of the citizens of Ripley, is a son of William and Elizabeth (Dickson) Dickson, and was born in Ripley, Chautauqua county, New York, June 5th, 1824. Two generations of his ancestry have been native to the United States, while beyond and back of that time the family stock was confined to that little emerald isle across the Atlantic, which has been so prolific in poetry and literature, so unique in the picturesqueness and contrariety of its scenery, so perfectly nondescript in its national life — Ireland. Here in the land of the shamrock, near the town of Londonderry, was born the paternal great-grandfather of our subject. He emigrated to Otsego county, New York, located at Cherry Valley and there, with his family became a victim to those barbarities of Englishman and savage, which, during the Revolutionary war, became an indelible blot upon the escutcheon of martial England. His wife and two children were captured by the Indians and held about a year in captivity, when certain overtures of marriage were made by one of the chiefs. These were promptly rejected and a short time subsequent the wife and children were released and returned to their friends at Buffalo. Grandfather Robert Dickson was born in Otsego county, New York, and emigrated to Chautauqua in 1809, locating in the town of Ripley. Here he purchased a farm and made it part and parcel of his cares. Politics claimed considerable of his attention and at one time he was elected and served as associate judge of the county, He died in 1832 at the age of seventy years, and now lies buried in the Ripley cemetery. His marriage to a Miss Hungerford resulted in the birth of eight children — six sons and two daughters. Subject’s grandfather on the maternal side was Samuel Dickson, a native of Otsego county, New York, where he also died. He was joined in marriage to Miss Eleanor Campbell of an old and distinguished Scotch family connected with the Duke of Argyle. William Dickson, father of Dwight Dickson, was a native of Otsego county, New York, born July 30th, 1790, and removed to Chautauqua county in 1809, where he died December 31st, 1840. He was a lifelong farmer by occupation, took an active interest in politics and the public welfare. He married and reared a family of seven children.

Dwight Dickson received a common school education, is and always has been a farmer, devoting most of his time at present to the cultivation of grapes. He is a republican in political affairs, a member of the Equitable Aid Union and the Knights of Honor. Both he and his wife belong to the Presbyterian church.

Dwight Dickson was married first time to Miss Jeannette Webster, who bore him three children: Walter H., a sheep dealer in Texas; Warren, married to Sadie Arnold and living in Pittsburg, Pa., where he holds the position of mail inspector; and Carleton, a resident of Texas. His second marriage was to Miss Charlotte Brown, a daughter of Jonathan Brown of Dutchess county, New York, but formerly of the State of Massachusetts. By his second wife he had two children: Edward D., in the mail service; and Jeannette M., now attending a music school.

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This family biography is one of 658 biographies included in Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York published in 1891. 

View additional Chautauqua County, New York family biographies here: Chautauqua County, New York Biographies

View a map of 1897 Chautauqua County, New York here: Chautauqua County, New York Map

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