DICKERSON NEWS LETTER

Number 4

October 1, 2005

My Hobby is genealogy, but I raise dust bunnies as pets!

Where has the summer gone? Fall is here and winter is right around the corner. I hope your summer has been as enjoyable as mine. I have completed the first Dunkley book and it has been printed, now I have 6 more to go. 

Polly and I have covered a lot of North Carolina and Virginia visiting descendants of Nathan David Dickerson’s children. What started out to research Nathan’s family, only, has expanded to include descendants of Nathan’s great-great grandmother, Margaret, who died July 18, 1814 in Prince Edward County. The descendants of her seven children are now part of our Dickerson research which has become very interesting as well as massive. Many of these extended family members are expected to be with us this fall. 

I have had no additional email address sent to me. Please, forward your email address if, you have one, and you are receiving this news letter by U S mail. My email address is jgray@pure.net. Anything you can do to help with costs is greatly appreciated. Along this same line, I have been asked how much are the dues for the news letter. At this time, there are no dues as this project is a hobby for me and I do not want to be obligated to get out news letters regularly. I prefer sending them out when there is news to be passed on. 

I am still looking for pictures and documents of all Dickerson family members. The older the better! If you think you have information that I have not included in my work books, please make a copy and get it to me. You do not have to go to the expense of having pictures copied on photo paper, just copy on a color copier on regular paper. Be sure to write information about the document and/or picture, on the back of each item. 

Since my last news letter, Polly and I have visited with more descendants of Nathan’s children. We are happy to report we have been in contact with the families of the 4th child, Mary Elizabeth Dickerson Reid, the 15th child, Elkanah Benjamin Dickerson, and the 18th and youngest child, Letcher Wise Dickerson. These are added to visits to the descendants of the 10th child, Irene Eleanor Dickerson and the 3rd child, Robert Henry Dickerson. What a wonderful time we are having. Many of our cousins are sharing pictures and stories, so please check them out when you are with us.

I am very excited to inform you, J. Gordon Dickerson, Jr. the owner of the original diary that Nathan kept from 1847 to 1898 will have the diary on display for all of us to see. Due to the age and delicate condition of this priceless heirloom, we will not be able to handle it. Also, on display will be the banjo that belonged to Nathan. 

Polly and I will be at the church at 9:00 AM. with the coffee pot on. 

9:00 – View and add to research materials that are available on the Dickerson family. 

11:30 - Randy Wade with the Virginia Park Service, give us a brief history of "Mulberry Hill Plantation". 

12:00 – Lunch will be served. The menu will be a big old fashion pot of vegetable beef soup and plenty of homemade deserts. The cost is still only $1 per person to help with the cost of the ingredients. 

1:00 we will be going to the Plantation (11 miles) to see where Nathan lived in the 1840’s and 1850’s and where he and his wife, Nancy lived with their 8 children. (Margaret Ann, John Samuel, Robert Henry, Mary Elizabeth, William Albert, Nathan Gilliam Thomas, Wyatt Watkins Cardwell and Jerome Wesley) When you visit the house where they all lived you will wonder how they did it back in 1850. The tour should last about an hour, so those of you who need to get on the road to go back home can leave from there. Others are welcome to go back to the church to visit with your new cousins. 

Directions are attached to this news letter. When you turn off Route 360 you will go 3 ½ miles to the church. As always, I will have my cell phone available for those who may have difficulty finding the church. My cell phone number is 804-514-5515. GOD be with you in your travels and we look forward to seeing you on the 22nd of October.
 
 

Did you know that the word inmate in old papers may refer to a person living in the home of another person, not necessarily an institution? Freeman is a designation once used to mean an unmarried man. Domestic once meant a housewife, not necessarily a servant. Housekeeper would mean a property owner, male or female. Mrs. or Mistress with a woman's name usually meant she was a wealthy woman, and that was the proper way to address her. Mr. or Mister was used only for a man of wealth, or one who was educated. A retired man might have been referred to as a gentleman.