One Township's Yesterdays Chapter XXVI  

DICKSON

Prominent among the first comers were the DICKSONs, whose line of descent goes back to CHRISTOPHER ELIAS DICKSON and his wife, PHEBE LEWIS-BAYLESS. From his home on the island of Jersey, Christopher Elias set forth, following the westward trend that led at last to the banks of Maxinkuckee, an important stopping place in the family migration.

Platt B. Dickson and his sons

John
Bayless
Elias
Hugh

settled in the northeastern part of the township in 1836. Their lands were in what is now the Rutland neighborhood.

The names of the father and his four boys appear officially in the records as, having settled in the township prior to 1840.

These brothers went into the business of making brick not long after the family settled here, Their brick yard was on PLATT DICKSON's farm, and although their methods were quite primitive they managed to turn out products of good quality that stood the test of time. A rather superior grade of clay was obtained from a bank opened a mile west on the farm of JOHN DICKSON, out of which it was found fairly good bricks could be manufactured. The DICKSONs made bricks for the chimney and fireplace of the township's first log schoolhouse. In fact, the bricks so used came from the first kiln ever burnt in the county. The members of this family were so active in early affairs of Marshall County that it would be a long tale that would take care of half the details.

HUGH B. DICKSON taught for a while in the first schoolhouse mentioned, located on the Brownlee tract.

Platt B., Elias and John Dickson were among the petitioners for the organization of Union Township. The list of names of those who voted at the election in Union Township, held August 6, 1838, at the house of WILLIAM THOMPSON, includes that of Platt B. Dickson. Only eight voted.

Bayless Dickson laid out Uniontown, June 8, 1844. He was called the "Proprietor" on the statement of the original plat of the town, which in the course of time became Marmont and finally Culver.

HUGH B. DICKSON was the longest lived of the boys. At the age of "three score and ten," around 1890, according to historian THOMPSON, lie was still hale and hearty, walked "as straight as an Injun," and gave promise of living many years longer to run his very successful business in Indianapolis.