History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD of the UPPER WISCONSIN counties of Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade and Shawano. publ. 1895 by J.H.Beers & Co., Chicago 1110 pages, illustrated.

Biography

   GEORGE P. DICKINSON, one of the highly-respected, busy and progressive merchants and real-estate dealers of Vilas county, is a native of Illinois, born August 17, 1849, in Hainesville, Lake county, son of Dr. Parley Dickinson and Susan C. (Arnold) Dickinson.
   Dr. Parley Dickinson was born at Haddam, Conn., in 1806, only child of John Dickinson, the latter dying when Parley was yet an infant. The mother subsequently married a Mr. Jones, by whom she had four children; Edwin, Henry, Clark and Laura and she passed from earth in 1885. Dr. Dickinson was a graduate of Cleveland Medical College. His wife, Susan C. Arnold, was born in Connecticut in 1821, a daughter of Simon Arnold, a sea captain by vocation, who had a large family of children; both parents passed from earth in Connecticut. To Dr. and Mrs. Dickinson wee born six children, to wit: Alice (widow of Dr. Dickson, living in New London, Wis., with her only child), Clarence, George P., Nellie (now Mrs. Dr. Moore, of Ironwood Mich.), and two that died in infancy. The father of these moved from Connecticut to Ohio, locating near Cleveland, later moving to Lake county, Ill., and from there coming, in 1857, to New London, Wis., where he continued in the practice of his profession till his death in 1884; at the time of his settling in that locality there was only one physician in Waupaca county. Dr. Dickinson was a very prominent man in his day, a leader in the ranks of the Republican party, and a member, in good standing, of the F.&A.M.
   George P.Dickinson, the subject proper of these lines, received his education in the common schools of Waupaca county, Wis., and at the age of eighteen years commenced learning the trade of tinner, at which he worked some seven years. In 1874 he embarked in the drug business at Shiocton, Wis., where he remained about three years, or until 1877, at which time he entered into co-partnership with Lyman J. Cook in a general mercantile and drug business, at Norrie, Marathon county, the style of the firm being Dickinson & Cook. In 1884 they removed to Eagle River, Vilas county, establishing the first store in the place, and here they have since conducted a prosperous general mercantile, drug and real-estate business. They had to haul their goods from Three Rivers [Footnote #1] to Eagle River in a wagon and for some time kept their store in a tent. In his political preferences Mr. Dickinson is a Republican, and has served in vaious positions of honor and trust with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. Under Harrison's administration he was postmaster, has also been supervisor, and held various minor offices, such as member of the board of education; but he makes no pretense of being a politician, his business demanding and receiving all his time and attention.
   In 1876 Mr. Dickinson was married to Miss Callie Jones, who was born, in 1857, in Lake county, Ill., daughter of Clark and Elizabeth (Kapple) Jones, natives of Ohio, who followed farming in Illinois, and who had five children, as follows: Dora (deceased), Callie, William, Linna and Mrs. Thomas Herenshaw, of Chicago. The mother died in 1892, and the father now lives with Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson, who are the parents of seven children: Merton, Ralph, Imogene, Rolla, Denton, John and Dorothy, all still under the parental roof. Dr. Charles Dickson (husband of Mr. Dickinson's sister, Mrs. Alice Dickson, of New London), who was a practicing physician at Eagle River, while out hunting November 6, 1894, lost his way, and perished in the woods near Rumley's Siding, and his remains were not discovered until in April, 1895.

[#1: This should be "Three Lakes" rather than Three Rivers. In the original source it is written Three Rivers but in a bioghraphy in a latter source it is "Three Lakes"]

Submitted by Patrick Dickinson

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