Dickinson Family Association

Volume XXII, Number 1

President’s Message

As indicated in our Fall newsletter, the DFA board has been busy planning for our 2025 Reunion to be held Saturday, June 21, 2025 in Wethersfield, CT (located immediately south of Hartford, CT) hosted by the Wethersfield Historical Society at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main St. which is a short distance from I-91 (Old Wethersfield Exit).  On Saturday our reunion will be held within the ballroom and our main speaker will be William “Gillie” Johnson, Museum Educator.  We will also conduct a tour and hold an informal gathering and dinner on Friday.  More details will follow in April.

Wethersfield was the first permanent residence of Nathaniel Dickinson and his family (c.1637-1659).  Many of our ancestors continued to live in Wethersfield and its surrounding communities for the past 385 years.  For instance, Edwin C. Dickinson, a former CT State Supreme Court Judge, commissioned his house at 565 Wolcott Hill St. in 1919.  His older brother Robert C. Dickinson was also an attorney for Travelers Insurance in Hartford until 1936.  J. Dickinson Adams, a local food produce merchant, had owned the former John Chester Tavern (1735) located at 25 Garden St. where Nathaniel Dickinson’s original lot from the 1600’s was located.  Born during the Revolutionary War in 1775, Ashbel Dickinson was a “sea captain” in Wethersfield until 1825. 

The surrounding towns of Rocky Hill, Newington and Glastonbury were previously part of Wethersfield.  At Rocky Hill, Eliphalet and Ebenezer Dickinson (ancestors of Edwin C. and Robert C.) built a sawmill with Joshua Robbins, Jr. circa 1713 along Goffe’s Brook.  Sgt. Ebenezer Dickinson, son of Elihu and Lucy (Deming) Dickinson, led a troop in the Rev War a later was a founder of New Hartford, NY.  John Dickinson, who married Lydia Smith, was a cooper in Newington in 1694 and also owned land in Wethersfield.  His son Jonathan remained in Wethersfield and his great-grandson, Levi Dickinson, born in Wethersfield, was a privateer in the Revolutionary War later became the first well-known corn broom manufacturer in America.

In Hartford, there were several Dickinson families, including Leonard A. Dickinson, who served as a Captain during the Civil War (12^th Regiment of CT Infantry, Company C).  Leonard was a former postmaster of Hartford, prominent agent for the Aetna Fire Insurance Co. and very active with veterans. Going back further, Thomas Dickinson (son of Nathaniel I) was a surveyor in Hartford in 1696. These ancestors are amongst a few who were raised in the Wethersfield/Hartford area.

Therefore, I encourage everyone to schedule a multi-day vacation in the Wethersfield/Hartford area as there are many libraries and historical societies that contain information on our family heritage.  For more information on Wethersfield Historical Society and their museums see the following website link: https://www.wethersfieldhistory.org

See the following link for a detailed Wethersfield map:

https://wethersfieldct.gov/visitor-information/

Best Regards,

President:  Ken Dickinson

2025 DFA SCHOLARSHIP ALERT

One of the most important functions of the Dickinson Family Association is the awarding of our annual scholarship.  For the year 2024, the Scholarship Committee selected Riley Arenberg, who is attending Amherst College, to receive a scholarship of $1,500.

The 2025 Scholarship application process will continue to be online.  For information you may go to our website under “Scholarship” or contact our scholarship chair, Lisa Butler, via email at:  dickinsonfamilyassociation@gmail.com

ROAD TRIP NEWS

Ken Dickinson, recently traveled to Princeton University to review the Jonathan Dickinson Archives in Princeton’s Special Collections Library.  During his walk around campus, he visited “Dickinson Hall” which was named in Jonathan Dickinson’s honor as the leader of the Presbyterian Church in New Jersey and first president of Princeton University.  Rev. Jonathan Dickinson had mentored Aaron Burr (America’s vice president during Jefferson’s term) amongst other early leaders of our country.  Upon Johnathan Dickinson’s sudden death in 1747, Aaron Burr “carried the torch” as Princeton’s second president.  Jonathan Dickinson was an active doctor and often wrote prescriptions for various aliments utilizing native herbs.  Jonathan’s father was Hezekiah Dickinson who was born in Wethersfield, CT in 1645.  More to follow on Jonathan and Hezekiah Dickinson in a future zoom presentation.

Ken Dickinson also recently traveled to Binghamton, NY in November.  Upon reading a Daniel S. Dickinson biography, he was impressed by the impact that had on the development of Binghamton’s railway and canal system.  Ken reports that the Daniel S. Dickinson statue is in fine condition.  It is located in the center of Downtown Binghamton in front of the Broome County Courthouse.  There is much more to rediscover about Atty. Daniel S. Dickinson and other members of our family in Binghamton.  Daniel S. Dickinson ancestors were also from Hartford, CT as he was related to Thomas I (mentioned above).

Be Thinking

The Dickinson Family Association is doing well, but change is always imminent. 

Currently we have the following open positions on our Executive Committee: 

Vice President, Secretary and Historian

Please contact DFA President, Ken Dickinson, via email for more information at:  president@dickinsonfamilyassociation.org

Web site: www.dickinsonfamilyassociation.org

Newsletter editor:  Dale Williams