Dickey - Alfred - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

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Dickey - Alfred



          Source:  Bismarck Daily Tribune, Bismarck, ND: Wed Jan 30, 1901 p 1 -- thanks to the Shelby County, Indiana GenWeb page

Jamestown Capital:  The remains of  Alfred Dickey  were sent east Sunday morning to Indianapolis, Ind., in care of  H. P. Smart.  Senator Casey  accompanying him part way.  At St. Paul the body was met by  Alfred Dickey, jr.,  who came on from Indianapolis, where it is presumed the funeral will be held Tuesday.
          Memorial services were held at the Methodist church Sunday evening, and addresses delivered by ex-Mayor Steele,  Mayor Rose  and  Rev. Phillips   of the Congregational church.  All had known him and been associated  with him in business, church and social work for twenty years, and spoke  feelingly of him as a man, neighbor and Christian.  From his life Mayor  Rose drew a lesson to young men and Mr. Steel[sic] paid a fine tribute  to his character and ability.
          Rev. Phillips said there is probably not another man in the  city who had given so much to benevolence as Mr. Dickey -- who gave in  his own way and did not like to be asked.  He first became acquainted  with him when the Sunday schools of the state were divided, he and Mr.  Dickey then being the superintendent of the Metodist[sic] Sunday school  here.  Those who knew him best loved him most.
          Pastor Danford  said he had known Mr. Dickey for a long  time and had received much advice from him.  Mr. Dickey helped build  the Methodist church at LaMoure and the parsonage at Dickey.  He was the  first president of the Epworth league of this city, and except for a  mistake of the presiding elder would have been the second league formed  in the United States.
          Mr. Dickey left property conservatively estimated at $50,000, much of his wealth said to have been made in late years.
          The Msons and K. of P.s of this city counted Mr. Dickey as honored member of long standing.
          Alfred M. Dickey  was born in Shelby county, Indiana,  June 10, 1846.  Before reaching his 16th year he enlisted June 3, 1862,  for three months as a private in Co. H of the 14th Indiana volunteer  infantry.  At the expiration of his term of service he re-enlisted as a  private in Co. M. of the 1st Indiana heavey artillery, in which company  and regiment he served until long after the war closed, receiving his  honorable discharge Jan. 21, 1866, serving three years, seven months and  eighteen days.
          He was a charter member of  Wm. H. Seward  post,  G.A.R., of this city and his name stands thirteenth on the list.  He was  one of the youngest members then, being but 38 years old when the post  was organized.
          In the only autobiographical sketch Mr. Dickey is known to have given he said very modestly:
          "For the 13 years preceeding my coming to Dakota I resided in  Crawfordsville, Ind., engaged in the book and stationery business.  I  was city treasurer of Crawfordsvill for five years, resigning during my  third term to become postmaster, which position I held until failing  health forced me to resign.  I came to the territory of Dakota for my  health and think I have added years to my life by so doing.  I was born a  democrat, but have been a republican ever since Sumter was fired upon.
          "I have been a farmer, bookseller, banker and real estate  agent.  When one has done so little worthy of public mention it is a  discouraging task to tell it."
          The convention that defeated Gen.  Harrison Allen  and chose  John Miller   for the first chief executive of North Dakota also chose Mr. Dickey as  the first lieutenant governor.  It was in the days of great hopes for  the new state, then just born, and agriculture as the paramount material  interest of the state was fully recognized.  Mr. Dickey served his  state well and on the event of the World's fair was selected to  represent this state as chairman of the board of managers there.
          In late years he devoted his entire time to his business  interests here as a stockholder and officer of the James River National  bank and the Alliance Mortgage and Investment Co., liited, of London,  Eng., of which he was made general manager in the U.S. but a few weeks  ago.
          He was a man of high attainments, keen and observant, with a  strong and dominant will, possessed of a firm and patriotic regard for  American principles and ideas.
          He had traveled somewhat, visiting Cuba and Porto Rico  immediately after American occupation, and in his own way contributed  quite freely to charitable objects.  His free reading room was his  latest beneficence.
Contributed by John Addison Ballard

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Source: Sunday Star, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana, Feb 4, 1901 p 3

Alfred Dickey, several years ago a prominent citizen of this city, died in Jamestown, ND on last Saturday a week and his body was taken to Indianapolis, thence by his son to the old home at Greenwood for burial. Alfred Dickey was 55 years old.  He was a short time postmaster here under Garfield but gave up the office on account of the great opposition to his selection, caused by reason of his short residence here at the time the appointment was given him.  He was in the book trade for a time and then went to Dakota, where he made a fortune and lost it again, then he rallied and had agin gotten wealthy.  He was lieutenant governor the new territory of Dakota and at the time of his death was a real estate dealer.  HIs wife survives him with one son, who is a lawyer at Indianapolis.  He was an earnest and active business man.  He began the business of loaning money in Dakota in 1890 as a member of the firm of Wells, Dickey & Company of which he was still a member when he died.  He removed to Dakota in 1884 and was the first lieutenant governor of North Dakota after it became a state in 1889.  The county of Dickey in that state was named for him and the town of Dickey was laid out on a farm that he owned and also took his name.  The state of Mrs. Dickey's health compelled her to return to Indianapolis a year ago and since then Mr. Dickey has spent much of his time there. When he returned to North Dakota  afew weeks ago he seemed in better health than usual and his death, caused by appendicitis, followed an illness of only four days.  - typed by kbz
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Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 1 February 1901
 
Alfred Dickey, who was a resident of this city for many years, and was at one time postmaster, died Saturday at his home in Jamestown, N. D. His body was brought to Indianapolis Monday and was taken from there to Greenwood, where the funeral services were held Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock from the Greenwood Methodist Church.

Mr. Dickey was the first lieutenant-governor of North Dakota after its admission to the union of states. He was a member of the Wall & Dickey land and trust company, of Jamestown, N. D., and was one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of that state.

He was born at Mt. Auburn, Shelby County, June 10, 1846. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted for three months’ service and re-enlisted for three months’ service, serving throughout the war with the Twenty-first Indiana Volunteer heavy artillery. During his army service he was closely associated with James T. Polk, of Greenwood and at the close of the war accompanied Mr. Polk to Greenwood, where he took charge of the public schools. He was married at Greenwood in 1870 to Miss Margaret Brewer, who survives him, and now lives in Indianapolis.

In 1871 he came to Crawfordsville where he opened a book store and later was appointed to the position of postmaster by President Arthur. During his residence in Crawfordsville he acquired some land interests in North Dakota and in 1884 he removed to that state, locating at Jamestown. When the territory was admitted to statehood, he was elected to the office of lieutenant-governor. Two years ago he came back to Indianapolis and purchased a residence and a farm near Greenwood and was preparing to return to this state when he was stricken with appendicitis, from which death resulted. He leaves besides his widow, one son, Alfred E. Dickey, a lawyer of Indianapolis.

Mr. Dickey was a few months ago appointed the loan agent for the Manchester Insurance Company of England, and was preparing to go to England to meet the officers of that company.

Mr. Dickey was a member of the local lodge Knights of Pythias and was the only past grand chancellor the lodge ever had. - thanks to s for all her great obit work


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