Dickson Family Papers
Scope and Contents
The papers consist largely of land, property, and goods transaction receipts and documents of each of the four generations of the family represented. Certificates, oaths, correspondence, deeds, and a diary are included in Joseph Dickson's papers, along with several sale documents for enslaved people from the late 1700s and early 1800s. Much of the land and goods, and many of the enslaved people were exchanged with neighbors and others in the area. Most of Joseph Dickson's documents are individually described in this inventory. The papers of John Dickson (1737-1809, brother of Joseph Dickson), Robert Dickson, Robert Renick Dickson and Henry Frazier Dickson, and Geraldine Dickson Burrow (1879-1943, daughter of Henry Frazier Dickson), are grouped by type of material (for example, financial accounts, correspondence, and land deeds). Within Robert Dickson's correspondence are a few references to the Civil War, including a letter from a Confederate tax collector demanding payment of his 1863 Confederate taxes. Other interesting documents include the transcript (1916) of the trial of Sallie Dickson (wife of Robert Renick Dickson) who was sued by Henry Frazier Dickson, for payment of rent due to him. The papers also include genealogy charts of the family.
Dates
- 1769 - 1924
Creator
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Biographical Note
The Dicksons were pioneer settlers of Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia). Joseph Dickson (1749-1822) settled in what is now Greenbrier County, West Virginia, from Ireland by way of Pennsylvania in the 1770s. He received land grants originally from the King's land office in 1769, and later from the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1785, 1789, and 1795 for property on Howard's Creek. His son, Robert Dickson (1795-1869?), inherited the land and built Locust Hill in 1833, now called Mountain Home. Robert Renick Dickson (1827-1888) and Henry Frazier Dickson (1841-1909), Robert Dickson's sons, inherited the land and in turn left it to their heirs. The Dicksons turned Mountain Home near White Sulphur Springs into a resort in the 1800s and early 1900s. The property and home were owned by the family until they were sold in 1968.
Extent
2.8 Cubic Feet (2 boxes)
Arrangement
The papers are arranged by family member, and then chronologically by type of material.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Dickson Family Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
- Title
- Dickson Family Papers, 1769-1924
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Laura Katz Smith
- Date
- 2001 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
Revision Statements
- 2020-08-26: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
- 2022-10: Updated description to person-first language when discussing enslaved people. adw
- 2024-06-18: Kaitlynn Harless added classification and updated dates, files, and typos.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu