Display Patriot - P-148021 - James DICKSON/DIXON

James DICKSON/DIXON

SAR Patriot #: P-148021

The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.

State of Service: NY Qualifying Service: Captain

DAR #: A032547

Birth: 03 Feb 1756 Cherry Valley / Otsego / NY
Death: 03 Jun 1842 North East / Erie / PA

Qualifying Service Description:

In February 1776, he served as a Private in the Company of Captain Samuel Clyde
In May 1776, he served in the Company of Lieutenant James Cannon
In September 1776, he served in the Company of Captain Thomas Whitaker
During much 1777, he served as a Spy for Captain Thomas Whitaker, under command of Colonel Ebenezer Cox. He finished 1777 as a Private in the Company of Captain Cornelius Newkirk and later as an Ensign under Lieutenant Cannon
In 1778, he served as Captain of a Company in the Department of Quartermaster under the command of Colonels Morgan Lewis, Udny Hay, and Cardleton
In 1779, served as a Pilot to General James Clinton
In 1780, he served first as a Private under Major Newkirk and later under Captain Garrett Putnam
His final tour was in March 1781 as a Lieutenant under Captain Marshall, commanded by Colonel Marinus Willett

Additional References:

DAR Patriot Index, pg 195
National. Archives (NARA) WDC Pension File S.22208
SAR Patriot Index Edition III (CD: PP2210, Progeny Publ, 2002) plus data to 2004
Index of Rev War Pensions, pg 325, James Dickson, Pension File #S22208
Soldiers of the American Revolution, Erie County, PA, issued by Erie County Chapter DAR, 1929, pg 23

Spouse: (1) Mary Morris; (2) Rachel Lawrence
Children: Forgus; William; John; James; Elizabeth;

Members Who Share This Ancestor

Date Approved	Society	ACN	SAR Member Info	Lineage via Child
1976-04-22	AZ	Unassigned	Paul Eugene Beckman (110198)	James
1983-01-28	AZ	Unassigned	Steven Ross Beckman (121539)	James
1989-04-01	MO	221077	William Brantner Korth (132771)	Forgus
2010-01-14	FL	37664	Robert Merrifield White (175930)	Forgus/Fergus

Burial:

Oak Hill (aka North East) Cemetery_(C-0373227)

Location:

North East / Erie / PA / USA

Find A Grave Cemetery #:

45650

Grave Plot #:

Grave GPS Coordinates:

n/a

Find A Grave Memorial #:

73385814

Marker Type:

SAR Grave Dedication Date:

Comments:

Headstone, Patriot Contemporary, Legible
Inscribed upright stone is particulate concealed in concrete. The stone is located at the Oak Hill Cemetery entrance
Image provided with permission from Sharrell, Find-a-Grave member #47106789

Directions to Cemetery / Gravesite:

Located at W Main Rd., and the intersection of Cemetery Rd., at North East Twp., Erie County, Pennsylvania

Photo: 1 of 1

Author: Mark Andrew Davis

James Dickson/Dixon was born on 3 February 1756 at Cherry Valley, New York, thought to be the son of William and Elizabeth (Campbell) Dickson.

In February 1776, while living in Montgomery County, New York, he was drafted into the Militia Company of Captain Samuel Clyde in the Brigade commanded by General Herkimer. During this time, he marched to Johnstown in an expedition against Sir John Johnston and his band of Tories, who soon surrendered. He was discharged eight to ten days later.

In May 1776, he was redrafted in a Company commanded by Lieutenant James Cannon. This Company marched west forty miles to protect a settlement along the Otsego River. The tour lasted about two weeks. In September 1776, he was again drafted on two occasions to defend the frontier under the command of Captain Whitaker, each tour lasting about two weeks.

In April 1777, he was selected by Colonel Harper as one of two men to act as spies along the Susquehanna River, a tour of about a week. General Herkimer drafted Dickson to march against British Captain McDonald and his Tories on the Delaware River. The mission was accomplished, under the command of Captain Whitaker, in about nine days.

General Herkimer ordered Dickson, in May 1777, to work as a ply on Schuyler's Lake, a tour of about a week. In June of that year, General Herkimer sent him on an expedition against Captain Brant, who was encamped in the Susquehanna River with about three hundred Native Americans and Tories. He marched in the Company of Captain Whitaker, and the expedition lasted about one month.

Later in the summer of 1777, he was commanded by General Herkimer to go to the relief of Fort Standwix, which was besieged by General St Leger. They were ambushed, and General Herkimer was killed; the Company retreated to Fort Dayton. In September, he was drafted for a one-month tour and served under General Gates at Saratoga and against General Burgoyne. In October 1777, Dickson was selected as an Ensign in the Militia and went on an expedition for two weeks.

In February 1778, he received an order from Colonel Morgan Lewis to raise a Continental Company of men. As Captain Dickson, his Company was to serve for 11 months and was commanded by Colonel Lewis. At this time, he was living in Montgomery County, New York. After this tour ended, he served in the Quarter Master’s department in Albany until June 1778. At that time, he was ordered to Fish Kill to serve as an escort to General Washington's Army, who crossed the river after the Battle of Monmouth. He returned to Albany in August and was sent to Springfield, Massachusetts, with a Brigade of wagons with flour to support the Army of General Burgoyne, who were prisoners at Rutland. After this time, he returned to Albany and was discharged there on the first day of January 1779.

In June 1779, he volunteered to go with General James Clinton on a western expedition as a Pilot. Once Clinton's men were delivered to their goal, he returned home after seventy-five days. In May 1780, he was ordered to attend an expedition against Sir John Johnson, which lasted about a week. He joined the Militia under Captain Garrett Putnam for an additional twenty-day tour in September.

In March 1781, he volunteered for nine months. Militia Service under the command of Colonel Marinus Willett and was discharged in January 1782. This was the end of his service in the Revolution.

He lived for many years in Cherry Valley until moving to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1789. In 1802, the family moved to Erie County.

He was married in about 1779 to Mary Morris. They had the following known children:

Elizabeth was born on 6 July 1781.
William was born on 27 March 1783.
John was born in 1790.
James was born on 27 January 1798.
Forgus was born on 13 June 1799.

His Last Will and Testament names the following children: Lyman Lawrence, William, James, Forgy, Polly, Ann, Jane, and Elizabeth. It should be noted that the above Lyman Lawrence was Rachel Lawrence's son and was born well before her marriage to James Dickson. His listing in James's will suggests he was considered a son, equal to his natural children.

After Mary’s death, he married a second time to Rachel Lawrence, about 1837. She was still alive when he made his will

The Patriot died on 3 June 1842 at North East, Pennsylvania, and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in the township of North East.

Sources:

Pennsylvania, Erie County, Will Book Vol. B, page 15.
Revolutionary War Pension File S22208
Soldiers of the American Revolution, Erie County, Pennsylvania, issued by Erie County Chapter DAR, 1929, page 2.

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