Lebanon News, Lebanon, VA

August 9, 1940

Dickenson Families Hold Reunion

A reunion of the branch of the Dickenson family descending from Charles Carroll and Catherine Counts Dickenson held at the home of Noah C. Dickenson on the site of the old homestead at Carterton, on Sunday brought together relatives from Tennessee, Kentucky and the Virginias to the number of about 100, which including the four living children of the thirteen born to him and his wife. Charles Jr. died at the age of 12, while the remaining dozen lived to ripe old ages. Those present were Mrs. Elihu Jessee, age 89, John T., age 86, Thomas F., age 83 and Noah C., age 80. James H. Dickenson, age 90, half brother to Charles C. and only surviver of the generation was also an honor guest for the occasion.

Billy Gilmer, 82, a son of a sister, Caroline whose husband was Joseph Gilmer, of Hansonville, also attended.

Four of the deceased brothers of the family, Capt. Henry H., James, W. P., and Nathan served in the Confederate army.

Charles C. Dickenson was a son of Major Henry and Priscilla Carroll Dickenson, who resided on Clinch River about one mile above Castlewood on a farm owned by a descendent, Walter G. Gray. Henry Dickenson, great grandfather of Charles C. was the first clerk of Russell county, fought at King's Mountain and in the decisive Point Pleasant engagement with the Indians.

In is co-incidental that the four daughters of Charles C. each married a Jessee, two of them brothers, and that three of the sons were married to three Quarles sisters, of Bedford county. Eight of the double first cousins were in Sunday's gathering.

Sunday's reunion was the second of it's kind, was attended by five generations. A. K. Gilmer, great grandson, had the pleasure of introducing his bride of one week to her newly acquired relatives. She was Miss Katherine Stanley, of Reid, Ky., and for the past two years a member of Lebanon High School faculty.

In the large group only two sets of twins were included, they being great grandchildren, Alfred Dickenson of Lebanon, and Bill Liddle, of Goodwill, W. Va., were from each twain.

The families of nine of the children of the memorialized couple were represented, Mrs. Fulton Jessee, by the Liddles, Mrs. Elihu Jessee in person accompanied by a daughter, Captain Henry by his son and his daughters, James by two sons, W. P. by his son, and three daughters, Nathan by his two daughters, John T. by his two sons and one of the two daughters, Thomas F. by two of his three sons and both of his daughters and Noah C. by his three sons and his daughters.

The Dickensons have not yet adopted the custom of forming reunion organizations but hope to perpetuate the occasion spontaneously. The next event will probably be staged at Dickensonville made approprate from having been the early home of the family, remaining continuously in the hands of the descendents of Henry Dickenson who resided there and rendered notable service in the goverment of the country bearing the name of his Revolutionary Army commander, General William Russell.

MRS. L. L. DICKENSON