Hood County Texas Genealogical Society

Biographical Notes Concerning Hood County Communities, Families and Noteworthy Citizens
Major John Bennett Dickson

Scanned from Hood County Genealogical Society Newsletter
No. 18, May 1988
Contributed by Mary kate Durham

Spanish American War? Civil War? American Revolution? No !
The special wrought iron marker on the grave of Major John B. Dickson in Granbury Cemetery honors his service in the War of 1812.

On a summer's day in the 1970's I happened upon the marker. It was covered by a bush at the bottom of an imposing marble monument that sits in good company near General Hiram Granberry. Since Hood County is far removed from the 1812 War zone, I felt this to be unique and interesting that Major Dickson now rests in Granbury and has since 1876.

Imagine my surprise and pleasure when I received a recent letter from James H. Landers of Hamilton Texas. He wanted help in locating an ancestor in Thorp Spring. After walking through the cemetery there, I reviewed the request again and realized that this was my 1812 veteran in the Granbury Cemetery. I had found someone to "claim" him!

I sent an immediate reply, along with photos of the marker to Mr. Landers. He, in turn, sent an informative history of the Dickson family. He was pleased to find the spelling from the marker since the "History of Hood County"(Ewell) mentions the family as Dixon.

DICKSON, John Bennett
b. 23 April 1797 Tennessee
m._____________
d. 1 November 1876, Hood Co., TX
He moved from Tarrant Co., TX to Hood County in 1865

According to Julia Kathryn Garrett's book, "Fort Worth: A Frontier Triumph" (1972), John B. Dickson was a Fort Worth pioneer. He had a mercantile business "on the square." One of his sons, Ephraim A. Dickson was in the business with his father from 1856 until the beginning of the Civil War when he left to join the Confederate Army. In late July, 1862, John Bennett learned that his son had been killed in the Battle of Black River near Paroquet Bluff, Arkansas, on July 8, 1862. His second son, Dempsey, was killed at the Battle of Elk Horn, Arkansas, in March 1862. In a few months the Dickson store in Fort Worth was closed and Dickson retired to his farm southeast of Fort Worth.

Bennett Dickson was wounded in the Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812, 8 January 1815. He served under General Jackson.

He had the following children, and possibly more:
Isabella Dickson, b. ca 1832, Tennessee
m. Captain john M. Murchison
d. 8 February 1883
She was a school teacher at Thorp Spring, Hood Co. after the Civil War.

Ephraim Albert Dickson, b.
d. 8 July 1862 at Battle of Black River, Arkansas, while serving in the C.S.A.

Dempsey Powell Dickson, b.
d. March, 1862 at Battle of Elk Horn. AR

Sarah Dickson, b. ca 1838, Arkansas
m. A. T. Howell at Thorp Spring, TX
She was a school teacher at Thorp Spring, post Civil War.

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