Robert Nathaniel Dickson, Esq

Robert Nathaniel Dickson was one of the early settlers to Hopewell Cape. He moved to New Brunswick in 1760, and married Thomas Calhoun's widow, Rachel. He was a lawyer, a records keeper for Hopewell, parish clerk, hotel owner, farmer and ferryman

GEDCOM Note

Category: Calhoun-Dickson Cemetery c1800, Hopewell, New Brunswick
Category: 1803 Hopewell Census

Biography

The Albert County Museum at Hopewell, New Brunswick has the journal kept by Robert Dickson. The following text, taken from the Museum website, provides a biography and contains excerpts from the diary:
≤ref>https://www.albertcountymuseum.com/robert-dickson≤/ref>
One of the early settlers in Hopewell Cape was Robert Dickson. He was born in 1748 in Middletown Connecticut, and moved to Nova Scotia in 1760. [The Colony of Nova Scotia included New Brunswick at the time.] Helater studied law, and in 1771, represented Thomas Calhoun in a lawsuit to recover wages that were owed to Calhoun from the land owners forwhom Calhoun had managed lands in the Hopewell area. Calhoun died before the lawsuit was settled, but Dickson continued to represent Calhoun's widow, Rachel, in the legal action. He eventually won the lawsuit and Rachel was awarded £509 9s 6d. This sum was paid for by auctioning off land in the Hopewell area, Dickson himself purchased some of theland sold at auction. Dickson also put his legal knowledge to good use working as a clerk for the Hopewell town parish, as well as in negotiating land grants for himself and other settlers. He and Rachel were later married and lived near the site of the Hopewell Rocks, with their 10 children, and Rachel's two children from her marriage to Calhoun.Robert Dickson passed away in 1825, and his wife Rachel passed away in 1803. [The remains of Rachel and Robert Dickson are interred at the Calhoun-Dickson Cemetery in Hopewell.]
Much information can be found about what life was like for the early settlers of Albert County from the account book of Robert Dickson, dated 1776-1828. In the account book he kept a record of his many businesstransactions, as well as a register of births, marriages, deaths, anda record of the earmarks of cattle of the various farmers in the Hopewell area.
One of Dickson's many occupations was a ferryman. He owned a boat which he had purchased for £16 4s 7d. At one time, he ran a ferry, carrying people and cargo, to and from destinations like Grindstone Island, Horton, Cumberland, and Saint John. Ferries were how people in those days transported goods like crops and cattle to market to be sold or traded. One entry shows a charge of 16 shillings each for transporting 9oxen to Horton. Dickson also transported cattle over land to be sold at market. One such account entry records that he charged Mr. Lockhartwith 8 days driving cattle to "Petitquajack" (Hillsborough), at 3 shillings per day, plus 7 shillings for hay, and 2 shillings for one dayswork on a sled.
Dickson may also have sawed lumber. One account entry lists him as selling boards for 4 pounds 10 shillings per thousand. Dickson was also acarpenter. He was paid for work he had done on the new school being built in Hopewell in June of 1801. Dickson's work as a farmer ranged from mowing a field for Abiel Peck to selling apples, which he may have grown in his own orchard.
Yet another of Robert Dickson's jobs was as an innkeeper. He kept lodgers for 4d. a day, and provided them a meal for an extra shilling. He also sold rum from Jamaica in 32 gallon barrels at 4 shillings a barrel. Among his other occupations were: trader, butcher, solicitor, and blacksmith.
Robert Dickson's account book also recorded births, marriages, and deaths. For example, one entry reads:

:Hopewell January 13th 1827
:William Dickson Departed This life
:and in the fourth year of his age:William Dickson the Father of the above named deceased departed this life Sept. 29th 1849 he was making an attempt to get on board of his boat :he sank to rise no more

The earmarks for cattle are also recorded. For example:* Eseakel Cornstalks Earmark - a hallow Crop under the left ear & a ½under the same

• Daniel Dewolf - a square crop of the right earRobert Dickson's many occupations and many different skills, made him a very valuable member of the community in which he lived. The new andgrowing community must have benefitted greatly from his hard work.

Robert was born on 12 December 1748 in Middletown, Connecticut, UnitedStates. He was the son of Robert Dickson and Abigail (Harris) Dickson.≤ref>Birth: Abbreviation: Book: Downeast Dicksons Title: Katharine Dickson Brown, Downeast Dicksons (:, 1987) Call Number: likely repository Repository: #R127 Call Number: p.13-27, 34, 35, 40. Citing: Page: p.18 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>≤ref>Birth: Abbreviation: Info: Howard Dixon Title: Howard Dixon, Pedigree and other information received 6 Apr 1997, filed in Dixon folder. Citing: Page: citing The Genealogical History of Descendants of Joseph Peck by Ira B Peck, 1868 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>
AltBirth: 12 November 1748 in Middletown, Connecticut, United States.≤ref name="burial"/>≤ref name="death"/>
AltBirth: 12 December 1748 in Middletown, Connecticut, United States.≤ref>AltBirth: Abbreviation: Info: Howard Dixon Title: Howard Dixon, Pedigree and other information received 6 Apr 1997, filed in Dixon folder. Citing: Page: pedigree chart (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>
When Robert was about 23 he married after 1772 at an unknown location.The couple had 10 children: Lavinia Dickson, Rebecca Dixon, Robert Dickson, William Dickson, Elizabeth Dickson, @I46550@, @I46551@, @I46552@, @I46553@ and @I46554@.≤ref name="burial"/>
Robert died at the age of 76 on 31 October 1825 in Hopewell, Albert, New Brunswick, Canada.≤ref name="death">Death: Abbreviation: Info: Joyce Oakman Title: Information from Joyce Oakman. Citing: Page: Dickson file, received 20 Oct 2005, p.11 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>
Robert was buried after 31 October 1825 in Dickson/Calhoun Cemetery, Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, Canada.≤ref name="burial">Burial: Abbreviation: Info: Howard Dixon Title: Howard Dixon, Pedigree and other information received 6 Apr 1997, filed in Dixon folder. Citing: Page: citing Robert Dickson's account book (accessed 13 May2021)
≤/ref>
Probate: 19 November 1825 in Hopewell Parish, Albert, New Brunswick, Canada.≤ref>Probate: Abbreviation: Early NB Probate Records 1785-1835 Title:Early New Brunswick Probate Records 1785-1835 Note: Extracted from copy at National Library≤br/> Filed in New Brunswick Sources binder. Citing: Quality or Certainty of Data: 3 Data: Text: p.122 Dickson, RobertAdministration granted 19 Nov 1825 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>

Research Notes

Issues to be checked ===Generated by WikiTree AGC. This section should be removed when all issues have been looked at.

• Found an unknown section name 'Probate'.* A burial fact had no date. Changed its date to be after the death date.

Sources

≤references />
See also:

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHXB-QHS* FamilySearch ID: LHXB-QHS.* https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142302247/robert-nathaniel-dickson
• Probate record. https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/MC3706/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&ab...
• https://albertcounty.tripod.com/photoalbumsandstories/id11.html

  ---

GEDCOM Note

Category: Calhoun-Dickson Cemetery c1800, Hopewell, New Brunswick
Category: 1803 Hopewell Census

Biography

The Albert County Museum at Hopewell, New Brunswick has the journal kept by Robert Dickson. The following text, taken from the Museum website, provides a biography and contains excerpts from the diary:
≤ref>https://www.albertcountymuseum.com/robert-dickson≤/ref>
One of the early settlers in Hopewell Cape was Robert Dickson. He was born in 1748 in Middletown Connecticut, and moved to Nova Scotia in 1760. [The Colony of Nova Scotia included New Brunswick at the time.] Helater studied law, and in 1771, represented Thomas Calhoun in a lawsuit to recover wages that were owed to Calhoun from the land owners forwhom Calhoun had managed lands in the Hopewell area. Calhoun died before the lawsuit was settled, but Dickson continued to represent Calhoun's widow, Rachel, in the legal action. He eventually won the lawsuit and Rachel was awarded £509 9s 6d. This sum was paid for by auctioning off land in the Hopewell area, Dickson himself purchased some of theland sold at auction. Dickson also put his legal knowledge to good use working as a clerk for the Hopewell town parish, as well as in negotiating land grants for himself and other settlers. He and Rachel were later married and lived near the site of the Hopewell Rocks, with their 10 children, and Rachel's two children from her marriage to Calhoun.Robert Dickson passed away in 1825, and his wife Rachel passed away in 1803. [The remains of Rachel and Robert Dickson are interred at the Calhoun-Dickson Cemetery in Hopewell.]
Much information can be found about what life was like for the early settlers of Albert County from the account book of Robert Dickson, dated 1776-1828. In the account book he kept a record of his many businesstransactions, as well as a register of births, marriages, deaths, anda record of the earmarks of cattle of the various farmers in the Hopewell area.
One of Dickson's many occupations was a ferryman. He owned a boat which he had purchased for £16 4s 7d. At one time, he ran a ferry, carrying people and cargo, to and from destinations like Grindstone Island, Horton, Cumberland, and Saint John. Ferries were how people in those days transported goods like crops and cattle to market to be sold or traded. One entry shows a charge of 16 shillings each for transporting 9oxen to Horton. Dickson also transported cattle over land to be sold at market. One such account entry records that he charged Mr. Lockhartwith 8 days driving cattle to "Petitquajack" (Hillsborough), at 3 shillings per day, plus 7 shillings for hay, and 2 shillings for one dayswork on a sled.
Dickson may also have sawed lumber. One account entry lists him as selling boards for 4 pounds 10 shillings per thousand. Dickson was also acarpenter. He was paid for work he had done on the new school being built in Hopewell in June of 1801. Dickson's work as a farmer ranged from mowing a field for Abiel Peck to selling apples, which he may have grown in his own orchard.
Yet another of Robert Dickson's jobs was as an innkeeper. He kept lodgers for 4d. a day, and provided them a meal for an extra shilling. He also sold rum from Jamaica in 32 gallon barrels at 4 shillings a barrel. Among his other occupations were: trader, butcher, solicitor, and blacksmith.
Robert Dickson's account book also recorded births, marriages, and deaths. For example, one entry reads:

:Hopewell January 13th 1827
:William Dickson Departed This life
:and in the fourth year of his age:William Dickson the Father of the above named deceased departed this life Sept. 29th 1849 he was making an attempt to get on board of his boat :he sank to rise no more

The earmarks for cattle are also recorded. For example:* Eseakel Cornstalks Earmark - a hallow Crop under the left ear & a ½under the same

• Daniel Dewolf - a square crop of the right earRobert Dickson's many occupations and many different skills, made him a very valuable member of the community in which he lived. The new andgrowing community must have benefitted greatly from his hard work.

Robert was born on 12 December 1748 in Middletown, Connecticut, UnitedStates. He was the son of Robert Dickson and Abigail (Harris) Dickson.≤ref>Birth: Abbreviation: Book: Downeast Dicksons Title: Katharine Dickson Brown, Downeast Dicksons (:, 1987) Call Number: likely repository Repository: #R127 Call Number: p.13-27, 34, 35, 40. Citing: Page: p.18 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>≤ref>Birth: Abbreviation: Info: Howard Dixon Title: Howard Dixon, Pedigree and other information received 6 Apr 1997, filed in Dixon folder. Citing: Page: citing The Genealogical History of Descendants of Joseph Peck by Ira B Peck, 1868 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>
AltBirth: 12 November 1748 in Middletown, Connecticut, United States.≤ref name="burial"/>≤ref name="death"/>
AltBirth: 12 December 1748 in Middletown, Connecticut, United States.≤ref>AltBirth: Abbreviation: Info: Howard Dixon Title: Howard Dixon, Pedigree and other information received 6 Apr 1997, filed in Dixon folder. Citing: Page: pedigree chart (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>
When Robert was about 23 he married after 1772 at an unknown location.The couple had 10 children: Lavinia Dickson, Rebecca Dixon, Robert Dickson, William Dickson, Elizabeth Dickson, @I46550@, @I46551@, @I46552@, @I46553@ and @I46554@.≤ref name="burial"/>
Robert died at the age of 76 on 31 October 1825 in Hopewell, Albert, New Brunswick, Canada.≤ref name="death">Death: Abbreviation: Info: Joyce Oakman Title: Information from Joyce Oakman. Citing: Page: Dickson file, received 20 Oct 2005, p.11 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>
Robert was buried after 31 October 1825 in Dickson/Calhoun Cemetery, Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, Canada.≤ref name="burial">Burial: Abbreviation: Info: Howard Dixon Title: Howard Dixon, Pedigree and other information received 6 Apr 1997, filed in Dixon folder. Citing: Page: citing Robert Dickson's account book (accessed 13 May2021)
≤/ref>
Probate: 19 November 1825 in Hopewell Parish, Albert, New Brunswick, Canada.≤ref>Probate: Abbreviation: Early NB Probate Records 1785-1835 Title:Early New Brunswick Probate Records 1785-1835 Note: Extracted from copy at National Library≤br/> Filed in New Brunswick Sources binder. Citing: Quality or Certainty of Data: 3 Data: Text: p.122 Dickson, RobertAdministration granted 19 Nov 1825 (accessed 13 May 2021)
≤/ref>

Research Notes

Issues to be checked ===Generated by WikiTree AGC. This section should be removed when all issues have been looked at.

• Found an unknown section name 'Probate'.* A burial fact had no date. Changed its date to be after the death date.

Sources

≤references />
See also:

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHXB-QHS* FamilySearch ID: LHXB-QHS.* https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142302247/robert-nathaniel-dickson
• Probate record. https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/MC3706/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&ab...
• https://albertcounty.tripod.com/photoalbumsandstories/id11.html