William Brown Dickson

William was a businessman and civic leader who lived in Montclair, NJ. He began working for the Carnegie Steel Company (PA) at the age of fifteen; later became a junior partner and managing director of the company. From 1901 to 1911 (when he resigned) he served as Vice President of the United States Steel Corporation (one of its founders). He was chairman of the Board and Vice President of Midvale Steel and Ordnance Company in Philadelphia in 1915 - made munitions for the War. In 1917 he was a member of the Board of State Prison Inspectors in NJ. He was a founder of the Montclair Art Museum (but website doesn't mention his name) He was a sponsor of the Llewellyn Ensemble, that met at his home in Montclair in 1917 - later played at the Montclair Art Museum. The group is considered the beginning of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

William was an abolitionist and an advocate of industrial democracy in labor-management relations. His documents and archives are located at the NJ Historical Society. He was responsible for many of the laws that now protect workers from inhumane labor practices.

In 1938 William compiled a "History of the Carnegie Veteran Association" which provided documentation of some of the men who worked for Carnegie - Andrew Carnegie at its helm.

Between 1901 - 1909 he built a stone and wood lodge of the Arts and Crafts style in Littleton, Laconia, NH - called Highland Croft - which became his summer home. It was deemed the "finest summer bungalow in all the White Mtns." About to be declared a national monument in 2008, thieves broke into it one night, vandalizing it and stealing most of the antiques housed there. A few weeks later it was burned to the ground by arsonists. The 150 acres of land (+half a dozen barns & outbuildings + the lodge) that the property was comprised of had become increasingly fought over by commercial concerns - Walmart, Target - its preservation not being in the best interests of the various commercial agents that were vying for it .

William died after a four-month illness in 1942 at Highland Croft. Thomas Edison, a friend of William & his family often visited them there and helped to design its lighting - Henry Ford was also a frequent visitor.

In 1907 - he collected and edited THE GENEALOGY OF THE DICKSON FAMILY.

A great deal is written about W.B. Dickson in the book STEELMASTERS AND LABOR REFORM, 1886-1923 by Gerald G. Eggert 1981.

Poetry, A Collection of Poems by William B. Dickson, 1962, compiled and published by Emma Dickson Carswell.

Following quoted from a FamilySearch site (9/2017).... "I googled William Brown Dickson of Pittsburgh and found a rich history of what happened to this family before William became this businessman and civic leader. The book sells for $148 and is not available to print from my computer but is very worth reading. William was a businessman and civic leader who lived in Montclair, New Jersey. He began working for the Carnegie Steel Company (PA) at the age of 15; later became a junior partner and managing director of the company. From 1901 to 1911 (when he resigned) he served as a Vice President of the United States Steel Corporation (one of its founders). He was chairman of the Board and Vice President of Midvale Steel and Ordnance Company in Philadelphia in 1915 - made munitions for the War. In 1917 he was a member of the Board of State Prison Inspectors in New Jersey. He was a founder of the Montclair Art Museum (but the website doesn't mention his name). He was a sponsor of the Llewellyn Ensemble, that met at his home in Montclair in 1917 - later played at the Montclair Art Museum. The group is considered the beginning of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. In 1907 he collected and edited the Dickson Family Genealogy Book that I have quoted from extensively for sources. There is much more about William in the source book I found on his life but I have not reproduced it all here. I want to learn how to add it as a memory or a story. From this family genealogy book of the Dickson family authored by William Brown Dickson I will quote a paragraph that concerns his Thomas Dickson (4A) relative who is his grandfather.( "Note 26. HOUSE IN COAGH, IRELAND, (See Frontispiece), where THOMAS DICKSON (4A) and most of his family were born. Build by William Dickson (8A) in 1784. This house contained three large rooms subdivided into six small ones. The kitchen was in the rear immediately behind the front entrance. The parlor was at the right front with two windows opening to it. Behind the parlor were two small bed rooms. At the left front was a large bedroom and back of it a good sized room used as a dining and general living room. Over the front door was a stone imbedded in the wall with the inscription, W.D., 1784. This stone was secured by George Alexander Dickson son of James Dickson and grandson of Thomas Dickson (4A) and build into the mantel above the fireplace in his residence at Indianapolis, Ind., where it now is. (May 1907, W.B.D.)"

Sources: • Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, MFF# 126, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Papers of the Dickson Family, 1836-1925 • University of Minnesota, Elmer L. Andersen Library, Kautz Family YMCA Archives. Emma Young Dickson Papers • Montclair Public Library, Montclair, NJ, Local History Room, History of Montclair Parks (undated typescript), correspondence of William B. Dickson, 1904-06 • Littleton Area Historical Society, Littleton, NH, Wm. B. Dickson Papers