Alta Mae Dickinson Spooner
Birth 11 Nov 1903 Flagstaff, Arizona
Death 2002 (aged 98–99) Mesa, Arizona
Burial Valley Memorial Park Cemetery Coolidge, Pinal County, Arizona
Parents
Frank Lee Dickinson 1867–1925
Hulda Susan Smith Marshall 1881–1985
Spouses
Robert A Spooner 1904–1972
Siblings
Vaudrey Samuel "Sam" Dickinson 1900–1981
Edward Lee "Eddie" Dickinson 1906–1968
Frank H. Dickinson 1914–1998
Helen May Dickinson Moxcey
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Alta Mae Spooner Reid
Obituary
Arizona Republic May 10, 2002, Page 36
November 11,1903 to May 7, 2002
Was a native of Arizona with pioneer heritage. Her father, Frank Lee Dickinson and mother, Hulda Susan Smith Dickinson traveled to Arizona from Missouri by wagon train in the late 1800’s. Alta was born in Flagstaff. She attended school in Flagstaff and Camp Verde graduating from High School at Clarkdale. In 1926 Alta married Robert Spooner. Daughter Barbara Ann was born while they lived in Clemenceau. Alta worked as a bookkeeper and Postmaster at the Clemenceau Post Office. In 1976 the family moved to Coolidge where Alta became the Railway Express Agent. Rober died in 1975. She became very active in Easter Star, serving as Worthy Matron twice for beloved Ocotillo Chapter. She belonged to the Rebekah Lodge, The Women’s Club and the Presbyterian Church. In 1987 at a class reunion in Camp Verde, she was reunited with an old friend, Marion Reid. They were married in 1995. She is survived by her daughter Barbara and her husband Jack Havens of Mesa, Granddaughter Holly and her husband Jerry Martinson of Pinetop; two sisters, Helen and husband Roland Moxcey, Mattey and her husband Joe Brashears of San Diego.
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The following was written by Alta Mae (Dickinson) Spooner. No date indicated.
Alta’s father, Frank Lee Dickinson, was part of the 1875 wagon train and Alta’s mother, Hulda Susan (Smith) Dickinson, was part of the 1887 wagon train from Missouri.
Alta was Diana (Moxcey) Rowe’s aunt and Holly (Havens) Martinson’s grandmother.
Moving West In 1875.
Sanuel Cotton Dickinson, still an adventurer at heart, and remembering when he was a young fellow in 1849, he traveled West seeking his fortune in California, he longed to see the west again. So, In April 1875, with his wife, Nancy Jane and their children, Margie Ann, May, Frank, William (Bill), Alfred, and Edward. His son by his first marriage, Charley, was old enough to drive one of wagons, they left Missouri for the enchanted land of Arizona. After three months they arrived In the Valley in August 1875.
Samuel Dickinson fell in love with the beautiful Oak Creek. There he settled on Lower Oak Creek, raising fruit, vegetables, and some cattie. There Samuel became Cornville’s first Postmaster. Here he and Nancy were happy and watched their children grow up and marry and raise their own families. Margie Ann was the first to marry. She married William Beriman Back. He was born in Harrisonville Missouri, in 1858. He left home at a very early age stopping in Colorado for a time. Then moved on Into the Verde Valley and met Margie Ann. After they were married Bill bought the Montezuma Ranch on Beaver Creek. Here they lived in their lovely home until their death. Seven children were born to them: Mildred, who married Dan Fain. Fred, married Rose Allen, Bertha (deceased), Harry, married Maggie Hough, Jessie, married Norval Cherry, Jennie (deceased) and young Bill, married May Cox.
Samuel Cotton’s second daughter, May, married James Hawkins, son of the Hawkins family who left Missouri in 1875 with the same wagon caravan with the Dickinsons. James became a policeman in the town of Jerome and there he was killed while doing his duty.
Jame’s brother, Lee Hawkins, was the first dentist in Jerome. He later owned the first car in Jerome.
James and May Hawkins had two children, a boy, Charles and a girl, Minnie. When little Millie was about one year old James was killed and her mother May died of pneumonia. Nancy Jane and Samuel Cotton raised their grandchildren. Charles, crew up to be a cowboy left Arizona Yor California where he died. Minnie grew up to become to be a pretty young lady and married young and handsome Maurice C Smith. They settled in Williams, Arizona on a cattle ranch. They had three children, Eugene, Cecil, and Agnes.
Ed Dickinson — married Florence Stegman; I do not know about their children as they moved to California and Ed died there. But he was brought back to Arizona and buried In the Cottonwood Cemetery.
Alfred Dickinson — married Ida Van Deren of Oak Creek. They lived their lives in Flagstaff where Alfred built and ran the Pine Hotel. The old hotel still stands on Sante Fe Street across from the Railroad Depot. Three boys and one girl were born to them — Ralph, Walter, Don, and Alma.
William (Bill) - married Nell Pattee. They had one son, Carl. Uncle Bill worked with cattle for many years and later served as Sheriff of Coconino County for a number of years.
Frank Lee Dickinson — married Hulda Susan Smith. Frank was born in 1867, Humansville, Missouri, Hulda was born In Cedar County, Missouri, in 1881. Franks was eight years old when his family moved to Arizona, In 1875. Hulda was five years old when her family moved to Arizona in 1886. Frank attended the Oak Creek school but started working cattle at the early age of fourteen. He worked for the Hashknife and many other cattle outfits, but finally he and his brother BIII started on their own.
He met and courted a pretty little Camp Verde girl, one of Verde’s fairest daughters, Hulda Susan Smith. They were married on Christmas Eve at her home in 1899. They moved to Flagstaff where he worked with the Babbitt Bros. running the Woods Ranch and the Beaver Creek 100 Ranch. Frank financed and helped his brother Ed, build the first store in Cottonwood, Arizona. Frank stayed with the cattle business and Ed ran the store for a few years. Then he left for California. Frank sold the store to Lon Mason. Frank Dickinson served as Deputy Sheriff, Coconino County, for many years. But he never left the cattle business.
In 1921, Frank sold his share of the cattle. Also, he sold he two story home In Flagstaff and the lovely home In Camp Verde. He moved to Clarkdale where he was a Security Guard at the Smelter. He was also appointed cattle inspector.
Frank Lee Dickinson ana Hulda Susan have five children. Three boys and two girls:
- Vaudrey Samuel — born in 1900 — married Nina Allen of Cherry Creek.
Children — Ruth (Mrs. Mack Davis) Nancy (Mrs. Paul Wright)
- Edward Lee — born in 1906 — married Jessie Fenstermaker of Oak Creek.
Children — Frank Lee, Dixie, and Nova, Jean.
- Frank Jr. — born in 1914 — married Wilma Wilcox Superior, Arizona.
Children — one daughter, Denna and adopted son Mike.
- Altra Mae (now Mrs. Marion Reid) born 1903 — married Robert Spooner.
Children — one daughter, Barbara. Ann (Mrs. Jack Havens)
- Helen May — born 1917 — Married Roland Moxcey of Yarmouth, Maine.
Children — Richard and Diana. (Mrs. Bill Rowe)
Frank Lee Dickinson died in 1925. He was buried In Cottonwood Cemetery.
Hulda Susan Dickinson married Ralph Marshall in 1926. They had one daughter, Mattie May (Mrs. Joe Brashears). Hulda Susan Dickinson Marshall died December 5, 1985. She was 104 years old.
Samuel Cotton died at his home In Creek In 1907. His. four sons, W. G. (Bill), Alfred, Edward, and Frank Lee are burled side-by side in the Cottonwood Cemetery.
So ends the lives of some hard-working pioneers of Arizona. But that is not really true for their children and their children’s children cherish memories of them, while they go on living, loving and working in the beautiful state of Arizona.
Alta Mae Dickinson
