Charles Dickinson

Birth Aug 1853 Van Buren County, Iowa
Death 5 Dec 1926 (aged 73) Ocean Beach, San Diego County, California
Burial Cottonwood Cemetery Cottonwood, Arizona, USA   Plot Section C

Parents
Samuel Cotton Dickinson 1827–1907
Adline (Green) Dickinson 1818–1851

Spouse
Martha Priscilla (Burford) Dickinson 1863–1931

Half Siblings
Margie Ann Dickinson Back 1862–1926
Sam C Dickinson 1864–1864
Mariah May (Dickinson) Hawkins 1864–1889
Frank Lee Dickinson 1867–1925
William Green "Willy" Dickinson 1868–1931
Alfred "Alf" Dickinson 1870–1940
Edward Virgil Dickinson 1872–1958

Children
Mary Rowena (Dickinson) VanDeren 1880–1974
Dovie May (Dickinson) Fisher 1882–1968
Leroy Archie "Roy" Dickinson 1887–1937
Winifred Adeline "Winnie" (Dickinson) VanDeren 1895–1969
George Arthur Dickinson 1897–1975

Charles was a member of a wagon train that left Humansville, Polk County, Missouri on 26 April 1875 and reached Wales Arnold's ranch near Montezuma Well in the Verde Valley on 23 August 1875.

The train took three months and twenty days to reach Verde Valley, going through Kansas City, Emporia and Dodge City, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico and continued west by the Old Star Mail route through Winslow and Holbrook, and on over a rocky trail which took them over the Mogollon Mountains, by way of Pine Springs, Stoneman's Lake then past Rattlesnake Tanks to the Verde Valley.

An undated newspaper article reads as follows: Cottonwood and the entire Verde district was shocked on Monday when a telegram was received stating that Charles Dickinson, 74, a pioneer of northern Arizona and one of the early settlers of Cottonwood, had died suddenly on Sunday morning at San Diego, California.

He went to the coast about two months ago, together with Mrs. Dickinson, and with the intention of spending the winter in a more pleasant climate.

Mr. Dickinson was well known throughout the Verde district, having been in the employ of the United Verde Extension Mining Company as carpenter for several years.

He was a man of high character, always active in anything that made for a betterment of the district, a kind husband and father, and an estimable citizen in every sense of the term.

He is survived by his wife, Martha P. "Burford,"; two sons and five daughters. The sons are Roy and George and the daughters, Mrs. Rowena Van Deren, Mrs. Winifred Van Deren, Mrs. Ruth Powell, Mrs. Terrell and Mrs. Irene Abbott.

Charles was born in August 1853 in Van Buren County, Iowa as the oldest son of Samuel Cotton Dickinson (1827-1916) & Nancy Jane Green (1836-1907). The family and others moved to Arizona's Verde Valley in 1875 by covered wagon. That trip lasted some 3 months and twice they were surrounded by and fought against hostile Indians and along the way there was a disagreement between two families that resulted in a shooting of one of the men. That man was badly injured but his family left the train to travel on their own. At one point the train ran low on food and other necessities and Charles and his future father-in-law, Preston Burford, rode ahead to Camp Verde, Arizona with an extra pack horse to bring back more supplies. They finally arrived at the Verde Valley ranch of Wales Arnold near Montezuma Well on Aug 23, 1875. The Dickinson family settled in around Oak Creek where they operated the first post office at Cornville. Charles also spent some time as a driver for the Old Star Mail Route from Prescott to Beaver Head Creek. He also worked as a carpenter for the United Verde Extension Mining Company. He married his sweetheart, Martha Priscilla Burford (1863-1931) in 1878, some 3 years after they arrived in the area. He is buried alongside his wife, parents and other family members in Cottonwood Cemetery, Cottonwood, Arizona.

Cottonwood and the entire Verde district was shocked on Monday when a telegram was received stating that Charles Dickinson, 74, a pioneer of northern Arizona and one of the early settlers of Cottonwood, had died suddenly on Sunday morning at San Diego, California.

He went to the coast about two months ago, together with Mrs. Dickinson, and with the intention of spending the winter in a more pleasant climate.

Mr. Dickinson was well known throughout the Verde district, having been in the employ of the United Verde Extension Mining Company as carpenter for several years.

He was a man of high character, always active in anything that made for a betterment of the district, a kind husband and father, and an estimable citizen in every sense of the term.

He is survived by his wife, Martha P. "Burford,"; two sons and five daughters. The sons are Roy and George and the daughters, Mrs. Rowena Van Deren, Mrs. Winifred Van Deren, Mrs. Ruth Powell, Mrs. Terrell and Mrs. Irene Abbott.

The funeral was held at 11 o'clock yesterday and was largely attended.

Interment was made in the family plot in the Cottonwood Cemetery.