New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-13
EDWARD N. DICKERSON DEAD
END OF THE ACTIVE LIFE OF THE EMINENT
PATENT LAWYER.


h,s hartman IN the law firm. His daughter, MIS-
Charles W Gould died about i've years ago. Inc
funeral will be held tomorrow morning AZ ~ o''"o"
in Trinity Chapel West Twenty -iith-st.
The announcement at the Federal Building OF MI.
Dickersons death caused many EXPRESSIONS Vi
He was known to all the court OllclaiS anu "' WV"
many friends BY his ability and his personal at
fractions Judge Wallace in adjournins MS oran0n
of the United states Circuit Court, out Oh respect
for the dead man, spoke fecngly OF the wchkhowh
LAWYER Judge Lacombc in dismissing the o'her
branch OF the court at the request OF ohi'eo o,ao
District Attorney Mitchell, also paid warm trouto
to Mr. Dickerson. Suitable minutes were eh'eie" ~,
the records There will probably be meeting Oh
the Association of the Bar tomorrow afternoon
rdwa,d n Diclerson came OF a brilliant family,
noted for generations by reason Of their inventive
genius Philemon Dickerson, Puritan, left England
and came to this country in the first hair OF inc
seventeenth century. In 1888 he was maie rro-
holder OF Salem Mass and in 1916 he purchaseu
largo tract OF land the northern shore OF Long
Island, where he lived and died miller and farmer
lie left two sons, Thomas and Peter. His grandson
Peter the son OF Thomas went to Morris County,
n j. I'm 1741, and bought property afterW ard known
as tho Dickerson Iron Mines. He became speaker OF
the Constitutional Congress of his Stale, In the war OF
the Revolution, equipped at his own expense TWO
companies Of soldiers went TO the front with them
and died In the service.
the remarkable mechanical and scientific talents which
have marked his descendants. While Washington was
President he secured two patens-one the eleventh to
be recorded the original OF which hangs to-day in the
house OF Edward y. Dickerson. He was sent to the
United States Congress by his State Mablon Dickcr
son. the eldest of his two sons, was graduated rom
Princeton, became lawyer and went TO Philadelphia
lie was in turn recorder OF the city, quartemaster-
general of Pennsylvania, and afterwafd member OF
the New-Jersey Legislature, Governor OF that ea'e
and United States Senator for sixteen years, from New
Jersey He gave up his seat in the Senate to become
Secretary Of the Navy under Jackson and Van Buren,
For two years he was president of the American
Institute and he died at the age Of eghty-two, al
the family homo In Morrtstown, y. J. Philemon, his
brother also went forth from Princeton and became
lawyer. He went to Paterson and began practice
there in the year in which his brother was elected
Governor of the State. He married daughter OF
Captan John Stoutesbury. Miss StOuesburys maternal
grandfather General Hugh Hughes was during the
War Of the Revolution assistant quartermaser-Gen
of the Eastern and Western Armies. He devoted his own
wealth the poverty stricken army. and during and
after the Island he conspicuous for
his decisive action and intrepid gaantry that he was
thanked by personal letter from Washington. Cap
tain stoutesbury also an able and courageous
officer in the struggle for independence. fighting In
many important battles and being severely wounded
in the battle of BraDdywne.
With these family alliances and inherited abilities
Philemon the father of Edward n. Dickerson, began
his public career which ended with his office OF Judge
of the United states District Court for NewJersey.
which he held at tho time Of his death. In 1888 nc
went to Congress from New-Jersey. In 1896 he was
elected Governor and Chancellor OF his STATE and IN
1880 was again sent TO Congress. afterwam being ap-
pointed to his judicial office.
Edward " Dickerson was educated, like Others OF
his family, at Princeton, and was lawyer aC
twenty-one. During his college life ne gained the
friendship of Joseph Henry, the head of the Smith
soniao institution and with him began the scientific
studies which afterward made him the leading patent
lawyer IN the country.
He was young man when he made his hrst
reputation In the United States Circuit Court In the
case of How against Law under the California mali
contract New laurels gained shortly after
ward whom the young man won case from hu1us
Cboate in the Colt patent suit But he became more
widely known in his conduct OF the case OF sicKles
against Burden So strong was his love LOT scieh"no
and mechanical subjects his eagerness for an lhuae
of the contempOraneous improvements VI
the world and his unconquerable bent to study ana
research. that no gave up bis practice ana ra'eic'
extensively in Europe and Central and South America
yhero be was greatly hOnored. The fruits OF MS
close attention TO scientific studies came IN the form
~ valuable inventions. His patents added much W
the development and mprov ement OF steam c"e'he''
Whom Gideon Welles was Secretary of the Navy there
came revolution against the Watts theor! u SeaIi
EXPANSION Contracts for new engines "cro sN0"
out involving an immense expenditure Oh "ohcs'
Mr.. Dckerson fought the fallacies adopted oy inc
covornment tooth and nall in open letters, III cor
esnondence with the Secretary, in dscussoh anu III
warnings TO Congress. lie brought all the power Vi
his brilliant mind his leaving and tho au'hor'"o "a
the greatest mechanical workers TO overcome ."i,
rash policy" But it was not until 'he iioue! id
| cen spent, the engines had been us'ca anu io""
to be practically useless, that his claim u 9upi
,rowledco Of the subject of steam power was iuiiy
II was about 1873 that Mr. Dckerson tooh up a.
practice with energy, devouon anu sctiye lie
The name of the notable cases whch DC mas
since that time S,s Esrant and versatile mind and
his UNDERSTANDING of patent law, mas as asn,In
before him barricade when has wllns.ooo 'H' a'
u iWonr the cases with which he has been identned
are thcss of the American Bell telephone Conp@,s
srT 5 tEe National Improvement Telegraph COMPANY
,b Hau aSaInst the Peoples Company, the ran
Electric and Involving the best nOwh mppbne
III tnJ ALWAYS Iefrigeratos. ventilation, nickel
platnc pi5ng machinery and guns Inc reUor1 IN IN
liz rnndrcf of the Bell-peopos suit is cOntahcu III
kmonr his clients have been the Western Upon'
Coid and stock Telegraph, standard OH Bell NC
Goa i G.e and Ellison companies while there have been
,tnd aoairst him men like Rufus Choate, EdmindS.
on i 70 saw nearly every patent lawyer of note in
this country Mr.. pLcheIsons paper on " SonI
Harry and the Magnetic lclcsrdPn' lcNi at
FSolarc on June 10, 1885, was an eloquent and
maserul tribute 10 great scehtsL ana , ny
agent ~ nature To which Henry had devoted so many
years OF his life. ,t, ord ;,torost IN sanitarv
no. cnn,cnfs ventilation, practical Appliances ana
found personal application In the con
,, 80 his house IN East Thirty -fourhst.., which
ST. GrS he'd represented the model home as pictured
in his critical and appresia i've F MIND man He
W ~ tnct three inches In height and OF rugged,
massive frame which he carried even n his later yeaTs
Win a vigorous and firm step; His face; uneN
WIN ws;tb n keen eye straight nose and strong
mouth. was exceedingly attractive to watch as s ne
odan0u, reouraginr but always dignhe1. He sas
Courteous and polished and n bis discus sion or argn
ment handled his subject with slch Simplicity. Skin
infricate and technical explanations lie never left
a Juror or witness In doubt about his meaning. was
SranL straightforward and aggressive. aud often made
use OF refined sarcasm but was never brow oeater'
lie was ndefatigable as LAWYER student or an ~,