Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-11-21

Major Dickey was born in the town If
Bristol, June ~ 1910. He was. therefore.
in his !|th year. although no one would
have suspected the fact from meeting
and conversing with him. He was. almost
to his death. in the enjoyment Of good
health and time had in no wise impaired
his intellectual vigor. Tall and straight
as long as he walked abroad he remained
erect.
Major Dickey was the youngest of six
children-four boys ana two girls. tie
came of hardy. long lived stock. HIS
father was a shipmaster at Damarscotta.
At one time his ship was taken by 4
French cruiser, but he succeeded in re
capturing it and brought it in triumph.
with his prisoners. to Wiscasset; lie was
lost at sea in 1919 Mrs. Dickey soon
afterward removed with her children To
Avon. where she built a log house and
took up farm in the wilderness. Here
William lived until he was IA years "r
age when he put his worldly possessions
into a pack, which he carried upon Ms
back. and walked to Pennington, a dis
tance of l6 miles. for the. purpose Of at
tending school at the old Pennington
Academy. one of the best educational IN Z
stitutions in the State. He arrived there
tired and homesick. and without knowing
where he should find place to, stop
Thomas Hunter. a man who had known
his family in DamariScotta saw him ana
took him to his home. Here he made his
home for the next five years, teaching
school winters. working in the hay fields
70 anv work he could find that would as.
sist in paying the expenses OF ms educa /
ton. Through the influence OF Mr
Hunter he secured the chance to ring the
academy bell. and in this way was en-
abled to pay for his tuition. -
He left the academy when he was 10
years of age and went to work in the
store of Col. Ben Eastman of Strong
working. the first year, for 81 month and
board He remained there until he was
u years of age. when he went INTO BUS
Ii, oil haci do al ~
was appointed postmaster of the town by
President Jackson, and held the position
for II years.
register of probate two years. and in lSR
came to Augusta as the representative
from Strong to the Legislature. While IN
Strong he became a member OF the Stro.lS
Light Infantry, rising TO the rank OF cap
tain. and then inspector OF the brlgade
with the rank of major Hence the title
by which he is so well known.
In the fall of 1912 he went to Gardiner
and married Miss Frances l.. Bodhsh of
that CITY. and moved there the following
YEAR. He remained in Gardiner six years
trading. numbering and engaging IN Vari- @
years of this time he had charge OF the
city schools and was, for time, one OF
the deputy sheriffs of the county.
His health failed him.. and by the ad
Vice of Governor Hubbard. himself
nhvsician of no mean ability. he went y
Fort Kent northern Aroostook. Here ne
purchased one -nal1 OF tHe 7 1911 ilNSi MN
privilege at Fort Kent and built mills
In that bracing climate he also regalned
his health , -,
At that time there was not road, eX-
cent a bushed road, schoolhouse nor a
hridge. within 50 miles of Fort Kent, on
either side of the river .,.. 60
Major Dickey labored incessantly 10:
rho development Of the rich resources OF
mi. norton of ArOostook county, ana ms
efforts met with gratifying success. He
vas q jealous advocate Of its interests III
our legislative halls, and so popular was
ba with his constituents that, Tor mum J.
her of years he was accorded undll
mons election. He served In all So Terms
n wonderful service. He always releTre9
with inst pride to the fact tnat ne nau fna
nnxnr asked the Legislature OF Maine IL, LOT
nnvthing which he failed to secure 70
dny Fort Kent is one of the most pros
nayous and growing towns in Maine.
bos pood roads, excellent bridges; anu
nna Hf the best Normal schools IN ND , ile.
,,i.t an enrolled membership OF 81 ana an
"rarage attendance of so. ~ !,
N,iSr Dickey cast his first Vote iqt An
arnw jackson and was always Deiiio ,sno
re, NV lie was never an offensive pdrtisati, "a. /,
bnwa,Ser and for several years pust wa :
,"ninated at the Republican caucuscs , ~ ~
~ ,nwn before receiving the l'tihucia, -. e :,
nnmin,tjon He was an lnii!ilate ni iil,1n iiieiI''
n5'',. nS Mr.. Blaine, and it was that distlh-