The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-08-17
The family Me-
Champion Parents of World Are
Receiving Their Progeny on
Seth Wedding Anniversary
BY J. HERBERT DUckWoRTH.

oy y. 7Eh6EHl DOCN"Oh n.
Canaan, Me, Aug 11.-Ihe bigges
family on earth is today gathering a
the farmhouse of Charles Dickey an
his wife, Mary, the champion pal
ents Of the world
twenty-five children and Is grand
children viii! sit down at one bi,
table Saturday to celebrate the 36tl
wedding anniversary Of the Dickeys
There will be only one vacant chair
Mary, the eldest daughter, died re
Gently.
| have just spent a day with thi!
remarkable family. Their story is al
epic of a man and womans heroic
| struggle with poverty, in order tt
live their life according to the Bible
Starting with nothing but good health
for 36 years they have literally livet
off the land in one of the most un
promising parts of Maine, and have
increased and multiplied and beer
happy.
Each one of the % children was
born singly. There have been Meth
er twins nor triplets. Farmer Dckey
is now So. His wife is SO. Both lool
many years younger.
Dickey has had tremendous fight
for existence. He knows it, but has
no regrets. He loves not only his
own children-but all children, more
than any other person | have ever
net. He is as tend.n'"s n. t.. the present
youngsters of his flock as young
mother to her first born.
"My parents died young he told
me, land had to face the four winds
alone. went to farming down at
Clinton. At q married. My wife
was ID. We started housekeeping
with $l6O in the bank, $40 in my pock.
ct. one horse and one cow now
have % children, Is grandchildren,
3 COWS, 3 horses, 3 good shoats, 2
hcifers, a calf, az chickens, 40 hens
and a good little farm of 100 acres.
Canaans been my Promised Land!
Swapped With Brother.
"After eight years in Clinton |
swapped with my brother my Arl,.
there for this one. He threw in 1.
load of hay and | paid him $l20. |
moved up to these hills with eight
young children in January in snow
storm. When we arrived, neighborS
took in the children to keep them
warm. or they might have died.
81 had to work hard all my life.
I've never had what you city people
call any amusement My amusement
is bringing up children right. My
big boys don't smoke or drink, and
my girls are all sweet and good. Ask
anybody in Somerset county.
God meant man to work by the
sweat of his brow and woman to bear
children to her sorrow.
81 have never owed a cent in my
life. Some get all the money; others
all the happiness. wouldn't change
places with Rockefeller for anything.
Nor would my wife.
Never Grumblc.
eve never grumble, and we figure
that God will never ask us to do more
than we can bear
Mrs. Dickey has been the business
manager" of the family. When they
had ID children living at home they
consumed 16 barrels of flour a year.
Every morning for many years she
has risen at 5 o'clock to bake nine
big loaves of bread and two big cakes
for the days use.
The children have always worked.
Sometimes they collect $3.50 worth Of
wild berries in season. Most of the
farm produce is consumed at home.
Just enough is sold to buy sugar, tea,
coffee shoes and clothing
The Dickeys "Jay down" 500 pounds
of pork every fall to supply meat for
the winter
The township had to put up spc-
cial school house for the Dickey
children.
Mrs DiCkey "rests,' as she calls it,
between TOO and II: 90 in the even
ing, after the children have gone to
bed In those hours she does all the
sewing and plans the next days work.
The Dickey Family Tree.
These are the unmarried DiCkey
children:
Arthur, Lena, Midren, Roy, Nina,
Margaret, Ivan. Jennie. Elwyn.
Charles. Floyd, Ida, Effie, Everett, Ell
leen, Hilda.
These are the married Dickey chill!
dren and their children:
Mary BOWman-W Walter; Ada Ruck
Norman; Maud Chase
Merle, Roy. Elwcll. William, Everett;
Blossom Brokes-Carl. Glennis, Nina;
Fay Moore-Helen, Myrtle; Merritt
Christine, Merritt