David Catchings Dickson

Full Name: David Catchings Dickson
Date of birth: February 25, 1818
Date of death: June 5, 1880

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	17	Feb 2, 1863 - Aug 6, 1866	9th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁹⁾ ⁽¹⁰⁾ 10th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾	Anderson / Grimes		Grimes, Montgomery, Walker
H	39	Nov 7, 1859 - Nov 4, 1861	8th ⁽¹¹⁾	Anderson / Grimes		Grimes
H	39	Jul 7, 1856 - Nov 2, 1857	6th ⁽¹²⁾ ⁽¹³⁾	Anderson / Grimes		Grimes
H	30	Nov 3, 1851 - Nov 7, 1853	4th	Anderson / Grimes	Speaker	Grimes
H	28	Nov 5, 1849 - Nov 3, 1851	3rd ⁽¹⁴⁾	Anderson / Grimes		Grimes, Montgomery
H	Montgomery	Feb 16, 1846 - Dec 13, 1847	1st ⁽¹⁵⁾ ⁽¹⁶⁾	Anderson / Montgomery		Grimes, Montgomery, Walker

(1) Anderson, Grimes County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) 10th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll call by district (holdover Senators), 11/2/1863, pp. 1-3. Senate Journal.
(3) Anderson, Grimes County. Senate Journal.
(4) "In 1841, after graduating from medical school in Lexington, Kentucky, [Dickson] and his wife moved with a group to the area of Anderson, Texas, then in Montgomery County (now in Grimes County). . . . After his death he was buried in the family cemetery near his home at Anderson, on June 5, 1880." Handbook of Texas Online.
(5) David C. Dickson, sworn 2/2/1863, succeeded Anthony M. Branch, resigned. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(6) Montgomery, Montgomery County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(7) "Dickson established residence in Montgomery County, later to become Grimes County . . ." Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016, 2016.
(8) 9th Legislature, 1st Called Session - Roll of Senators-elect to fill vacancies, oath of office administered, 2/2/1863, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(9) 9th Legislature, Regular Session - Classification of Senators (drawing for terms of office) - predecessor Anthony M. Branch drew "the long term" (four years), 11/12/1861, p. 42. Senate Journal.
(10) Montgomery, Montgomery County. Senate Journal.
(11) Included in "Table II, Constitutional Unionists (Identified from newspapers) with Biographical Data," list of leaders of the Texas Constitutional Union Party in 1860. The party was formed in January of 1860. "The Constitutional Union Party in Texas," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, Number 3, January 1979, pp. 238, 256-262, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). Table II, Constitutional Unionists
(12) David C. Dickson, sworn 7/7/1856, succeeded Robert C. Neblett, resigned. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(13) Included on list of "Texas Know Nothing Leaders with a Summary of Biographical Data Taken from the . . . United States Eighth Census, 1860." The party was active at the state level in Texas in 1855 and 1856. "By 1857 the party had virtually disappeared in Texas." "An Analysis of the Texas Know Nothings," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 70, Number 3, January 1967, pp. 414, 417, 446, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). Census list
(14) Roster of members elect of the 3rd Legislature, Matthewson, R.C., Texas State Gazette (Austin, Texas), 9/29/1849, p. 6, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(15) ANDERSON, TX was in Montgomery County until 1846 when Grimes County organized. Handbook of Texas Online.
(16) Democrat. Table of members of the 1st Legislature, The Texas Democrat (Austin, Texas), 5/20/1846, p. 3, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Terms of Service top

Senate District 17
Feb 2, 1863 - Aug 6, 1866
Legislatures: 9th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁹⁾ ⁽¹⁰⁾ 10th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾
Home City/County: Anderson / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery, Walker

House District 39
Nov 7, 1859 - Nov 4, 1861
Legislatures: 8th ⁽¹¹⁾
Home City/County: Anderson / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes

House District 39
Jul 7, 1856 - Nov 2, 1857
Legislatures: 6th ⁽¹²⁾ ⁽¹³⁾
Home City/County: Anderson / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes

House District 30
Nov 3, 1851 - Nov 7, 1853
Legislatures: 4th
Speaker
Home City/County: Anderson / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes

House District 28
Nov 5, 1849 - Nov 3, 1851
Legislatures: 3rd ⁽¹⁴⁾
Home City/County: Anderson / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery

House District Montgomery
Feb 16, 1846 - Dec 13, 1847
Legislatures: 1st ⁽¹⁵⁾ ⁽¹⁶⁾
Home City/County: Anderson / Montgomery
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery, Walker

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

Member roster, 9th Legislature, 1st Called Session: name, district, resident county, post office, state of nativity, occupation, and age. Senate Journal.

Biographical Sketches

Biographical sketch. American Legislative Leaders, 1850-1910, 1989.
Mentioned in the story of the controversy over where the new Grimes County should have its county seat, pp. 29-30. Early History of Grimes County, 1930.
DICKSON, DAVID CATCHINGS (1818-1880). Handbook of Texas Online.
4th Lieutenant Governor, 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives: David Catchings Dickson. Portrait and biographical sketch. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016, 2016.
Biographical sketch and portrait. Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature, 1860.

Military Service Notes

Texas Army, surgeon, Texas Revolution; Captain, Texas militia "while Texas was a member of the Confederacy." Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016, 2016.

Other Resources

Listed in "Men who have represented Grimes County in the House of Representatives/State Senate, 1846-1931," pp. 205-209. Includes Date, Legislatures, District, and Source of Data. Early History of Grimes County, 1930.
In June of 1855, the Know-Nothing party announced its first slate of state candidates. "Heading the ticket for governor was Lieutenant Governor David C. Dickson of Grimes County, forty year-old farmer-lawyer, who had previously been given the blessing of the state Democrats in his bid for re-election as lieutenant governor. "An Analysis of the Texas Know Nothings," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 70, Number 3, January 1967, p. 415, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
Legislative service, including Lieutenant Governor in 5th Legislature, Know-Nothing candidate for Governor in 1855, portrait, pp. 4-5, 34. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889, 1999.

Photographs

Photograph. David Catchings Dickson, 8th Legislature, Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature
Photograph. David Catchings Dickson, Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2006

Committee Information top

10th R.S. - 1863 Claims and Accounts Education (Chair) Enrolled Bills Finance Penitentiary Revision of Rules
9th R.S. - 1861 Agriculture Confederate Relations Cotton Card Factory of the Messrs. Eubank of Williamson County (Co-Chair) Education (Chair) Engrossed Bills Finance Militia and Military Affairs Private Land Claims Public Debt Public Lands State Military Board (Co-Chair) Treasurer's Books
8th R.S. - 1859 Contingent Expenses Convention to Frame a New State Constitution Public Debt (Chair) Rules, Select
6th R.S. - 1855 Geological Surveys and Bureau of Agriculture, Select Internal Improvements Privileges and Elections Public Buildings Public Lands
3rd R.S. - 1849 Apportionment, Special Comptroller and Treasurer, Examine Contingent Expenses County Boundaries Education Finance Governor's Message, Select Judicial Districts, Select Public Printing (Chair)
1st R.S. - 1846 Claims and Accounts Land Office Mail Routes (Post Routes), Select (Chair) Paper Money Issued by Republic of Texas, Public Debt, Select

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