In the beginning of January I got an email from Dan Dyer, a descendant of Morris Dick. Morris Dick was the brother of Lafayette Dick, my 3rd great grandfather on my mother’s mother’s side of the family. Dan emailed me asking if I knew anything about Morris’ and Lafayette’s father, John Dick. (He didn’t have any information about John Dick other than his name). I wrote back explained to him that I also knew very little about John Dick and his family, except for Lafayette and Morris Dick, who I had found on some census records years before. But after that I couldn’t seem to keep that family out of my mind, so I started to dig around a bit, and I’m glad I did because it paid off. (And it’s especially cool to be able to learn more about this family line, since Lafayette Dick is the father of my 2nd great grandfather, Courtland Oliver Dick – the namesake of my youngest son, Courtland).
Here’s all of the information I knew about the Dick family before I started researching them these last couple of months:
So, let’s see, here’s how I’m related to Lafayette Dick: Lafayette was married to Mary Anna Giffin, and their youngest child was Courtland Oliver Dick who married Lillie Margaret Conners. Courtland and Lillie’s first daughter was Frances Olive Dick who married Robert Wilson Monk. Their first child was Beverly Frances Monk. Bev married Carl John Spohr Jr., and their 2nd child is my mother, Amy Lynn Spohr.
Ok, so here’s all the info I’ve got so far about Morris and Lafayette Dick and their parents: (I don’t have a lot of details on their family, wish I had more, but the few times I’ve tried to research them in the past I haven’t come up with much).
Lafayette “Lafe” Dick was born sometime around 1833/1840, and I’ve found sources that show his birth location as Virginia, West Virginia, or Kentucky. In about 1875 he was married to Mary Anna Giffin who was born in Jan 1850 in Ohio, the youngest of 8 children of Matthew Giffin and Lucinda Stewart. Lafayette and Mary Anna had 5 children – Emma Viola Dick Miller, William Joseph Dick, Charles Dick, James Robert Dick Skillman, and Courtland Oliver Dick – between 1876 and 1888. Lafayette was a wagon maker (my Grandma Bev has an old wooden chest that it kind of falling apart now, but she said it was made by Lafayette Dick). In 1880 he was living in Lindsey, Missouri working as a wagon maker, and in 1870 he was also working as a wagon maker, but was living in Mono County, California with the family of his brother, Morris Dick.
Lafayette Dick’s father was John Dick, and I don’t know who his mother was. John was born about 1812 in either Virginia or West Virginia. (Lafayette’s mother was also born in either Virginia or West Virginia). Supposedly, Lafayette was buried in the “Mud River Flat” Church cemetery in Tennessee (don’t know a city or county, though). The only sibling that I know of for Lafayette is Morris Dick who was born in Virginia in 1836 or 1840. Morris lived in Mono County, California at least in 1870 and 1880, where he worked as a black smith and farmer. Morris’ wife, Meitha, was born in either Missouri or Virginia, and she died between 1870 and 1880 leaving Morris a widower with several young children. The children that I know of are Susan, Mary, Joseph, and Sadie Dick.
That’s about all I’ve been able to find out about the family so far. I’ve listed my sources for this information below.
Sources:
• 6-Generation Pedigree Chart with Handwritten Notes by Beverly Spohr (In possession of Beverly Monk Spohr as of June 2003)
Handwritten notes say Lafayette Dick was from Va or WVa.
• 1870 United States Federal Census
1870 US Census,
, (All Townships), Mono County, California, 6-10 Aug 1870, page 9, dwelling no. 143, family no. 143, lines 34-39:
"Line 34, Morris Dick, age 34, male, white, occupation: Black Smith, real estate value: 2000, personal estate value: 600, born in Virginia, male US citizen 21 years or older.
Line 35, Meitha Dick, age 25, female, white, occupation: Housekeeping, born in Missouri.
Line 36, Susan Dick, age 6, female, white, born in California, cannot write.
Line 37, Mary Dick, age 3, female, white, born in California, cannot read, cannot write.
Line 38, Joseph Dick, age 1, male, white, born in California, cannot read, cannot write.
Line 39, Lafayette Dick, age 36, male, white, occupation: Wagon Maker, born in Virginia, male US citizen 21 years or older.”
• 1880 United States Federal Census
http://www.familysearch.org/ census index
Source Information: Census Place Lindsey, Benton, Missouri Family History Library Film 1254674, NA Film Number T9-0674, Page Number 309D
Household:
“Lafayette DICK Self M Male W 40 VA Wagon Maker VA VA
Mary Ann DICK Wife M Female W 29 OH Keeping House OH OH
Emma V. DICK Dau S Female W 4 MO VA OH
William DICK Son S Male W 3 MO VA OH
Robert DICK Son S Male W 1 MO VA OH”
• 1880 United States Federal Census, , District 46, Antelope, Mono County, California, 24-25 June1880, page 63C, [no dwelling or family number listed], lines 45-48:
“Line 45, Morris Dick, white, male, age 40, widowed, occupation: Farmer, born in Va, father born in Va, mother born in Va.
Line 46, Mary Dick, white, female, age 30, daughter, single, born in Va, father born in Va, mother born in Va.
Line 47, Jos. Dick, white, male, age 11, son, single, born in Cal, father born in Va, mother born in Va.
Line 48, Sadie Dick, white, female, age 5, daughter, single, born in Cal, father born in Va, mother born in Va.”
• 1900 United States Federal Census, , District 108, Ward 1, Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri, 5 June1900, page 163B, address: 219 West Covhes [?] Street, dwelling no. 114, family no. 136, lines 58-64:
Line 58, Lafayette Dick, head, white, male, born Feb 1833, age 67, married 25 years, born in W. Virginia, father born in W. Virginia, mother born in W. Virginia, occupation: [illegible], 0 weeks unemployed, can read, can write, can speak English, renting home.
Line 59, Mary A. Dick, wife, white, female, born Jan 1850, age 50, married 25 years, mother of 5 children, 5 children living, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, occupation: Seamstress, 0 weeks unemployed, can read, can write, can speak English.
Line 60, Viola Dick, daughter, white, female, born Feb 1876, age 24, single, born in Missouri, father born in W. Virginia, mother born in Ohio, occupation: [none listed], can read, can write, can speak English.
Line 61, Oliver Dick, son, white, male, born Feb 1888, age 12, single, born in Missouri, father born in W. Virginia, mother born in Ohio, At School, can read, can write, can speak English.
Line 62, Emma Dick, daughter in law, white, female, born Dec 1879, age 20, married 1 year, mother of 1 child, 1 child living, born in Missouri, father born in Tennessee, mother born in Alabama, occupation: [none listed], can read, can write, can speak English.
Line 63, Robert C. Dick, grandson, white, male, born Aug 1899, age 2/12, single, born in Missouri, father born in Missouri, mother born in Missouri.
Line 64, Mary P. Goodell, roomer . . .”
• International Genealogical Index (IGI)/Ordinance Index (OI) [Main File and Addendum] (CD), FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 (record found on 2 Aug 2003)
North America
"Husband: Lafayette DICK
Birth: 1834 , , Virginia
Wife: Mary Ann or Anna GIFFIN
Children:
1. Emma Viola DICK, Male
Birth: 1876 , , Missouri
2. William DICK, Male
Birth: 1877 , , Missouri
3. Robert SKILLMAN DICK, Male
Birth: 1879 , , Missouri
4. Courtland Oliver DICK, Male
Birth: 15 FEB 1888 Lincoln, Benton, Missouri
Death: 06 APR 1958 Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Burial: Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
• Funeral Memorial Book of Courtland Oliver Dick (In possession of Beverly Monk Spohr of Lee's Summit, Missouri.)
“Memorial Record
In Memory of
Courtland Oliver Dick
Born Feb 15 1888
Place Lincoln Missouri
Date: May 6 1958
Age 70 years 1 month 21 days
. . .
Family Record
Father
Lafe Dick
Mother
Mary Griffin
Other Members of Family
wife Lillie M Dick
daughter Frances O Monk
Granddaughter Beverly F Spohr . . .”
• Interview of Frances Olive Dick Monk (“Mamaw”), interviewed by her daughter, Beverly Frances Monk Spohr, October 2003
"Courtland Oliver Dick’s parents, Mary Ann Giffin and Lafayette Dick, went to a church in Tennessee, called Mud River Flat [Beverly thinks it may have been Mud River Flat Baptist Church, but was unsure about this.] There is a graveyard in the church yard, and they found there a grave of John Dick. [Beverly is not sure if this is John Dick, Lafayette Dick’s father, but Mamaw thinks that it is.]
Courtland Oliver Dick’s brother, Charles Dick, was called Chase. Chase participated in some war. [Mamaw didn’t know which war it was. Beverly has a card somewhere from Charles Dick to his mother when he was in the war.]
Robert Dick Skillman [another brother of Courtland’s] married Leona. Leona had one leg shorter than the other because she was hurt as a child. Robert and Leona had four children: Alberta, Berniece, Leland, and Dorothy. Dorothy died when she was eight years old. She is buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Kansas City, Kansas. Virginia Dick, Mamaw’s sister, is also buried there. Virginia is buried one row in front and about six graves north of Dorothy.
Virginia died when she was 13 months old. She caught whooping cough and then she got pneumonia. But they wouldn’t let her into the hospital because whooping cough was considered a contagious disease then, and she died from the pneumonia. . . .”
• 1910 United States Federal Census, Kansas City, Ward 8, Jackson, Missouri, , roll T624_786, page 10B, Enumeration District 97, image 1213, dated 15 April 1910, street: Locust, house no. 1223, lines 53-55:
“Line 53, Oliver C Dick, head of household, male, white, age 22, 1st marriage, married 2 years, born in Missouri, father born in Kentucky, mother born in M, able to speak English, occupation: paper hanger, type of worker: w, able to read, able to write, renting home.”
• 1910 United States Federal Census, Fort Scott, Ward 2, Bourbon, Kansas, , roll T624_432, page 12B, Enumeration District 40, image 934, dated 29 April 1910, street: Heyeman Street, house no. 416, dwelling no. 290, family no. 310, lines 74-78:
“Line 74, William Dick, head of household, male, white, age 32, first marriage, married 2 years, born in Missouri, father born in Virginia, mother born in Ohio, able to speak English, occupation: Finisher, industry: Cement Wrks, able to read, able to write, renting home.”
• 1910 United States Federal Census, Kansas City, Ward 7, Jackson County, Missouri, , roll T624_789, page 6A, Enumeration District 196, image 601, dated 27 April 1910, street: East Seventh Street, house no. 4113, dwelling no. 107, family no. 141, lines 24-27:
“Line 24, James Skillman, head of household, male, white, age 24, first marriage, married 4 years, born in Missouri, father born in West Virginia, mother born in Illinois, able to speak English, occupation: janitor, industry: public school, able to read, able to write, renting home.” [James Skillman is James Robert Dick]
• 1920 United States Federal Census, Kansas City, Ward 11, Jackson County, Missouri, , roll T625_928, page 4A, Enumeration District 179, image 103, dated 7 January 1920, street: Gilhom Road, house no. 2940, dwelling no. 66, family no. 102, lines 32-34:
“Line 32, Courtland O. Dack, head of household, renting home, male, white, age 30, married, able to read, able to write, born in Missouri, father born in Virginia, mother born in Virginia, able to speak English, occupation: mailer, industry: newspaper.”
• 1920 United States Federal Census, Kansas City, Ward 10, Jackson, Missouri, , roll T625_926, page 8B, Enumeration District 158, image 956, dated 13 January 1920, street: College Avenue, house no. 2312, dwelling no. 162, family no. 201, lines 63-65:
“Line 64, Emma I Miller, wife, female, white, age 43, married, able to read, able to write, born in Missouri, father born in Virginia, mother born in Ohio, able to speak English, occupation: none.”
• 1930 United States Federal Census
1930 US Census, , Ward 15, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, 5 April 1930, enumeration district no. 48-224, page 222, sheet no. 7A, address: 4116Wayne Street, dwelling no. 75, family no. 110, lines 37-39:
“Line 37, Courtland O’Dick, owns home, value of home: 3000.00, owns radio set, male, white, age 42, married at age 20, did not attend school in last year, able to read and write, born in Missouri, father born in West Virginia, mother born in Ohio, able to speak English, occupation: Mailer, industry: News Paper, class of worker: W, actually at work, not a veteran.”
• 1930 United States Federal Census, Angeles, Los Angeles, California, , roll 153, page 3B, Enumeration District 545, image 176.0, dated 3 April 1930, street: Florence Ave, house no. 3125, dwelling no. 50, family no. 54, lines 74-77:
Line 74, William J Dick, head of household, renting home, monthly rent: 35, not living on a farm, male, white, age 53, married, age 30 at first marriage, did not attend school within the year, able to read and write, born in Missouri, father born in Virginia, mother born in Ohio, able to speak English, occupation: Cement Finisher, industry: Building Const, type of worker: w, not a U.S. Veteran.”
• 1930 United States Federal Census, Kansas City, Ward 4, Jackson County, Missouri, , roll T625_925, page 7A, Enumeration District 60, image 645, dated 8 April 1930, street: Bellview Avenue, house no. 4153, dwelling no. 136, family no. 146, lines 1-4:
“Line 1, James R. Skillman, head of household, renting home, $25.00 monthly rent, has a radio set, not living on a farm, male, white, age 47, married, age 24 at first marriage, did not attend school within the year, able to read and write, born in Missouri, father born in West Virginia, mother born in Illinois, able to speak English, occupation: custodian, industry: public school, not a U.S. Veteran.”
