Robert Bruce Dickison
Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois (edited by Newton Bateman, L.L.D., and Paul Selby, A.M.) and History of Peoria County (edited by David McCulloch), Illustrated; Volume II; Chicago and Peoria: Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers 1902; pp. 756-757.
DICKISON, ROBERT BRUCE: Farmer; born in Medina Township October 14, 1846, is the grandson of John Dickison, of Ohio, and Mary White Dickison, of Kentucky. His father, James Dickison, born in Indiana in 1821, married Jane Sturm a native of Ohio born in 1825. Her parents were Nicholas Sturm, born in Ohio, and Rebecca Fee, a native of Tennessee. John Dickison settled in Medina Township in 1838. He died in 1847, and at the time owned seven hundred acres of land. John and Mary Dickison had seven children: Griffith, Jane Chamberlain, Susan Atkinson, Mary Evans, Elizabeth Sturm, John, and James. Mrs. Sturm is the only one surviving. James and Jane (Sturm) Dickison were the parents of four children: Louisa, Robert Bruce, Scott and William. Louisa married Peter Anderson, and in 1868 they removed to Benton County, Iowa, and engaged in farming. Mr. Anderson is deceased. Scott Dickison married Isabelle McCarty and they live in Palo Alto County, Iowa. Robert B. Dickison married Anna E. Thompson in Peoria, July 28, 1868; they have had four children: Helena A., born May 7, 1869, married Louis Kriete, and had two children: Mabel Edna and Anna Helena. She died February 5, 1893. Of the three still living, Edward R., born February 5, 1871, married Ida Smith and has one son, Bruce; R. Leslie, born October 30, 1879, married Sadie Lamay; James Arthur was born June 27, 1881. Mrs. Dickison was born October 9, 1851, in Peoria, and is the daughter of James H. and Caroline A. (Coleman) Thompson. The father was born near Richmond, Virginia; September, 1827; the mother in Cincinnati, Ohio, in July, 1829. They both came to Peoria County while single, and were married there. They began farming near where Bradley Park now is. Mr. Thompson helped to split the rails to fence the farm. They were married on Christmas day, 1850; in 1884 they moved to Dodge County, Nebraska, and both are yet living in the enjoyment of good health. They are both Methodists; politically Mr. Thompson is a Democrat. Robert Bruce Dickison was educated in the common schools and in Brown's Business College in Peoria. He is a Republican. He has a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Medina Township, a mile and three-quarters north of Mossville.