Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 976
W. G. DICKEY

W. G. DICKEY was born in Delaware County, Iowa, on October 11, 1870, the son of W. G. and Hattie (SHERMAN) DICKEY, the former a native of New York, the latter a native of Ohio. W. G. DICKEY, Sr., was a farmer, lumberman and stockman who came to Iowa in 1859, locating in DICKEYville, Delaware County, Iowa, which town was named after the family since several persons of this name had settled there. W. G. DICKEY, Sr., was a Republican in politics and was appointed postmaster at Hazel Green, the post office at DICKEYville. Hazel Green was a small village and here Mr. DICKEY died in 1899. His wife was born in 1833, and is still living, making her home with her son, W. G. DICKEY. He is the only child born to his parents. His father and mother, however, adopted a little girl, Katie, who is now deceased.

W. G. DICKEY received his early education in the home schools and in the high school at Maxwell, Iowa, afterward becoming a student in Drake University at Des Moines. After leaving school, he spent one year in the show business as an advance agent, after which he was connected with the St. Paul & Kansas City Grain Company, operating a station for a period of one year. Subsequently, Mr. DICKEY became an agent of the Terry Shows, being a No. 2 agent for two years with an Uncle Tom's Cabin company. He then became general agent for the Terry Shows and served in this capacity until 1903, when he became a partner in the business, the firm being known as DICKEY & Terry. Another company which produced 'Ten Nights in a Barroom' was organized, and this company was called DICKEY, Jones & Terry. Uncle Tom's Cabin has been produced continuously for twenty-six years. The show was organized, originally, by people who lived at Little Sioux; O. Q. Setchell and Fred Terry, who were brothers-in-law. The show was first produced at Lexington, Illinois, February 19, 1890. The winter quarters are at Little Sioux, Iowa. It is a tent show in the summer and exhibits at all towns through the winter.

W. G. DICKEY was married first to Elizabeth CLAUSEN, and to this union one child was born, Gwendoline, who is the wife of C. M. MASON, of Cambridge, Iowa. Mr. DICKEY was married the second time to Mrs. Corinne CHUNN. As one of the unique figures in the life of Harrison County, and as one who has attained a unique success, W. G. DICKEY is a man who is eminently entitled to representation in the annals of his county. He has become well known through his association with shows bearing his name, but aside from his professional reputation, he is a wide-awake citizen, a keen student of human nature, who has experienced phases of life that fall within the range of few men's careers.

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