Mary Elizabeth Beattie Edmondson1

b. 16 February 1827, d. 27 January 1896
Mary Elizabeth Beattie (Edmondson) Dickenson (cropped)
photo courtesy Robert Gardner
FatherCol. Robert Buchanan Edmondson2,3 b. 24 Oct 1801, d. 15 Jul 1862
MotherNancy Dysart Beattie2,3 b. 21 Sep 1808, d. 29 Aug 1872
Birth16 Feb 1827 Mary Elizabeth Beattie Edmondson was born on 16 Feb 1827 in Washington County, Virginia.1,4 
Marriage11 Jun 1845 She married William Bourn Dickenson, son of Martin Dickenson and Mary Bourn, on 11 Jun 1845 in Washington County.5,6 
Cens-18509 Oct 1850  William and Mary were enumerated in Grayson County, Virginia, in 1850, the first federal census to record all members of a household by name. Besides William (32) and Mary (23) the family included 3 year old Eugenia Dickenson and 21 [1] year old Ellen Dickenson[William and Mary's daughters]. William was employed as a merchant. The household also included 15 other individuals with various surnames, suggested William and Mary may have also kept a boarding house.7 
  Mary had actually given birth to the couple's 3rd daughter on August 10, 1850, however following the census rules, when the enumerator reached the household on Oct. 9th, 1850 he recorded it as it stood on June first. Hence the infant Nannie was not listed. 
Cens-18607 Jul 1860  By 1860 the family had settled in Washington County where William farmed land valued at $13,400. The family had grown to include 6 children: Eugenia, Ellen, Nannie, Robert, John and Mary.8 
Cens-1860- Slave26 Jul 1860  Robert's 1860 census entry also indicated that he held $28,600 in personal property, at least some of which was represented by his ownership of 8 slaves.9 
Cens-1880Jun 1880  The 1880 census clarified that the family lived in the Glade Spring part of the county. Three of the couple's children still lived at home: Robert (26), Elizabeth [Mary Elizabeth] (23) and Laura (13). A servant, 19 year old Lucy Haines, lived with the family.10 
Widowed9 Aug 1887  William died on Aug. 9, 1887 and was buried in the Gardner-Dickenson Square at Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County. 
Residence  Following William's death Mary moved to southern California where many of her children had already settled. 
Death27 Jan 1896 Mary died on 27 Jan 1896 in Santa Barbara, California, at age 68.11,4 
Burial She was buried at Carpinteria Cemetery in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County, California.11,4 
Click here for more information (and pictures) of Mary Elizabeth's childhood home12

Family

William Bourn Dickenson b. 27 Nov 1818, d. 9 Aug 1887
Children
Last Edited31 Aug 2013

Citations

  1. [S2352] Document containing names and dates of birth for children of Robert Buchanan Edmiston and Nancy Dysart Beattie; entries in handwriting of their daughter, Mary Elizabeth Beattie (Edmondson) Dickenson (1827-1896); also information on other family members. The entry reads: "Mary Elizabeth Beattie Edmondson Feb. 16, 1827."
  2. [S5] Elizabeth Kelly Allison, Early Southwest Virginia Families, p. 102-6.
  3. [S124] David Trimble, Buchanan and Gillespie, p. 218. Trimble cites records belonging to Howard V. Jones as his source for information on the family of Robert Buchanan Edmondson and Nancy Dysart Beattie.
  4. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Aug. 2013). Mary B. Dickenson memorial #78879820, Carpinteria Cemetery, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara Co., CA (photo: Mary B. Dickenson, born in Washington Co. VA Feb 16, 1827 Died Jan. 27, 1896).
  5. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 17. Dickenson, William B. & Mary E.B. Edmondson, 11 Jun 1845; Robert C. Graham.
  6. [S2352] Document containing names and dates of birth for children of Robert Buchanan Edmiston and Nancy Dysart Beattie; entries in handwriting of their daughter, Mary Elizabeth Beattie (Edmondson) Dickenson (1827-1896); also information on other family members. The entry reads: "Wm B. Dickenson & Mary E.B. Edmondson were married June 11th 1845."
  7. [S1307] William B. Dickenson household, 1850 U.S. cens, Grayson Co., Virginia, pop. sched., District 19, p. 232 (stamped), dwelling ?, family 1000, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2005, image 147 of 148. Enumeration includes: William B. Dickenson, 32, merchant; Mary, 23; Egenia, 3; Ellen Dickenson 21 [2 or 1]; all b. VA. This household also included 15 other people with various last names; some adults and some children. Though relationships were not stated in 1850, they appear to have been boarders.
  8. [S234] Wm B. Dickenson household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., The Western District, p. 453 (added script), dwelling 635, family 620, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2005, image 91 of 361. Enumeration includes: Wm B. Dickenson, 42, farmer, owns land valued at $13,400 and pers. prop. of $28,600; Mary, 33; Eugenia, 14; Ellen 11; Nanny 9; Robert 7; John 5; Mary 3; all b. VA.
  9. [S1308] William B. Dickenson, owner, 1860 U.S. census, Washington Co., Virginia, slave schedule, p. 8 (original script), line 16, viewed online at Ancestry.com. 8 slaves incl 3 males and 5 females.
  10. [S165] William Dickenson household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 65 (stamped), dwelling 217, family 218, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, Sept. 2005, image 25 of 54. Enumeration includes: William Dickenson, 61, farmer; Mary B. 53, wife; Robert M., son, 26; Elizabeth, 23, dau; Laura, 13, dau; Lucy Haines, 19, servant; also an unidentified 1 month old infant listed under Lucy; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  11. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address.
  12. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Carolyn Ryburn.
  13. [S1307] William B. Dickenson household, 1850 U.S. cens, Grayson Co., Virginia, pop. sched., District 19, p. 232 (stamped), dwelling ?, family 1000, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2005, image 147 of 148. Enumeration includes: William B. Dickenson, 32, merchant; Mary, 23; Egenia, 3; Ellen Dickenson 21; all b. VA. This household also included 15 other people with various last names; some adults and some children. Though relationships were not stated in 1850, they appear to have been boarders.
  14. [S1333] "California Death Index 1940-1997", Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). Nannie Beattie Franklin data, downloaded Feb. 2007.
  15. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 179. Stone reported to read: Mary Elizabeth Dickenson, d/o Wm B. & Mary B. Dickenson, 17 Apr 1857 - 3 Jan. 1887.