Benjamin F. Dickey
One of the big farmers of Grant County, a far-sighted business man, the accumulator of a generous prosperity, Benjamin F. Dickey about forty years ago, after his marriage, began his career as a renter. He has lived the quiet, plain life of a farmer, and in his character the love of land, of peace and industry, have been cardinal virtues. His success, which has been of a large and worthy nature has been won as the result of his own well directed efforts, and he has proved himself an efficient farmer and a valuable citizen. Mr. Dickey is owner and proprietor of what is known as the Maples Farm, in Section thirty-three of Liberty Township, situated one mile south and four miles west of Fairmount, on the rural delivery route No. 21.
Benjamin F. Dickey was born in Fayette County, Indiana, March 14, 1841, a son of William and Jane (Miller) Dickey. The father of Hugh Dickey was reared and married in the north of Ireland from which country he set out on a sailing vessel about the time of the Revolutionary war for America. During the voyage the ship was foundered, and all the women and children were taken off by the crew in the life boats. As the boat in which his family were placed was pulling away from the vessel, the father in his anxiety and despair leaped into the water, seized the edge of the boat, and hung on until the captain struck off his hands with a sabre, cutting him loose, so that he was lost. The family were saved and came on tot he Untied States, locating first in Pennsylvania, and afterwards moving to Kentucky, locating in Scott County near Georgetown. from there Hugh Dickey moved to Batavia, Ohio, and finally to Fayette County, Indiana, where he was one of the pioneer settlers and lived until his death. William Dickey, father of Benjamin F. was born in 1797 in Kentucky, moved from there to Ohio, and accompanied the family to Fayette County, Indiana, where he grew to manhood and was married. His wife, Jane Miller, was a daughter of John Miller, who was born near Marion courthouse, on the little Pedee River in South Carolina. From that state he immigrated with his family to Tennessee, where he lived a year, then moved to Georgetown, in Scott County, Kentucky, where he was a farmer for about twelve years and about 1816 located in Fayette County, Indiana, which was his home until his death. William Dickey and wife moved to Grant County, Indiana, in 1870, and there spent the rest of their lives. In their family were eight children, four sons and four daughters, and two are now living. The brother of Benjamin F. is John M., a retired farmer in Fairmount. William S. Dickey, another of the sons was killed while serving in the navy near Charleston, S. C., during the Civil war. All the others grew up and had families of their own.
Mr. Benjamin F. Dickey was reared on a farm in Fayette County, Indiana, and lived at home until he was twenty-nine years of age. As a boy he had the advantage of the district schools during the winter, and was trained to the vigorous pursuits of the farm in the summer seasons. His school days were finished when he was about eighteen, an at the age of twenty-one he rented his father's farm and it was conducted under his successful management until he was twenty-nine years of age. He accompanied his parents to Grant County in 1870, but soon returned to Fayette County.
In the latter county on October 11, 1871, occurred his marriage to Miss Cecelia Tingley, who was born and reared in Fayette County, received her education in the local schools. Her father, Dr. U. B. Tingley was for many years a practicing physician in Harrisburg of Fayette County. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Dickey located on the farm which is now a portion of their fine country establishment,. Buying forty acres of land, Mr. Dickey with the aid of his wife set himself energetically to its cultivation and improvement, gradually extended his buildings, fences and area of cultivated land, and at the same time added to his acreage from time to time, until his home place now comprises three hundred and sixty acres in one body. Besides that he is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres elsewhere in Liberty Township, and altogether has five hundred and twenty acres in that township, besides one hundred and sixty acres in Green Township. Besides these generous landed possessions he is the owner of property in Marion and Fairmount.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Dickey was born one son, Oscar Dickey, on December 26, 1874. He grew up on the home farm, received a good education, and has taken up the vocation of his father for whom he is the practical manager of the large estate under the family ownership. Mr. Dickey spends most of his time supervising his large property interests, and dos little of the practical work of the farm. He and his wife are active members of the Church of Christ at Rigdon. In politics his vote was cast in the Republican interest for a number of years, but during the past twenty-eight years he has always cast his ballot for the Prohibition ticket. Mr. and Mrs. Dickey have preferred to spend their declining years on their beautiful and attractive home place in the country, and have surrounded themselves with many comforts and advantages, at the same time enjoying the increasing respect and esteem of all who know them.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.