Texas Legislators: Past & Present

David Catchings Dickson

Full Name: David Catchings Dickson
Birth date: February 25, 1818
Death date: June 5, 1880

Terms of Service

Senate, 10th ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽¹²⁾ ⁽¹⁶⁾ & 9th ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽¹¹⁾ ⁽¹³⁾ ⁽¹⁴⁾ ⁽¹⁵⁾ Legislatures
2/2/1863 - 8/6/1866
House, 8th ⁽⁸⁾ Legislature
11/7/1859 - 11/4/1861
House, 6th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽¹⁰⁾ Legislature
7/7/1856 - 11/2/1857
House, 4th Legislature
11/3/1851 - 11/7/1853

Speaker
House, 3rd ⁽⁹⁾ Legislature
11/5/1849 - 11/3/1851
House, 1st ⁽¹⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ Legislature
2/16/1846 - 12/13/1847

(1) ANDERSON, TX was in Montgomery County until 1846 when Grimes County organized. Handbook of Texas Online .
(2) "In 1841, after graduating from medical school in Lexington, Kentucky, [Dickson] and his wife moved with a group to the area of Anderson, Texas, then in Montgomery County (now in Grimes County). . . . After his death he was buried in the family cemetery near his home at Anderson, on June 5, 1880." Handbook of Texas Online .
(3) David C. Dickson, sworn 2/2/1863, succeeded Anthony M. Branch, resigned. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(4) David C. Dickson, sworn 7/7/1856, succeeded Robert C. Neblett, resigned. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(5) Montgomery, Montgomery County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(6) Anderson, Grimes County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(7) Democrat. Table of members of the 1st Legislature, The Texas Democrat (Austin, Texas), 5/20/1846, p. 3, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
(8) Included in "Table II, Constitutional Unionists (Identified from newspapers) with Biographical Data," list of leaders of the Texas Constitutional Union Party in 1860. The party was formed in January of 1860. "The Constitutional Union Party in Texas," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, Number 3, January 1979, pp. 238, 256-262, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
Table II, Constitutional Unionists
(9) Roster of members elect of the 3rd Legislature, Matthewson, R.C., Texas State Gazette (Austin, Texas), 9/29/1849, p. 6, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
(10) Included on list of "Texas Know Nothing Leaders with a Summary of Biographical Data Taken from the . . . United States Eighth Census, 1860." The party was active at the state level in Texas in 1855 and 1856. "By 1857 the party had virtually disappeared in Texas." "An Analysis of the Texas Know Nothings," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 70, Number 3, January 1967, pp. 414, 417, 446, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
Census list
(11) "Dickson established residence in Montgomery County, later to become Grimes County . . ." Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016 2016.
(12) 10th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll call by district (holdover Senators), 11/2/1863, pp. 1-3. Senate Journal .
(13) 9th Legislature, 1st Called Session - Roll of Senators-elect to fill vacancies, oath of office administered, 2/2/1863, p. 1. Senate Journal .
(14) 9th Legislature, Regular Session - Classification of Senators (drawing for terms of office) - predecessor Anthony M. Branch drew "the long term" (four years), 11/12/1861, p. 42. Senate Journal .
(15) Montgomery, Montgomery County. Senate Journal .
(16) Anderson, Grimes County. Senate Journal .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Resolutions and Journal entries

Member roster, 9th Legislature, 1st Called Session: name, district, resident county, post office, state of nativity, occupation, and age. Senate Journal .

Photographs

Photograph. David Catchings Dickson, Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2006
Photograph. David Catchings Dickson, Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature

Other Resources

Biographical sketch. American Legislative Leaders, 1850-1910 1989.
Listed in "Men who have represented Grimes County in the House of Representatives/State Senate, 1846-1931," pp. 205-209. Includes Date, Legislatures, District, and Source of Data. Early History of Grimes County 1930.
Mentioned in the story of the controversy over where the new Grimes County should have its county seat, pp. 29-30. Early History of Grimes County 1930.
DICKSON, DAVID CATCHINGS (1818-1880). Handbook of Texas Online .
In June of 1855, the Know-Nothing party announced its first slate of state candidates. "Heading the ticket for governor was Lieutenant Governor David C. Dickson of Grimes County, forty year-old farmer-lawyer, who had previously been given the blessing of the state Democrats in his bid for re-election as lieutenant governor. "An Analysis of the Texas Know Nothings," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 70, Number 3, January 1967, p. 415, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
4th Lieutenant Governor, 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives: David Catchings Dickson. Portrait and biographical sketch. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016 2016.
Texas Army, surgeon, Texas Revolution; Captain, Texas militia "while Texas was a member of the Confederacy." Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016 2016.
Biographical sketch and portrait. Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature 1860.
Legislative service, including Lieutenant Governor in 5th Legislature, Know-Nothing candidate for Governor in 1855, portrait, pp. 4-5, 34. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889 1999.