JAMES DICKSON 1766 - 1878

James about age 95

     Hmmm, James Dickson – lots of fragments of information and stories have been passed down about him, his wives and his children; but unfortunately much of it conflicts!  I have summarized the information I have collected and have made comments to try and clarify/disprove some of the stories.  If anyone can add any information, please let me know.

When was James Dickson born?

·        Funeral notice – aged 112 years 1 month and 28 days

·        Gravemarker in Palmerston - Dublin Aged 112 years 2 mos.

          If the funeral notice is correct James would have been born 6 July 1766.  The grave marker was most likely rounded up to save room on the stone.

        There is more confusion when examining the census records.  These records are often inaccurate, sometimes the mistake was made (intentional or not) by the person providing the information.  Sometimes an error was made as the census taker transcribed the information into the census return book.  As a result, we can’t rely on the census to confirm when James was born.  

        At a seminar I attended given by the Ulster Historical Society the speaker could not stress enough how inaccurate birth dates are in historical Ireland.   People were often illiterate and there was very little organized recording of births. 

1851 Census

James was 79        1772

Esther was 50       1801

1861 Census

James was 91         1770

Esther was 55       1806

1871 Census (not sure why Esther was Mary in this census, possibly transcription error by census taker)

James was 105       1766

Mary was 75          1796

     I think the information on the funeral notice is the closest we will get to an accurate birth date.  The information on the notice would most likely have been supplied by his daughter Mary Jane.