WHERE WAS JAMES BORN AND WHO DID HE MARRY?

Where was James Dickson born? 

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

·        PottersAmerican Monthly p 71 – 72 Vol 15 1880:

“One report gave Armagh as his birthplace, and 112 years as his age; another report said Newry, and 119 years.” 

·        Grandson Robert – “On my mothers side she is a descendant of James Dixon one of the first of five protestant teachers sent from England to educate the Irish people in the English language.

·        Family history - near Castleblaney, Armagh (s/be Monaghan)

     The grave marker is the real puzzle.  I assume the information on his headstone came from his daughter Mary Jane and is the most accurate (although it is possible this information came from Sam, when the graves were moved).  Dublin surprised me as this is the only mention I have found of him being from that area.  

     I am not sure if Roberts’ information refers to James Dickson or James father.  Certainly all other information about James has stated he was born in Ireland.  

     I can see where family members would assume Castleblaney or Newry as this was where the Caswells and Dicksons lived.  The family history sheet for James says Castleblaney, Armagh.  Castleblaney is in Monaghan and Newry is in Armagh.  So again confusion.

       I believe James & daughter Mary Jane were living in Castleblaney at the time of her marriage to Andrew Caswell about 1834.  Andrew and Mary Jane’s first son James and daughter Sarah were born in Castleblaney.  James Dickson probably followed daughter Mary Jane & son-in-law Andrew Caswell to Altnamackin, Armagh, as he had been recently widowed.  (The distance between the two is twenty minutes by car.)  This may also be where he met his second wife, Esther McComb.  The McCombs were a prominent family in the Altnamackin area.

      James son Robert, in the  1861 Census stated he was from England.  Again this could be a transcription error.

Who James Dickson married: (information from grave marker)

Margaret Ann Wallis (d 1830) native of Down
(From Rob Caswell – Mother said her mother was Margaret Ann Wallace, a Scottish lassie born 1775-1830.)

Esther McComb (d 7 Jan 1877 85 years) native of Down

     There were 14 children mentioned in Potter’s American Monthly, were they all from his first wife?  Could he possibly have had children with Esther? Did she bring children from a previous marriage into the union?  The information about 14 children was taken from James obit, which I have been unable to locate.  I can account for four – Mary Jane, James Campbell, Robert and Thomas, but again conflicting information.  More about James children in a further post.

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