Edward Dickinson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edward Dickinson (January 1, 1803 - June 16, 1874) was a Massachusetts politician. He is best known as the father of famous poet Emily Dickinson; their family home in Amherst, the Dickinson Homestead, is now a museum.
Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he attended public schools and Amherst Academy, graduated from Yale College in 1823, and studied law in the law school of Northampton, Massachusetts. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Amherst in 1826. On May 6, 1828 he married Emily Norcross Dickinson (1804–1882); his daughter Emily Dickinson was born December 10, 1830.
Dickinson served as treasurer of Amherst College 1835-1837. He was then elected a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1838-1839, served in the Massachusetts Senate in 1842-1843, and was a member of the Governor's Council 1846-1847. He then was elected as a Whig to the United States Congress 1853-1855, declined to be a candidate for the Republican nomination of Lieutenant Governor in 1861, and was again elected a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1873. Dickinson died in Boston on June 16, 1874 and is buried in West Cemetery, Amherst.
[edit] References
| Preceded by Zeno Scudder |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 10th congressional district March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 |
Succeeded by Henry Morris |
