A Brief Summary Of "The Dick Family History"

As recounted by Mother Margaret Kay Dick and recorded by Alta Pennington Dick (a daughter-in-law)

The John Dick family in the United States:  The family landed in Boston, MA in the Spring of 1866.  They crossed the Ocean in a sailing vessel and were six weeks in crossing; the ship was driven from its course in a fierce storm which took them into the Bay of Biscay.  Walter Dick's fourth birthday occurred (Mar.20th) while they were crossing and the Captain invited him to eat dinner with him but called him "Paddly", which made him spunky and Sanday (A.K. Dick) ate dinner with the Captain instead.

Coming in a sailing vessel enabled them to bring many of their houshold effects with them; and as they had become acquainted with many sea captains who boarded with Aunties, Anna Law, and Belle Kay, sisters of Mother Dick, who kept an inn in London on Tower Hill.  They came by ship.  The family had moved to London on account of reverses suffered from the loss of money.  James Finley, a brother-in-law, and Robert Finley, his son, forged a note on Father Dick, by which he obtained quite a sum of money, enough to cause them to leave Milldeans, their home, and go to London where Father Dick worked for a wine merchant and William Dick, his oldest son, kept books for the firm. William was 14 at this time and had been a very apt French and Latin student, learned music readily, played the violin and had an unusual soprano, alto, and tenor voice.  He and his sister, Agnes Blythe Dick, often played together, she playing the piano.  Their mother also played the piano and sang.  She had been educated at boarding school.  Robert Kay Dick, the second son, was not as serious minded, though more of having fun and playing jokes.  Isabella Dick, the second daughter, was called "Easy", a jolly, fun-loving girl.  John Dick, the third son, loved music and had a beautiful voice, also a beautiful character.  He died at twenty-two years.  James Dick, fourth son, was a serious young man, had a good bass voice but was two timid to use it.  Alexander Robertson Dick, 5th son, was the finest one of them all, acting as second mother at different times to many of them, always willing to go and help out, although in the later years his hearing became a hinderance and made him timid.  He also loved music and lead the choir for a number of years.  William used to jokingly liken him to "Andre Mauckum", an old choir leader in Scotland.  Walter Scott Dick, the 6th son, was a fine upstanding man, good looking and good acting.  He taught school for a number of years, everyone liked Walter.  Maggie Kay Dick, the 3rd daughter, was spared to be a help to Mother Dick in her declining years.  Mother Dick's older sister, Auntie Law, kept a little shop.  She and Aunt Bella Kay took an 'Inn' where sea captains boarded.  They did a thriving business for a while.  Auntie Law had married Robert Law, a Sea Captain, and settled in London a few years before the Dick family went there.  Aunt Bell Kay made her home there.  Robert Law died after he and Aunt had been married eight years.  The younger Dick children went to school in London, all except Walter and Maggie.  Maggie had a cleft palate and never could talke very plain.  

After landing in Boston, the family came to St. Charles, MO, where they lived for two years, coming to Jasper Co. MO in 1868.  They landed at Peter Orrs, he and his wife, Agnes.  (Shanks Thom) Orrs, being Scotch, welcomed them as relatives and made them feel at home at their farm on North Fork near Medoc, Mo. where was formed a friendship which lasted during the lives of both families.

Father John Dick died soon after coming here.  This part of Missouri was full of malaria at that time and the change, with too strenuous work and worry and insufficient and unsuitable food did their work.  The family had chills, at one time all were down but Sandy, who ministered to the rest.  Father Dick had a congestive chill, he died the next fall after coming to Medoc (1869).

(Father) John Dick, son of William Dick and Isabella (Wilke) Dick, was born (about) 1813, at Croftsgairy, near Aberdour, Feleshire, Scotland.  He married Margaret Kay Dick of the parish of Markwich, February 1st, 1848, at Balhernie Mills, Fefershire, Scotland by Rev.  Johnston, Minister.

Their children-                                                            Married, year

Agnes Blythe b.1848                                   Wm. Alexander

William b.1850                                             Ann Jane McCann, 1878

Isabella b.1852                                             John Finley

Robert b. 1854                                            Abigail Dancy

John 1856-1878                                          Unmarried

James 1858-1906                                       Lula May Baker, 1887

Alexander (Sandy) 1860-1937                    Alta D. Pennington, 1885

Walter Scott 1862-1909                             Sarah Davison

Maggie Kay 1864-1896                             Unmarried

Children of William Dick and Isabelle Anne Wilkie Dick.  James married Willimena-lived at Vincennes, Indiana, then in Illinois.  Robert's folks met their daughter, Anna Dick, in Nebraska.

Janet married Robert Orrick.

Ann married Wilson.

Isabella married Russel-lived in Canada.

Euphemia married Beath-lived in Canada.

John married Margaret Kay.

William Dick, sone of James Dick and Janet Ruthvan, their sons:

James married Anna (or Mannie) Bains-Mother Dick and the children often went to her home on Sabbath, after Kirk, took their dinners and ate there.

David was unmarried and died young.

Janet Ruthvan was a direct descendant of King Robert Bruce.  They had their Coat of Arms suggested signet and motto.  Walters family have the seal-two ships-the motto in Latin-"There is Still Hope".

Sketch

William Dick was a Universalist.  He married their serving girl, who was very beautiful but she was deaf and very high tempered.  He was disinherited by the family for this marriage.  How much this marriage has influenced the family history is attested by the deafness and high tempers of some of the descendants.

William Dick married Anna Jane McCann.  Their children:  Mary Dick married W. H. Sterling.  Alexander M. Dick married Gladys Thorp.

Robert Kay Dick married Abigail Dancy.  Their children:  Verda - Edna Everet died young - Gerty married Harry Sweet Walter.  The following is penciled into the document at this point: Married Flora Wardenouser, married Naomi Johnson.

Agnes Dick married William Alexander.  Their children - Genevieve - Will - Walter - Carroll.

John-unmarried.

James married Lula May Baker.  Their children- Vern - Olive, married.

Sandy married Alta Pennington.  Their children - John - Clark, married Jennie Randol.  Agnes Blythe married John Jeffers.  Their children: -Jack Leroy - Bittie Mae - Helen Arthur married Edna Smith.  Their children: Bertha, George, Charley, Walter Forrest.

Maggie Kay Dick, unmarried.

Clark Dick's children:  Louise - Junior - Randol - Milton.

Mother Margaret Kay Dick was a daughter of Robert Kay and Nancy Blythe Kay of Balburny Mills.  They had early come from the Highlands were of the MacKay clan but dropped the Mac on coming to Fifeshire.

Grandfather Kay was a very successful business man, but said the best bargain her ever made was when he married Grandmother Kay.  They had a lovely home and grounds near Markinch, also extensive bleach fields and paper mills.  Their children: - Ann Law - Nancy Bly - Robert - John - Isabella - George - Effie - Margaret.

Ann Law had no children.

Nancy Blythe Finlay married James Finlay.  Their children - Robert - Will - James - John - Alex - Mary - Agnes.

Isabella (Aunt Bell), unmarried.

Effie, mother of Alexander Robertson, died young.

John Finlay married Isabella (Easy Dick) Finlay, their children- Maggie - Agnes - James - John - Edna - Walter - Will Elsie.

Mary married Alexander Ferguson

Agnes married Peter Kelley.

The James Finley's went to Texas in an early day.

Three of Clark's children died in infancy - only the oldest - Helen, being married.