Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men of Chicago
Biographical Sketches of the Leading Men in Chicago, Photographically Illustrated by John Carbutt, 1868, Pages 429-434
Judge Dickey is a native of New York city, where he was born May 30, 1812. His father, Mr. Robert Dickey, ii merchant of the “Empire City,” and his mother, a daughter of Dr. George Brown, who was an eminent Baltimore physician, were both of Irish descent. Their ancestors lived in the county of Antrim, in the north part of the island, and belonged to the protestant gentry. Dr. Brown, already mentioned, was an alumnus of Dublin College; also of the University of Edinburgh, where he received his medical education. He immigrated with his family to Baltimore in the latter part of the last century, his daughter Anne, afterwards Mrs. Dickey, being at that time a chiKl. Judge Dickey’s father received his education in England, whence he sailed for America at the age of eighteen, settling at Baltimore. He at once entered the counting-room of the late firm of Oliver & Thompson, a leading; mercantile house of Baltimore, where he remained until he became thoroughly competent to do business on his own responsibility. He was indebted for his position to his uncle, Hugh Thompson, the junior member of the firm, and after whom he named his son.
Philadelphia was then the foremost city of the continent, and Baltimore, now the third city in the Union, was then next to it in wealth and population, as it still is, if we count New York and its suburbs one city. The genius of DeWitt Clinton had not then made the Empire City the heart of western commerce—the great metropolis of America. It was, however, a half century ago the centre of a vast trade, and thither Mr. Dickey directed his steps, and there he spent a long and prosperous life. He had been married five years when the son, destined to take a loading position in the imperial city of Chicago, was born.
Judge Dickey has ever been fortune’s favored child. In his parental home every want was anticipated, and nothing which money, affection and wisdom could do to make his early life joyous, and a fit opening to a noble manhood, was neglected. To some, the heavy burden of poverty, the stern necessity of early self-reliance, prove a stepping-stone to great- ness; to others, the kindly ministrations of affluence, the sweet influences of a home radiant with the light of all prosperity, prove the agencies best adapted to develop a true manliness of character, and insure success in the battle of life. Of this latter class was young Dickey. The necessity of discipline or effort was not upon him; but, so far from spending his time in idle frivolity, or, worse still, in vicious indulgence, he scrupulously avoided the primrose path of pleasure, and, by devotion to study, prepared himself for the arduous duties of manhood by a wise use of his time in youth.
In the grammar-school, where his early school days were spent, he always ranked among the best scholars of his age. When only eight years old, he had become a proficient in the various branches of a good English education, and had sufficient maturity of mind to commence the study of the French and Latin languages.
It was evident that he would adorn one of the learned professions, and ought not to be put to the drudgery of trade; and his parents, being discerning enough to see this, educated him with a view to either the law or medicine, which he should prefer on coming to years of mature judg- ment. Accordingly, in the autumn of 1826, Aviien only fourteen years of age, we find our precocious youth a freshman in Columbia College, New York. He remained there four years, ranking among tlie very best scholars in a class of thirty, nearly all of whom Avere older than himself. He graduated with honors remarkable for one so young, finding himself, at the age of eighteen, in possession of a thorough liberal education, good health, and full of the enthusiasm of youth.
Soon after graduating, he decided one of the most important questions of life, which, in fact, influenced his whole future. His education fitting him for any position, his choice was that of the profession of the law, the study of which he immediately commenced with Charles Graham, Esq., a distinguished member of the New York bar. With him he remained four years, when he became himself a member of that bar. As he was still a very young man, and one of unusual promise, he became his late instructor’s assistant, and continued to fill that position until June, 1836, when a prevailing desire to emigrate to the younger and more enterprising States of the West was felt in the Eastern cities. He yielded to this spirit, and took his journey westward, with a company of friends, resolved to see for himself the wonders of the West.
Judge Dickey first looked upon Chicago, or, rather, upon the place where it was to be, in the summer of 1836. He spent several weeks here at that time, and returned again in the autumn, for a two months’ visit in the city and State. Having formed a decided preference for the West, the spring of 1837 found him again looking about him with a view of finding a desirable location for the practice of his profession, and for a home. Being, at that time, unsuccessful in his search, he returned to New York, where he was principally engaged in studying until the summer of 1838, Avhen he came again to Chicago, having decided to make it his home. He entered into partnership with Edward G. Ryan, Esq., a distinguished lawyer, whom he had known in New York, and who had been instrumental in determining him to locate here. They continued to be partners until the spring of 1841, when Mr. Ryan started the Chicago Tribune, and the partnership between them was dissolved.
Having now made a reputation equal to his talent and anticipations, he no longer needed the assistance of a partner, and, therefore, decided to continue the practice of law alone, which he did with great success, devoting himself exclusively to his profession, until other, and perhaps higher, duties called him to a more public field of operations.
In 1842, a vacancy occurred on the Supreme Bench of the State of Illinois, Hon. Theophilus W. Smith, one of the Supreme Judges, having resigned his position. On account of his ability as a lawyer and his character as a man, Mr. Dickey was almost unanimously recommended by the Chicago bar, and also by the people, the popular will having been expressed at a large public meeting, to the Legislature, then in session, as a man eminently suited to the position of Supreme Judge, but, to the great disappointment of his numerous friends and this community generally, the choice of the Legislature fell upon the late Hon. Richard M. Young, who had just been defeated as candidate for re-election to the United States Senate by Hon. Sidney Breese, now of the Supreme Bench of Illinois.
In the years 1843-4, he was elected a member of the Common Council, being one of the Aldermen representing the First Ward. While one of the “City Fathers,” he served as Chairman of the Committee on Schools. In that capacity he projected and carried out the present system of leasing the real estate belonging to the Chicago school fund for terms of years, especially the valuable block lying between State and Dearborn, Madison and Monroe streets, which was, at his suggestion, divided into subdivisions and leased upon terms which made it far more profitable to the school fund than it had ever been before. The services rendered to the city by Judge Dickey in the unambitious office of Alderman were not confined to one department. A wise counselor in all things, his judgment was relied upon in all matters of municipal legislation.
He continued to practice law until the spring of 1845, when, upon the recommendation of a large number of the bar and people of Cook County, his name was presented to the Legislature of Illinois for election to the office of Judge of the Cook County Court, now the Superior Court of the City of Chicago. This was then a new Court, created at the session of the General Assembly then being held. It had only one presiding Judge instead of three, as now, and possessed concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Court. The Legislature, with great unanimity, elected to the new and highly important judiciary the choice of the bar and people most concerned. Judge Dickey entered upon his judicial duties in the spring of 1845, proving, from the first, eminently qualified for the position.
At the same session of the Legislature, the Jo Daviess County Court, to be held at Galena, was created, and the Cook County Judge made, ex officio, Judge of that Court also. His double duties were arduous in the extreme, and fraught with grave responsibilities, but they were discharged with such consummate ability and unvarying fidelity as to win for the Judge general approbation. From the County Court, he Avas promoted to the Judgeship of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, then composed of eight counties.
He was nominated by the Democrats, and the Whigs made no nomination. He was elected, therefore, without opposition. It is worthy of note that Judge Dickey was elected at the first judicial election held under the present Constitution. Prior to that time, no judicial offices had been filled in Illinois by the direct vote of the people.
This was the last public office ever held by Judge Dickey. While he occupied the bench, the Seventh Circuit was divided, all the counties except Cook and Lake being set off by themselves, owing to the great increase of legal business consequent upon the growth of Chicago and the surrounding country. In the spring of 1853, owing to the pressure of his private business, the Judge resigned his seat on the bench, since which time he has refused all tenders of of office. He has, however, continued to take a deep interest in all that pertains to the public welfare, especially of the city. The enviable reputation which he won as a Judge will not soon be forgotten, but new lustre has been thrown upon his good name by the part he has taken in the noble enterprises which have contributed largely to the prosperity of Chicago.
Judge Dickey was married, in 1850, to Miss Fanny Russell Dekovcn, daughter of the late Henry L. Dekoven, of Middletown, Connecticut, by whom he has three children now living—two sons and one daughter. He is a consistent member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, sincerely attached to its distinctive features, yet free from all sectarian bigotry.
Early in the summer of 1865, Judge Dickey and family sailed for Europe, spending about two years in travel in England and on the Continent, but recently returned, laden with the rich experience of foreign travel.
Judge Dickey has never known the pinchings of poverty; but he has a heart that ever kindly warms with generous pity toward all who stand in need of charity. Unostentatious and discriminating in his bounty, he is known as the liberal friend of the poor, and of every worthy object of public charity.
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