William C. Dickinson was born 15 September 1832 in Steuben County, New York. His parents were Amos and Sarah Whitney Dickinson. William married Betsy Gott in 1871. Betsy was born on 22 March 1850 in England. Her parents were William and Elizabeth Wright Gott Sr.

William and Betsy had the following children (1900 census states they had 5 children 4 living)

1. Jessie Crandal Dickinson was born 3 May 1872 in Unadella, Livingston County, Michigan

2. Oscar F Dickinson was born 21 March 1875 in Fremont, Saginaw County, Michigan but parents living in Lakefield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan.

3. ? Mary Dickinson was born 3 March 1877 in Lakefield Township.

4. ? Nancy E. Dickinson was born 3 March 1877 in Lafayette Township, Gratiot County, Michigan.

5. Francis Dickinson was born 12 or 13 August 1882 in Lafayette Township, Gratiot County, Michigan.

In the Book “History of Saginaw County, Michigan written by Michael A. Leeson and Damon Clark, page 863 states the following: “On October 16, 1875 that all that part of the township of Fremont, as now heretofore last organized, to-wit fractional township of 11 North range 1 east, be, and the same is, hereby set off from the township of Fremont, and organized into a separate township by the name of Lakefield, and the first township meeting in the said township of Lakefield shall be held at the dwelling house of H.C. Fessenden; that the first township meeting of said township of Lakefield shall be holden on the first Monday of April next and that H.C. Fessenden, Thomas M. Gould and William C. Dickinson be, and they are hereby appointed Inspectors of said township meeting, whose duty it shall be to preside at such meeting, appoint a clerk, open and keep polls, and exercise the same power as the inspectors of elections at any township meeting.”

On 2 April 1877, William C. Dickinson was elected as Constable of Lakefield Township.

By 1900, William and his family were living in Handy, Livingston, County, Michigan.

William died on 7 August 1912 and Betsy on 13 July 1917. They are both buried in Fowlerville, Livingston County, Michigan

SOURCES: 1880 and 1900 Federal Census; Lakefield Township Records; Jesse Dickinson birth record; Oscar Dickinson birth record; Mary Dickinson birth record; Nancy Dickinson birth and death recorsd; Francis E. Dickinson Birth and Death Records; Find-A-Grave Website – photo by Kim Coin.