Edward Dickinson (January 1, 1803 – June 16, 1874) was an American politician from

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

. He is also known as the father of the poet

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

; their family home in Amherst, the Emily Dickinson Museum, is a museum dedicated to her.

Life and career

Dickinson, the eldest son of Hon. Samuel Fowler Dickinson and Lucretia (Gunn) Dickinson, was born in

Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst () is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. Amherst has a council–manager form of government, and is considered a city under Massachusetts state law. Amherst is one of several Massach ...

, where he attended public schools and the Amherst Academy. He graduated from

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

in 1823 and studied at Northampton Law School in

Northampton, Massachusetts The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of Northampton (including its outer villages, Florence, Massachusetts, Florence and ...

. He was admitted to the bar and commenced law practice in Amherst in 1826. On May 6, 1828, he married Emily Norcross Dickinson (1804–1882); they had three children: William Austin, Emily Elizabeth, and Lavinia Norcross. Dickinson served as treasurer of

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...

from 1835 until 1873. He received an honorary

LL.D. A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...

from Amherst in 1863. He served in the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into ...

1838–1839 and in the

Massachusetts Senate The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...

from 1842 to 1843. He was a member of the

Massachusetts Governor's Council The Massachusetts Governor's Council (also known as the Executive Council) is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matterssuch as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutationsto the Governor of Massachusetts. Council ...

in 1846 and 1847. He was then elected as a Whig to the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

1853–1855 and subsequently declined candidacy for the Republican nomination of Lieutenant Governor in 1861 before returning to the

in 1873. He was elected for the main purpose of securing to the town the advantages of the Massachusetts Central Railroad. On the morning of June 16, 1874, after a careful speech in the House on his connection with the

Hoosac Tunnel The Hoosac Tunnel (also called Hoosic or Hoosick Tunnel) is a active Rail transport, railroad tunnel in western Massachusetts that passes through the Hoosac Range, an extension of Vermont's Green Mountains. It runs in a straight line from its ...

, he suffered an

apoplexy Apoplexy () refers to the rupture of an internal organ and the associated symptoms. Informally or metaphorically, the term ''apoplexy'' is associated with being furious, especially as "apoplectic". Historically, it described what is now known as a ...

and died at his hotel before evening. He is buried in Amherst's West Cemetery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dickinson, Edward 1803 births 1874 deaths Politicians from Amherst, Massachusetts Dickinson family Yale College alumni Northampton Law School alumni Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts 19th-century American poets American male poets 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court

Life and career

See also

References

External links