# Edward Dickinson

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American politician

This article is about the Massachusetts representative. For the Ohio representative, see [Edward F. Dickinson](/source/Edward_F._Dickinson). For the British ornithologist, see [Edward C. Dickinson](/source/Edward_C._Dickinson).

Edward Dickinson Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 10th district In office March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 Preceded by Zeno Scudder Succeeded by Calvin C. Chaffee Personal details Born (1803-01-01)January 1, 1803 Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S. Died June 16, 1874(1874-06-16) (aged 71) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Party Whig Spouse Emily Norcross Dickinson Children Austin, Emily, Lavinia Alma mater Yale College Northampton Law School Occupation Lawyer

**Edward Dickinson** (January 1, 1803 – June 16, 1874) was an American politician from [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts).[1] He is also known as the father of the poet [Emily Dickinson](/source/Emily_Dickinson); their family home in Amherst, the [Emily Dickinson Museum](/source/Emily_Dickinson_Museum), is a museum dedicated to her.[2]

## Life and career

Signature of Edward Dickinson in a book given to his daughter Emily, 1859

Dickinson, the eldest son of Hon. Samuel Fowler Dickinson and Lucretia (Gunn) Dickinson, was born in [Amherst, Massachusetts](/source/Amherst%2C_Massachusetts), where he attended public schools and the [Amherst Academy](/source/Amherst_College). He graduated from [Yale College](/source/Yale_College) in 1823 and studied at [Northampton Law School](/source/Northampton_Law_School) in [Northampton, Massachusetts](/source/Northampton%2C_Massachusetts). He was admitted to the bar and commenced law practice in Amherst in 1826. On May 6, 1828, he married [Emily Norcross Dickinson](/source/Emily_Norcross_Dickinson) (1804–1882); they had three children: [William Austin](/source/William_Austin_Dickinson), [Emily Elizabeth](/source/Emily_Dickinson), and [Lavinia Norcross](/source/Lavinia_Norcross_Dickinson).[2]

Dickinson served as treasurer of [Amherst College](/source/Amherst_College) from 1835 until 1873.[1] He received an honorary [LL.D.](/source/Legum_Doctor) from Amherst in 1863.

He served in the [Massachusetts House of Representatives](/source/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives) 1838–1839 and in the [Massachusetts Senate](/source/Massachusetts_Senate) from 1842 to 1843.[1] He was a member of the [Massachusetts Governor's Council](/source/Massachusetts_Governor's_Council) in 1846 and 1847.[1]

He was then elected as a [Whig](/source/Whig_Party_(United_States)) to the [United States Congress](/source/United_States_Congress) 1853–1855 and subsequently declined candidacy for the Republican nomination of Lieutenant Governor in 1861 before returning to the [Massachusetts House of Representatives](/source/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives) in 1873.[1] He was elected for the main purpose of securing to the town the advantages of the [Massachusetts Central Railroad.](/source/Central_Massachusetts_Railroad)

On the morning of June 16, 1874, after a careful speech in the House on his connection with the [Hoosac Tunnel](/source/Hoosac_Tunnel), he suffered an [apoplexy](/source/Apoplexy) and died at his hotel before evening.[3] He is buried in Amherst's West Cemetery.

## See also

- [Biography portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)

- [1874 Massachusetts legislature](/source/1874_Massachusetts_legislature)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_1-4) ["DICKINSON, Edward,1803 – 1874"](https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/D000319). *Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress*. Retrieved May 19, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) ["Edward Dickinson (1803-1874), father"](https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/edward-dickinson-1803-1874-father/). *Emily Dickinson Museum*. Retrieved May 19, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Death of Mr Edward Dickinson of Amherst"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-daily-republican-death-o/172668238/). *Springfield Daily Republican*. June 17, 1874. Retrieved May 19, 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

## External links

- United States Congress. ["Edward Dickinson (id: D000319)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000319). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

- [Edward Dickinson](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7675339) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

This article incorporates public domain material from the *[Yale Obituary Record](https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=yaleobitrecord)*.

U.S. House of Representatives 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 Calvin C. Chaffee

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Netherlands Israel People US Congress Deutsche Biographie Other IdRef SNAC Yale LUX

v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

v t e Emily Dickinson Poetry "I taste a liquor never brewed" (1861) "Success is counted sweetest" (1864) "Because I could not stop for Death" (1890) "There's a certain Slant of light" (1890) "A Bird came down the Walk" (1891) "'Hope' is the thing with feathers" (1891) "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" (1891) "I like to see it lap the Miles" (1891) "Wild Nights – Wild Nights!" (1891) "I heard a Fly buzz—when I died" (1896) "There is a pain — so utter —" (1929) People Edward Dickinson (father) Emily Norcross Dickinson (mother) William Austin Dickinson (brother) Lavinia Norcross Dickinson (sister) Susan Huntington Gilbert Dickinson (sister-in-law) Thomas Wentworth Higginson (editor) Mabel Loomis Todd (editor) Margaret Maher (maid) Related Emily Dickinson home and museum Dickinson Historic District Collected manuscripts and papers Emily Dickinson International Society The Emily Dickinson Journal Dickinson Electronic Archives The Belle of Amherst (1976 play) Emily Dickinson (1989 book) A Quiet Passion (2016 film) Wild Nights with Emily (2018 film) Dickinson (2019 TV series)

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