Dickson, James Nelson

Duane's take

The official marker in Grayson County tells this story, and here's how I'd pass it along. Now, some men leave a mark on a place by making a lot of noise. James Nelson Dickson left his mark by showing up, year after year, decade after decade, and simply doing the work.

Born and educated right there in Grayson County, Dickson first walked through the doors of county government in 1914, taking a post as Deputy Tax Assessor. That was the beginning of what the marker calls, with some understatement, his long association with county government. Long doesn't quite cover it, but we'll get there.

Then came 1930, and with it a courthouse fire. Records, gone. Including, and this matters, important school bond papers.

Dickson worked to replace what the fire had taken. Not the most glamorous work in the world, tracking down destroyed documents, reconstructing what had been lost. But it was necessary work, and he did it.

Fast forward to 1945, and the Commissioners Court named him to fill an unexpired term as County Judge. Now, filling an unexpired term is often a temporary thing. A placeholder.

A warm body in a chair until somebody else comes along. That is not how this went. Dickson held that position through subsequent elections, right up until 1962.

Nearly two decades sitting as County Judge of Grayson County. Upon retirement, you might think the man would slow down. You would be wrong.

He turned his energy toward local heritage, working through museums, events, and organizations, and on top of that, compiled a history of Grayson County schools. Born and educated in Grayson County, he spent a lifetime making sure Grayson County remembered where it came from. That's the kind of accounting that doesn't burn up in any courthouse fire.

What the marker says

JAMES NELSON DICKSON (1890-1986) BORN AND EDUCATED IN GRAYSON COUNTY, JAMES NELSON DICKSON BEGAN HIS LONG ASSOCIATION WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN 1914 AS DEPUTY TAX ASSESSOR. FOLLOWING A 1930 COURTHOUSE FIRE, HE WORKED TO REPLACE DESTROYED RECORDS, INCLUDING IMPORTANT SCHOOL BOND PAPERS. IN 1945, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT NAMED HIM TO FILL AN UNEXPIRED TERM AS COUNTY JUDGE, A POSITION HE HELD THROUGH SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS UNTIL 1962. UPON RETIREMENT, HE DEVOTED HIS EFFORTS TO THE PROMOTION OF LOCAL HERITAGE THROUGH MUSEUMS, EVENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMPILED A HISTORY OF GRAYSON COUNTY SCHOOLS. RECORDED - 2005