Published: October 04, 2008 01:35 pm            

John Watson: Campbell Dickson, early Cleburne businessman

The following is from a 1954 newspaper clipping found at the Cleburne Public Library.

“Campbell Dickson, founder of Dickson’s, was a man whose entire life was prompted by a spirit of adventure, a zest for living. In 1878 Dickson came to Texas from his home in Iowa to investigate some Matagorda Bay land that had been deeded to him several years earlier. He stopped in Cleburne to visit Mr. and Mrs. William Hill, former neighbors and relatives.

“Not wishing to travel to Matagorda Bay with much money, he asked Mr. Hill and his nephew if they would lock up his money in the safe in their hardware store. They in turn persuaded Dickson to lend them his money.

“When he returned to Cleburne after selling his land in Matagorda Bay, he learned that the two merchants were completing their arrangements to take advantage of the bankruptcy law. Dickson consulted a lawyer, had him draw up a bill of sale (bearing the loan that he had made to the proprietors of the store), went at once to the two men, obtained its execution from them and when the sheriff arrived the next morning, he discovered a new sign over the door, ‘C Dickson Hardware.’ Thus began the business that has lasted for 76 years and has remained in the same family. [At this time, 1954, Dickson’s was listed as the oldest retail business in Cleburne.]

“In addition to building up his own business and a friendly interest in the lives of his customers, Col. Dickson gave his time and money to the better development of Cleburne and Johnson County. He worked untiringly to help in bringing to Cleburne the first railroad, the Santa Fe, in 1881 and also the two roads that came later, the M.K.& T. and the T.& B.V. He was active in developing the city water works and sewerage plant, the electric light plant and the street car line.

“He was one of the first directors of the First National Bank; he was a member of the city council that established the first public school system of Cleburne. Col. Dickson was president of the first library board, and it was during his presidency that the Carnegie Library was built.

“Fred D. Dickson, second son of Campbell Dickson, became associated with the store at a young age. As he preferred a business career, he attended a business college in Burlington, Iowa, and soon became a member of the firm. At the time of Col. Dickson’s retirement from the store’s supervision, Fred Dickson was the largest stockholder and manager.

“During his leadership the business broadened out and continued in the same steadfast service to the community as that established by his father.

In 1948, Fredrick Dickson, the third generation, assumed management of the partnership.”

At this time there were four integrated stores — Dickson Furniture was on the northeast corner of Chambers and Anglin Street, and Dickson Floor Covering was the next door east. Dickson Hardware was on the southeast corner of Henderson and Anglin Street — there is a parking lot there now — and Dickson Bargain Annex, the used furniture store, was the next door east.

In the late ’40s and early ’50s each year from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the second floor of Dickson’s Hardware was turned into Santa Land, with lots of toys on display, and Santa was always there to talk to the children.

When Frederick Dickson took over as manager of the business, he put Al Stricklin in as manager of the Bargain Annex. This was a short time after Al left the Bob Wills Band.

There was a piano at the front of the store housing the Bargain Annex and from 11 a.m. to noon every Saturday morning, Al would sit at that piano, play a few numbers, and do a remote radio broadcast called “Dickson’s Bargains with Music.” This program aired on KCLE radio.

Between numbers Al would visit with some of the customers in the store and of course announce some of the items they had on sale.

Besides playing all the old Bob Wills tunes, he had several original piano solos of his own and called his pet tune “Turtle Oil.”

They usually had several couches and platform rockers near the front of the store for sale and most Saturdays these were filled with people who had come in to listen to Al play the piano.

I remember going to town on Saturdays with dad in the early ’50s and going into Dickson’s Bargain Annex, listening to Al play the piano and visiting with him between tunes.

Campbell Dickson built a home north of town at what is now 719 North Anglin. My cousin Ronnie Pollock and his wife, Suzie, now live in that house. They told me the following story.

The house faces east and has a large balcony over the front porch. At that time there were no other houses in the area, and they had a good view of the rail line when it was first put in. On the day the first passenger train was scheduled to come into Cleburne, the Dicksons invited several of their friends over, and they sat out on the balcony and watched the first passenger train pull into town.

Campbell Dickson, along with B. J. Chambers and William Poindexter, were some of the early pioneers who helped to shape Cleburne into the city it is today.



John Watson is a Cleburne

resident who can be reached at

texastraveler@sbcglobal.net.

        

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