William Crawford Dickson, the eldest son of Josiah Cyrus and Mary Lousia (Walker) Dickson, was born April 6, 1825, in Newton County, Georgia. Siblings also born there were: a sister, Nancy, and brother, Washington Dickson.

By 1830, the Dickson family migrated to Troup County, Georgia where brothers David, Josiah and Henry and sisters Mary, Susan, and Harriet Dickson were born. In 1838, William's father obtained land in Chambers County Alabama that neighbored Troup county to the west, across the Chatahoochie River.

The 1850 Census for Lafayette County, Arkansas reveals the family moved once again. William was twenty-five years old and listed his occupation as a dentist. He was enumerated in his father's household.

By 1860 the family migrated to the community of Waldo in Columbia County, Arkansas. William was practicing dentistry in Okolona, Mississippi.

At the outset of the Civil War, William Dickson enlisted in the Confederate Army. On November 14, 1861, he mustered in at Columbus, Mississippi. He first served as an orderly sergeant under Captain Charles G. Feild and belonged to Company A of the Charles Baskerville Battalion of the Mississippi Cavalry in the Pope Walker Brigade.

Shortly after his enlistment, he took leave to set his affairs in order. He wrote a letter to his mother on the 22nd of November expressing his great desire to go. Though not fearful of his possible demise, but rather thoughtful of worldly affairs, he wrote his will on the reverse side of the letter.

His battalion engaged in minor skirmishes, but on April 6-7 of 1862 entered its first real battle. It was near Shiloh Church at Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee, otherwise known as the Battle of Shiloh.

William, wounded in that battle, took many months to heal. After the Battle of Shiloh, Company "A" of the Baskerville's 4th Battalion Mississippi Cavalry and Brewer's 2nd Battalion of the Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry merged. A new company, Company "C", formed from the merger of the two battalions. It became part of Brewer's Battalion and of the 2nd Regiment of the Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry. Brewer's Battalion then merged with companies from Beall's 1st Battalion Alabama Cavalry. This then created the 8th Confederate (Wade's) Regiment.

On the 13th of August 1862, doctors determined that William was fit for duty. He received a promotion to First Lieutenant. As part of Brewer's Mississippi Cavalry Battalion, William Dickson participated in many engagements during his military career.

Late in December of 1862, Brewer's Mississippi Cavalry Battalion was ordered disbanded. This action appears to have been taken because the unit contained companies recruited in more than one state and its companies were subsequently transferred to units from the two States represented in the unit.

By September of 1863, William received the command of Company C, 8th Confederate Regiment. On his muster record of June 30, 1864, he was listed as "Absent, sent to hospital June 26, 64." It's unclear whether this was from another wound or from sickness. This was also the last record of his involvement with the war.

At the close of the war, he resettled in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. There he married Miss Martha Jane, "Mattie", Weaver, many years his junior. They married Christmas day of 1867 in the home of her parents, Samuel Pierce and Cisley Johnson Weaver.

They remained in Oktibbeha County for a few years after their marriage. A daughter, Mary Cisley, was born a little over a year later on February 6, 1869.

The new family came to Texas in 1870 and for a short period of time resided in the community of Honest Ridge in Limestone County. That year, a son, William Henry, was born.

Mattie's brother, Samuel Pierce Weaver, and their mother, Cisley, followed the Dicksons to Texas, settling in nearby Anderson county. Mattie's father, Samuel Weaver, died before 1880. There is no record of where or when.

The December 16, 1871 edition of the Waxahachie Democrat, places Dr. W.C. Dickson in the professional listings. He is one of two dentists, neither of which boasting of a formalized training. Dr. Dickson gave as references Drs. Oliver and Rives of Waxahachie, Texas, General James E. Harrison of Waco and Judge J.L. Burney of Springfield, Texas. His office address was located at Mr. W.D. Dillon's two and one-half miles from town. In 1872 the same periodical gave a downtown address with an office above Park-Rogers and Company.

By 1874, his practice established, he was able to advertise in style in the Friday, October 9, 1874 edition of the Ellis County News. Displayed on the front page, under the heading of Dentist, was an ad complete with illustration.

"Dr. W.C. Dickson (formerly of Okolona Miss.) Will visit patients at their homes when desired. Office at his residence 11/2 miles north of town."

By 1880 the Dickson household had been increased by the birth of several more children: Samuel Pierce, Washington Lee, Hattie May, and Mattie Lee. Other members of the household included Mattie's mother, Cisley Weaver, now widowed, and Susan Moreland, William's 16-year-old niece from Arkansas.

When William Crawford Dickson died on June 5, 1887, The Waxahachie Enterprise reported on June 10th the following:

Dr. W.C. Dickson, a highly esteemed citizen of this community, died at his residence north of town Sunday afternoon, after a lingering illness of about five months. He was buried with Masonic honors at 2 p.m. Monday. He leaves a wife and five or six children, who have much sympathy in their sad bereavement.

He was buried in Waxahachie City Cemetery.