This Obituary was taken from the minutes from the Annual Spring Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church held in Topeka, Kansas - March 10-17, 1880. Pages 57 and 58

D. Dickinson, M.D., a member of the Kansas Conference, and at the time of his death State librarian, died in the city of Topeka, on Sunday, October 6, 1879. His death was caused by pneumonia resulting from a cold contracted during the night of President Hayes' reception.

He was born July 13, 1806, at Greensburgh, Kentucky. Graduating at the law school of Richmond, Virginia, He removed in his twenty-third year to Springfield, Illinois, and immediately entered into the sheriff's office, where he remained several years highly esteemed as a clerk. During the winter of 1828-29 he experienced religion and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he remained a consistent and valuable member until the day of his death.

December 3, 1833, he married Miss Mary L. M'Kibbin, by whom he had nine children, five of whom, all daughters, survive him, and speak of him as a loving father and husband. In 1836, feeling called to preach, he received license of the Quarterly Conference at Springfield, and exercised his gifts in the local ministry of the M.E. Church for about four years. During that time he studied with Dr. Early, receiving a diploma, afterward, from some eastern institution. In 1840, under an imperative sense of duty, he untied with the Illinois Annual Conference and filled several important points in the State. While preaching at Lakin a providential circumstance called him into the legal profession, and for some years he had a large and profitable practice. Retuning again to his chosen calling, he served several Churches with acceptability, and in 1850 removed to Iowa. There for a time, owing to some particular conditions of health and some other circumstances, he practiced medicine. But, his religious convictions so dominated his whole career that he soon took regular work in the Iowa Annual Conference, and was stationed at Chillicothe, Bloomfield, Sheridan, and Ottumwa.

In 1860 he came to Kansas, believing the change would be beneficial to his health. As a member of the Kansas Conference he was stationed successively at Tecumseh, Oskaloosa, White Cloud, Wyandotte, and Quindara.

In 1870, at the age of 64, he considered that his years and strength would no longer permit him to be efficient in the Itinerancy, and he took a superannuated relation to the Conference in which he continued till the time of his death, highly esteemed by all his ministerial brethren. In April of that year he recieved the appointment of State Librarian, the first person who ever held that office. His courteous bearing and methodical and faithful performance of duty as a state officer are well known to all. That he was the right man for the place is proved by the fact that he served until removed by death. (Thanks to Kinda Lambert for contributing this obit.)