This summer, Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson
(Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request),
and a research delegation from the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum
will visit San Antonio and Austin, Texas.
Yeah. We're gonna mess with Texas.
Emmett Lee Dickinson, Almaron Dickinson, & Susanna Wilkerson Dickinson
Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) was married five times, and it could have been six times if his overtures to Susanna Wilkerson had been met with tolerance.
Susanna Dickinson was born in 1814 in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and on May 24, 1829, when she was 15, Justice of the Peace Joseph W. McKean married Susanna to Almaron Dickinson, a first cousin to Emmett Lee Dickinson.
Prior to the marriage, though, Emmett Lee Dickinson pursued the heart and affections of Susanna. However, Susanna would have nothing to do with Emmett Lee. Much like Emily Dickinson, she found him to be a bore.
Emmett Lee Dickinson had a difficult time getting past the pain of his unrequited love of Susanna. He wrote several poems dedicated to her.
His poem about Susanna “Her sweet Weight on my Dreams at Night” (below on the left) later inspired Emily Dickinson to pen her poem "Her sweet Weight on my Heart a Night" (below on the right). It also inspired Dickinson’s good friend Stephen Foster to write the song “O, Susanna.”
Susanna Dickinson was born in 1814 in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and on May 24, 1829, when she was 15, Justice of the Peace Joseph W. McKean married Susanna to Almaron Dickinson, a first cousin to Emmett Lee Dickinson.
Prior to the marriage, though, Emmett Lee Dickinson pursued the heart and affections of Susanna. However, Susanna would have nothing to do with Emmett Lee. Much like Emily Dickinson, she found him to be a bore.
Emmett Lee Dickinson had a difficult time getting past the pain of his unrequited love of Susanna. He wrote several poems dedicated to her.
His poem about Susanna “Her sweet Weight on my Dreams at Night” (below on the left) later inspired Emily Dickinson to pen her poem "Her sweet Weight on my Heart a Night" (below on the right). It also inspired Dickinson’s good friend Stephen Foster to write the song “O, Susanna.”
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By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
Her sweet Weight on my Dreams at Night When late at night I’d lie – When, stirring for one out of sight, Susannah’s slipped away – It was a Dream – the other – night ‘Twas Heaven I’d agree – It was Myself who dreamed of Her – My banjo on my knee – The Day I left – rained unto Me – Waves – even though was Dry – A Frozen superseding Heat – Susannah – don’t you cry – |
By Emily Dickinson:
Her sweet Weight on my Heart a Night Had scarcely deigned to lie – When, stirring, for Belief's delight, My Bride had slipped away – If 'twas a Dream – made solid – just The Heaven to confirm – Or if Myself were dreamed of Her – The power to presume – With Him remain – who unto Me – Gave – even as to All – A Fiction superseding Faith – By so much – as 'twas real – |
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Our travels to Texas will focus on research on Emmett Lee Dickinson's first cousin, Almaron Dickinson. Almaron Dickinson is the son of Emmett Lee Dickinson's father's brother's son.
Pictured above: A Wikipedia article on Almaron Dickinson. Pictured at the left: Almaron Dickinson. Almaron's father, Everett Dickinson, was the brother to Emery Dickinson, Emmett Lee Dickinson's father. Pictured a the right: Susanna Dickinson, Almaron Dickinson's wife. Miss. Dickinson is also the inspiration for Stephen Foster's song, "O Susanna." Foster was a great friend of Emmett Lee Dickinson's, and he'd laugh every time Dickinson would grow exasperated with his cousin's wife's antics -- especially when Emmett Lee Dickinson would groan, "O Susanna." Foster used Dickinson's poem "Her sweet Weight on my Dreams at Night" as his inspiration for the lyrics. |
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Susanna Dickinson: The Yellow Rose of Texas
Dickinson also wrote the now-classic poem “Nobody knows this yellow Rose” (below on the left) about Susanna Dickinson. This poem inspired Emily Dickinson to write “Nobody knows this little Rose” (below on the right), and it also is thought to be the inspiration for the traditional American folk song “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”
Susanna and her infant daughter Angelina were among the few American survivors of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Her husband, Captain Almaron Dickinson and 182 other Texian defenders were killed by the Mexican Army.
Susanna and her infant daughter Angelina were among the few American survivors of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Her husband, Captain Almaron Dickinson and 182 other Texian defenders were killed by the Mexican Army.
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By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
Nobody knows this yellow Rose – She might from Texas be Did I not make it all the way To lift my mood with thee? Only to be with you Dear – Only to flutter by, Hastening from far journey – On your breast to lie – Only to know I’ll wander – Onto the Breeze I’ll fly Ah Yellow Rose – how easy For one with me to cry! |
By Emily Dickinson:
Nobody knows this little Rose – It might a pilgrim be Did I not take it from the ways And lift it up to thee. Only a Bee will miss it – Only a Butterfly, Hastening from far journey – On its breast to lie – Only a Bird will wonder – Only a Breeze will sigh – Ah Little Rose – how easy For such as thee to die! |
The Purpose for Our Trip
The purpose of our trip was two-fold: First, we wanted research a little known branch of the Dickinson family -- that of Almaron Dickinson, who fought and died at the Battle of the Alamo, and Susanna Dickinson, Almaron's wife. Second, we wanted to conduct thorough research on the Margarita, the classic libation invented by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).
We arrived in the evening on Sunday, July 2, and reported immediately to MiTierra Cafe and Bakery to begin our research on the traditional Margarita. My wife and I shared two dinners including the restaurant's "Enchiladas de Pollo en Mole," and the mole sauce was DELICIOUS!
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On Monday, July 3, we enjoyed a VIP tour of the Alamo -- where Almaron Dickinson fought.
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Few people have ever seen the basement in the Alamo, and we were thrilled to get our VIP tour which included In the picture below on the left, we were able to photograph where Almaron Dickinson carved his initials into the southwest wall of the Alamo basement.
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Left: As noted by the sign, we had to finish our cheeseburger before entering the Alamo. Below left: The Alamo admits they have a "lamo" gift shop -- but we didn't think it was that bad. Below right: Some gift shop novelties: Texas flags; Alamo crackers (which taste a lot like chicken animal crackers; and Alamo tree ornaments.
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Below left: The Alamo (top right of picture) before the battle. Below right: A depiction of the Battle of the Alamo, March 6, 1836
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Below: An 1847 pen, ink and watercolor of the ruins of the Alamo by Edward Everett.
Below: After our tour of the Alamo & its basement, we stopped at Rita's on the River for more research on the Margarita. We also samples Rita's Jalapeno Bacon Corn Dip (delicious) and the Street Tacos (also delicious).
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Below: Following lunch, we traveled San Antonio's Mission Trail to see Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada.
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Below: In the evening we took a break from Mexican food, and had some pizza -- and homemade gelato for dessert -- at Rio de Gelato. We also had to take a break from our research on the Margarita, and -- due to the heat -- we turned our inquiry to Frostie's Blue Cream Soda. Very sweet -- but very refreshing! : ) BTW, the pizza was very good, and the gelato was excellent.
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Below: In the evening we enjoyed a cruise around the River Walk area, and the city hosted a musical show at the Arneson River Theatre in our honor.
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On July 4th we started the day at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.
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After our visit to the botanical gardens, we toured the Briscoe Western Art Museum.
Below center: A collection of spurs used by Emmett Lee Dickinson when he visited the area. Below right: Emmett Lee Dickinson's saddle.
Below center: A collection of spurs used by Emmett Lee Dickinson when he visited the area. Below right: Emmett Lee Dickinson's saddle.
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Left & below: The museum included a model and figurines from the Battle of the Alamo. The gift shop sold various figurines, and of course, the figures of Almaron Dickinson and his wife and daughter were the most popular ones (click the image below to enlarge -- and note that they spelled "Almaron" incorrectly).
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The San Antonio Museum of Art
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Signs of Dickinson at the San Antonio Museum of Art:
Below: A statue of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice remove -- at her request). Top right: Cows -- in tribute to Dickinson's cow poetry (HERE). Bottom right: Portraits of Susanna and Almaron Dickinson 
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The Tower of the Americas
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We ate dinner at the Chart House at the top of the Tower of the Americas on the evening of the Fourth of July. Yes, we saw fire works in the distance all around the city -- but the best fire works of all was the beautiful sunset that evening (below left). 
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Below left: Um....what happened to the 3rd floor? Below right: For the evening, my research on the Margarita shifted to a (delicious) study of the Mango Mojito.
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Coming soon: Events from July 5th .