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James Lee Dickey: An Analysis of One African-American's Leadership in Jim Crow TexasMain MenuJames Lee Dickey: An Analysis of One African American's Leadership in Jim Crow TexasIntroductionSlave No MoreFreedman after Bondage 1865 - 1955African American LeadershipContenders for the TitleJames Lee DickeyThe Leadership of James Lee DickeyLocations in Dr. James Lee Dickey's StoryGoogle locations for Dr. Dickey's BiographyMaureen Grayab288c53aefb942d3e6102c32f4d6e3a10268d3b
1media/San Gabriel River.jpg2018-03-27T21:45:42-07:00Indirect Charity5image_header2018-06-17T23:37:26-07:00After the excitement of all Dr. Dickey's well deserved recognitions, he settled into another form of charity. A search of the Williamson County Clerk's office revealed that the good man dabbled in real estate. Fellow Taylorites testified that Dr. Dickey would purchase properties that had gone into foreclosure. He would then improve them by installing running water and sewage then rent them at a very low rate to the people of southeast Taylor. It was a great improvement over other offers of "rent to own" deals in which the lessee paid ten dollars a month for perpetuity. If they missed a payment, Constable Ned Fail arrived to mete out intimidation and often physical punishment. Ultimately, they would be evicted with no equity. In addition to rental property, Dr. Dickey sold an easement for a nominal fee of $1 to the city on the basis that the city would install sewage taps to adjoining houses on the south side of town. Not all of Dr. Dickey's property was rental houses. According to records, Dr. Dickey owned 200 acres of land along the San Gabriel River and 58 acres of land just south of the railroad track in southwest Taylor where he raised a few livestock and probably had a stock pond where he could escape his responsibilities to go fishing with his son.
