Twins run in the Dickson family. Mabel Mae Dickson was a twin with her brother Marion. They had a set of twin sisters, Helen and Hazel, younger than them. 

Family history tells of another set of twins in the Dickson family. Josiah Eliazar Dickson and George Ebeneezer Dickson were born the 5th of April, 1832, in Lincoln County, Ky., to Reverend William Dickson and his second wife Eliza S. Lee Dickson. Josiah and George were brothers of Grandfather Ambrose Dickson.

Josiah never married but George married Laura Brown on Oct. 8, 1868, at the age of 36. They had three children, William, Joshua and Nora Belle.

In 1927, on March 5, Josiah (Uncle Joe) Dickson was interviewed for being the oldest twin in Kansas City at the age of 95. They asked Uncle Joe what was his formula for longevity. Uncle Joe smiled, shook his head and said it was a secret! He said it was not his secret nor any man’s knowledge. Joe claimed he never smoked, chewed or drank, but many men who have done those things have lived as long.

At the time of the interview, Joe’s twin, George was living in Higginsville with his daughter, Nora Belle.

The twins grew up on a cattle farm in Lexington, Ky., and continued in the cattle business as adults. Joe, when he was 21, helped drive 300 head of cattle from Kansas City to California. He made two more cattle drives in his younger years.

Webb City has always had plenty of twins through the years. If you have some twin pictures or stories please share them. Send them to newbyjm @sbcglobal.net.