Asbury Dickins

Asbury Dickins
4th Secretary of the United States Senate
In office December 13, 1836 – July 15, 1861
Preceded by	Walter Lowrie
Succeeded by	John Weiss Forney
8th Chief Clerk of the Department of State
In office August 23, 1833 – December 12, 1836
Preceded by	Daniel Brent
Succeeded by	Aaron Ogden Dayton
Personal details
Born	1780 (1780) North Carolina, U.S.
Died	1861 (aged 80–81)

Asbury Dickins (1780–1861) was a United States government official who served as Secretary of the United States Senate from 1836 until shortly before his death in 1861.

Originally from North Carolina, Dickins worked as a publisher and a bookseller before entering government service as chief clerk of the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 1829. He then moved to the U.S. Department of State in 1833, again serving as the department's chief clerk. Dickins finally became Secretary of the Senate in 1836 and served under both Democratic and Whig majorities. During his tenure, the Secretary's office increased in size and professionalism.

References

• U.S. Senate Art & History site: Asbury Dickins
• Francis Asbury Dickins papers
• State Department

Further reading

• Nuermberger, Ruth Ketring (July 1947). "Asbury Dickins (1780-1861): A Career in Government Service". The North Carolina Historical Review. 24 (3). North Carolina Office of Archives and History: 281–314. JSTOR 23515626.