In addition to being an active member of several medical societies, she was also a prominent woman's club participant, philanthropist, writer, and speaker.

The brothers developed The Albert Dickinson Company of Chicago, which was the leading firm dealing in grass seeds around the world.

Her father, Albert F. Dickinson, was a prominent business man in Chicago for many years, and from him, Frances received every encouragement when she announced her intention of joining the medical profession, for which he deemed women especially fitted.

Dickinson's mother, Ann Eliza Anthony, was a native of Massachusetts, and was active in charitable work throughout her life.

His son, John Anthony, Jr., born in Hempstead, England, sailed for America in the ship Hercules on April 16, 1634, at the age of 27.

[4] In her youth, Dickinson was associated with Methodism, being an active worker in the Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church.

Dicksinon worked as a public school teacher for four years before deciding to pursue a career in medicine.

Having decided to specialize in ophthalmology, she took a course in othalmology at the Illinois State Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago.

[4] In the fall of 1883, Dickinson went abroad with her brother, spending fourteen months as student and tourist in Scotland, England, France, Algiers, Tunis, Sicily, Switzerland and Germany.

[4] Upon her return to Chicago, Dickinson was active in the practice of ophthalmology, quickly gaining prominence in her field.

For some time, she was Secretary of Harvey Medical College, a co-educational institution, and later served as its President, where she also filled the Chair of Ophthalmology.

She was the first woman received into the International Medical Congress, in which she was admitted to membership at its ninth convention, held in 1887, at Washington, D.C.

[4][5] Apart from her professional success, Dickinson ranked among the progressive women of the day for intellectual vigor displayed in her association with various good works.

[2] Dickinson served on the Member Board of Lady Managers, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1892-93.

She was instrumental in opening a new field of commerce for the U.S. by inducing the Federal government to establish the camphor experiment station of the United States Department of Agriculture at Orange City.

[9] In July 1923, Dickinson was a delegate to the National Woman's Party conference in Seneca Falls, New York where the proposed Equal Rights Amendment was presented by Alice Paul.