1881 personal census, Romney Twp, Kent Co., ON, LDS 1881 census household record:
Dawson William, M, Widowed, 50, born Ont, origin: English, E Methodist, Farmer;
Emeline, F, 23, born Ont, origin: English, E Methodist;
John Carr, M, 21, born Ont, origin: English, E Methodist, Farmer;
Eli, M, 19, born Ont, origin: English, E Methodist, Farmer;
Henry Leroy, M, 17, born Ont, origin: English, E Methodist, Farmer;
Joseph Wesley, M, 15, born Ont, origin: English, E Methodist, Farmer.
Commemorative Biographical Record of Kent County, Ontario, J.H.
Beers & Co., Toronto, 1904, pg. 178-179:
William Dawson, a prosperous and enterprising farmer of Romney Township,
County Kent, is a son of John Dawson, one of the pioneers of this
locality.
John Dawson, a son of Thomas and Hannah Dawson, was born near St. John's Chapel, Parish of Stanhope, County Durham, England, July
6, 1789. He was married in England, Sept. 21, 1812, to Sarah Potts, who was
born in the same place July 8, 1789, a daughter of Joseph and Jane Potts. In
the handwriting of John Dawson is found an account of his coming to Canada,
which reads as follows: "John Dawson with his wife Sarah, and his sons Joseph
and Thomas, and his daughter, Hannah, emigrated from England to Canada,
British North America, sailed from Sunderland in the County of Durham, May 21,
in the year 1817, and lost the vessel they sailed in on the Orkney Islands,
and landed at America in New Brunswick, in the month of July, 1817."
Upon landing the family came directly to Long Point
where the father secured employment under Col. Nichols, but after several
years he moved to Mersea township, County Essex, and settled upon a farm some
three miles west of Wheatley, now owned by Russell F??, and there his wife
died in October, 1823. Later, in Gosfield township, Mr. Dawson married Mary
Edwards, a daughter of John and Sarah Edwards, who was born Sept. 2, 1808, and
died Dec. 16, 1882... To John and Mary (Edwards) Dawson were born: ... William,
born April 29, 1831...
In the early twenties John Dawson came to Romney
township, settling upon Lot 194, where he underwent all the privations
incident to pioneer life, but he was rewarded by seeing the country change
from a wilderness to a thickly settled community. He cleared a good part of
the land upon which he settled, and the second house which he erected is still
standing. As soon as his land was under cultivation, he engaged in tobacco
raising, shipping his product by boat to Montreal. For some years he carried
on a store in his house for Col. Little, of Raleigh. In politics he was a
Conservative, but he also believed that in local events it was wiser to
considered the worth of the man rather than the party. His death occurred Oct
1?, 1872, when he was eighty-three years of age.
William Dawson was born on the homestead farm, in
the little log house first erected by his father, and was there reared. He
received but a limited education as school teachers were scarce and he and his
brothers were needed to work the tobacco. At the age of thirty-six years he
came into possession of fifty acres of the homestead, which he cleared, and he
erected upon it a house, part logs and the remainder frame. Through hard work,
thrift and good management he was able to add to his property until now he
owns 200 acres of excellent farming land, and in 1889 he built his present
beautiful brick home. During a long life of toil he had demonstrated that
farming is an occupation that can be made to pay, and his youngest son,
Joseph, is carrying out his ideas on the old homestead.
William Dawson has been twice married; his first
wife having been Nancy, daughter of John Carr, and to them were born: George,
born Feb. 1, 1856, died April 6, 1885; Mary A., born Feb. 14, 1858, is a
resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota; John C., born Sept. 11, 1859, is captain
of the tug "Geyser" of Bay City, Michigan; Eli, born Oct. 9, 1861, is a marine
engineer in Chicago; Henry, born April 27, 1864, is captain of the steamer
"William Miller" of Chicago; Joseph Wesley, born March 10, 1866, married Annie
E. Colvin, and has one child, Blanche; Alice Cecelia, born Feb. 4, 1868, died
Feb. 1, 1872. The mother of this family died Jan. 29, 1870.
John Carr, father of Mrs. Nancy (Carr) Dawson, was
born in County Durham, England, Sept. 15, 1815. He was twice married. In
1838, in England, he married Ann Wilkinson, daughter of Timothy and Mary
Wilkinson, and four children came to bless this union: Nancy, born May 24,
1839, became the wife of William Dawson; Alice, born Nov. 7?, 1840; Joseph,
born March 24, 1842; and Mary, born June 30, 1844. The mother died in 1846
and about 1848, for his second wife, John Carr married Ann Towitt. In 1854 he
brought his wife and family to Canada, settling near Port Anna in Romney
township, County Kent. He died there Feb. 19, 1875, and his wife died Jan. 8.
1904.
On Dec. ?, 1886, William Dawson married (second)
Nancy Lucinda, daughter of John Lowes. The latter was born in England in 1814,
but came to Romney township when a young man, and there married Molly
Coatsworth, daughter of Robert Coatsworth.
Henry Leroy
Dawson
Emeline/Mary A. Dawson 1858-
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