Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....Dawson, Benjamin Frankin 1828 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 29, 2006, 5:48 pm Author: James L. King (1905) BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DAWSON. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DAWSON, one of the most highly considered residents of Shawnee County, came to Topeka township when the surrounding prairies were almost trackless wastes of waving grass and the woods were thickets of untouched growths of tree and bramble. Mr. Dawson was born at Terre Haute, Indiana, December 2, 1828, and was taken to Edgar County, Illinois, when two years old. He is a son of Thomas W. and Nancy (Milligan) Dawson. Isaac Dawson, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Virginia and was a pioneer in Kentucky. Thomas W. Dawson, the father, was born in Kentucky, married in Ohio, moved as a very early settler to Edgar County, Illinois, and took part in the Black Hawk War. Both he and his wife died in Topeka. The family consisted of eight members, our subject being the oldest. The others were: James M., deceased; Mrs. Eliza J. Browning, of Oklahoma; Mary, who died in Edgar County, Illinois; Emma, who died in Topeka; Mrs. Elizabeth Lesley, a resident of Kansas; and Newton and Milligan, both deceased. Benjamin F. Dawson remained on the home farm in Illinois until 1855, when he joined his brother, James M., on an expedition to Kansas. At that time no great lines of transportation made the trip easy and expeditious. The brothers, well provisioned, started from the old homestead with a wagon and good team, and covered the distance to Shawnee County in three weeks. As they had been led to expect, the brothers found much of the country uncleared, Topeka but a hamlet, Leavenworth the nearest market and Tecumseh the closest trading place. Our subject soon preempted his present farm, the southwest quarter of section 27, township 11, range 16, two-thirds of which was brush and timber. A former settler, Isaac Edwards, had erected a cabin 16 by 18 feet in dimensions, and the brothers lived in this during their first Kansas winter. Although public questions were beginning to be agitated in the State, the clearing, improving and cultivation of the farm kept the subject of this sketch very much occupied and until the actual outbreak of hostilities at the opening of the Civil War, he industriously raised his grain and disposed of it at Leavenworth. He well recalls the troubles incident to the admission of Kansas as a Free State and was an eye witness of some of the political encounters at Lawrence. When General Price invaded Kansas, he enlisted in the State militia under Captain Huntoon and Colonel Veale and was with the troops sent out to check Price's advance to Kansas City. At the famous battle of the Blue he was made a prisoner, but was soon paroled. During the whole of the war he was in close sympathy with the Union forces. With the exception of three years during which he conducted a meat market, in partnership with Jacob Awark, at Topeka, Mr. Dawson has always resided on his farm, which he has brought to a high state of cultivation. Formerly he raised each year a large number of cattle, hogs and horses although he has always considered his land best adapted to the growing of grain. The Dawson farm is one which is justly noted for its production of fine fruit. Mr. Dawson early made a specialty of setting out orchards, making careful selections as to climate and culture, and has produced probably as fine apples, peaches and cherries as can be found in the State. Some 24 years ago he erected his present beautiful brick residence, just outside the city limits. It is located in the midst of a well-kept lawn and presents a very attractive appearance. Mr. Dawson was married at Topeka to Susan M. Wade, who was born in 1843, m Illinois, and came to Shawnee County with her parents in 1856. They have six children, namely: Carrie and Mary, both at home; Mrs. Emma Lanham, of Chicago; Mrs. Julia Gallagher, of Topeka; William, a farmer of Topeka township; and Franklin, of Oakland, Topeka. Mr. Dawson and family belong to the Third Presbyterian Church of Topeka. Mr. Dawson, coming of Southern ancestry, was reared a Democrat, but for many years has been identified with the Republican party. He has always taken more or less interest in public matters and performs every duty of a representative citizen. Owing to the fact that his health has been delicate during recent years, he has spent several seasons at Los Angeles, California. He has read freely, traveled considerably, has a wide range of information and is especially well posted on the interesting early days in Kansas. Time has dealt very gently with him and he bears his 77 years with the appearance of a much younger man. Scarcely any resident is better known in this locality than Mr. Dawson and very few are held in higher esteem. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS EDITED AND COMPILED BY JAMES L. KING TOPEKA, KANSAS "History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples" PUBLISHED BY RICHMOND & ARNOLD, GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 1905. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/shawnee/bios/dawson162nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb