BIO: Robert Doyne Burnside DAWSON, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 375-378. _________________________________________________________________ ROBERT DOYNE BURNSIDE DAWSON, M. D., a well-known and popular physician of Beaver county, Pa., a portrait of whom accompanies this sketch, is a descendant of one of Beaver county's oldest families. His great-great-grandfather, Benoni Dawson, was a native of Montgomery county, Maryland, but the date of his birth is not known. He was a descendant of an old English family, who were given a large grant of land in Maryland, by King George; in recognition of this favor, the Dawsons were loyal to the mother country. They firmly believed it to be to the best interest of the community to maintain allegiance to the British empire. During the Revolutionary War they were Tories, and owing to their influence and the respect they commanded in their neighborhood, they proved themselves valuable allies of the English. After his marriage with Rebecca Mackall, the daughter of a prominent family of Maryland, Benoni with his wife moved from Montgomery county, Md., to Beaver county, Pa., and took up a farm where the village of Georgetown is now located. His son, R. D. Dawson, laid out the village of Georgetown in town lots, which he disposed of. Benoni lived upon his farm until his death in 1806, having located upon it about the year 1784. He and his wife were the parents of the following children: Thomas; Nicholas; Benoni; Mackall; John Lowe; Robert D., who died in 1801, at the age of twenty-one years; George; James; Elizabeth, the wife of Charles Blackamore; Nancy, the wife of John Beaver; Mary, wife of James Blackamore; and Rebecca, wife of William White. When Dr. Dawson's great-great-grandfather first came to Beaver county, there were few white settlers in that vicinity and no roads had yet been built. Indians and big game were alike plentiful. Mr. Dawson became an extensive land-owner, and established a comfortable home there. His third son also bore the name Benoni, a favorite name in the family for many generations. He was the next in line of ancestry and was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Benoni Dawson, Jr., assisted his father on 376 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES the new place for some time, and then began to look around for a location for himself. He made a trip across the river, and is supposed to have been the first white man who ever made the journey with the idea of settling there. He selected a place, but a Mr. McLaughlin, also, had the same locality in view, and the latter hurriedly built a log cabin, and secured "squatters' rights" to it. Benoni, Jr., was then obliged to withdraw and seek a new location. He selected four hundred acres near by, where Ohioville now stands. His marriage with Catherine McKennon resulted in the birth of the following eight children: Robert Doyne; Benjamin; James, a physician of prominence; Daniel; Elizabeth, who remained single as did Sarah, the next one; Ruth (Evans); and Mary Ann (Johnston). All the boys, except James, became farmers. Their father was particularly active in road building. The land he took up was of course wild and he used every effort to make the spot habitable and to provide a comfortable home for his family. He followed farming up to the time of his last illness. In politics, he was a Whig, and religiously, was reared in the faith of the Protestant Episcopal church in which he served many years as vestryman. Robert Doyne Dawson, grandfather of the subject hereof, was born July 30, 1801. He received his scholastic training under Master Steele, a private pedagogue. Robert worked upon his father's farm for some time, but subsequently followed river life between Pittsburg and New Orleans. He worked in that capacity until his marriage with Elizabeth Reed. Elizabeth was a favorite daughter of Ruel Reed. She was born in Beaver county, Pa., in 1803. She bore her husband ten children, namely: Mary Ann, Catherine and Rebecca, who all remained single; Benoni, Dr. Dawson's father; Ruel; James; Benjamin; Robert D.; Daniel D.; and William McKennon. After his marriage, Robert Dawson relinquished river life and returned to farming. For a short time he was located on his father's homestead farm. Then, for a brief period, he rented a place. Later, he purchased one hundred acres of land from his father-in-law. After farming that for some time, he sold out and purchased the farm where Daniel D. now lives. Here he prospered, and was soon enabled to add three other farms to his original purchase. Thus he became the owner of three hundred and forty acres, which he improved in a superior manner. He built a good brick residence, and his farm was considered one of the finest and best improved in the county. In addition to producing large quantities of fruit, he devoted much attention to stockraising. He was the first to introduce Durham cattle and Leicester sheep in Ohio township, and was among the first to introduce these breeds into the county. He disposed of his stock at Pittsburg and in local markets. Like his honored father, he was vestryman in the Protestant Episcopal church. In his political affiliations he followed the leadership of the Republican party. At the time of his demise, he was a comparatively wealthy man. BEAVER COUNTY 377 Benoni Dawson, father of the subject hereof, was born in Ohio township, in 1830, and obtained the rudiments of an education in the district schools. He learned farming and bought a farm for himself in 1854. This farm contained one hundred and twenty acres, and was partly improved, having a fine log cabin on the premises. This was torn down and replaced by a convenient frame and log residence, which is standing to this day. Dr. Dawson's parents were married in 1858. His mother was, before marriage, Rolena Brisbane. She was a native of Pittsburg, Pa., and was educated in Allegheny City. She, was the mother of seven children, viz.: Elizabeth (Nicholson); Rebecca C. (Murdock); Robert D. B., the subject of this sketch; Charles H., deceased; Anna F., wife of Dr. C. C. Taylor, of New Waterford, Ohio; Benoni R., a farmer; and Rolena I., now deceased. Mr. Murdock, who married Rebecca C., is a professor of music in Allegheny, and a composer of some note. He is the inventor of the Murdock system of guitar instruction. Dr. Dawson's father is still actively engaged in cultivating his fine farm. He grows fruit in large quantities. He also devotes much time to stockraising, - selling mostly to East Liverpool markets. He is a stanch Republican, and has served as a school director, and in various other township offices. In early life he was a member of the Episcopal church, and assisted materially in building the church at Georgetown. Later in life, he joined the Presbyterian denomination in which he has been a trustee for twenty-five years. Dr. Dawson was born in Beaver county, Pa., January 13, 1864. He obtained his primary education in the district schools, which he attended during the winter months, until he attained the age of twenty years. In the summers, he assisted his father on the homestead farm, and followed that line of work until his twenty-third year. He then decided on a professional career, and began the study of medicine. He studied one year under Dr. R. J. Marshall, of Fairview, merely as a preparatory course. In 1890, he entered Western Reserve University, of Cleveland, Ohio, as a medical student. He graduated with high honors in the class of 1893. Dr. Dawson then took a post-graduate course at Lakeside Hospital, Cleveland, and was appointed house surgeon, filling that position very creditably, for sixteen months. During that time, he gained valuable experience in surgery, and gained an enviable reputation for himself. Dr. Dawson is very skilful in his profession, and is an enthusiastic operator in surgical cases. He first began practice in East Liverpool, Ohio. After an eight months' stay, an opportunity occurred whereby he could practice in his native town. He purchased the property of Dr. George J. Boyd and opened his present office in Fairview. He is a general practitioner, but devotes especial attention to surgery. He supplies his own medicine to his patients, and is decidedly popular. By his cleverness and skill he has won the confidence of his clients in a very notable manner. Dr. Dawson was joined in matrimony 378 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES October 4, 1893, with Eleanor Loretta Coll, a gifted daughter of Hugh Coll. Mrs. Dawson is a native of Pittsburg, where her birth occurred in 1862. She was educated in the St. Mary's Academy at Pittsburg. Dr. and Mrs. Dawson have one son, Robert Doyne. He was born July 9, 1894, and in him all their domestic hopes are centered. Politically, the Doctor is a Republican, but is too busy to accept office. He worships with the Presbyterian denomination.