J. C. Dawson, Sr. Biography


	This biography appears on pages 356-357 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				J. C. DAWSON, SR.  

	J. C. Dawson, Sr., of Vermillion township, Clay county, is a 
prosperous farmer and stockman, owning several hundred acres of land in 
Cedar and Dixon counties, Nebraska, and also valuable farming property 
in Clay county, this state. The greater part of his time is given to 
the feeding, buying and shipping of stock, as he understands the 
business thoroughly and finds it very remunerative.  

	Mr. Dawson was born in Washington county, Iowa, in 1854, a son of 
Joseph and Ann Dawson, pioneers of that locality. The father died in 
July, 1854, and the mother subsequently removed to Nebraska, where she 
lived to the advanced age of eighty-two years. To their union were born 
six children, of whom Mr. Dawson of this review and W. N., of Norfolk, 
Nebraska, are the only survivors.  

	J. C. Dawson, Sr., remained at home with his mother until twenty-
two years of age and in 1876 went to Nebraska, purchasing land in Cedar 
county, that state, for a dollar and a quarter per acre. He began the 
cultivation of his farm, at the same time engaging in the stock 
business, and his operations in the latter line steadily increased in 
importance. His headquarters were at Sioux City, Iowa, where he bought 
and shipped stock and also acted as a fire insurance agent. In 1905 he 
removed to Clay county, South Dakota, and bought a farm adjoining the 
city limits of Vermillion. He has since lived upon that place, which 
now comprises one hundred and twenty acres of improved land, and is one 
of the representative citizens of his county. He still owns six hundred 
and twenty acres in Cedar and  Dixon counties, Nebraska, and supervises 
the management of that property. He there handles a  great deal of 
stock annually and leases a small portion of the farm land.  

	In 1890 Mr. Dawson was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. 
Dickenson, a native of Virginia, who in 1866 accompanied her parents to 
Elk Point, South Dakota, and a short time later removed with them to 
St. James, Nebraska, where her father followed carpentering and 
contracting until his retirement from active life. He passed away at 
the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. His widow  survives and is now 
seventy-five years of age Mrs. Dawson was educated in Nebraska and for 
ten years previous to her marriage taught school. She became the mother 
of two sons: J. C., Jr., a high-school graduate, who was born in 1894; 
and William Louis, who died when fifteen years of age. The family 
belong to the Presbyterian church and are active in its work.  

	Mr. Dawson is a democrat and has served upon the township board. 
He is county commissioner, performing faithfully and well the duties 
devolving upon him in that capacity. He has well demonstrated his 
ability as a business man and has acquired more than a competence and 
in so doing has observed the laws of right and justice and gained the 
respect and confidence of his fellow men.