Dawson (family)

Members of the Dawson family moved from Scotland to Canada in the nineteenth century, and engaged in various activities including lumbering, real estate, and transportation. Simon Dawson and William Dawson also served as elected representatives in the Ontario legislature, the provincial legislature of Canada, and the House of Commons.

John Dawson moved to Canada from Scotland around 1836 with his wife Anne, and most of his children. He settled in Nepean Township, Carleton County, and later purchased Crown lot 25, Concession 3, Palmerston Township, Frontenac County.

Adam Dawson (d. 1847), a son of John Dawson, was involved in the timber business near Deux Rivieres, on the Ottawa River. Around 1845, he became editor of the Bytown Gazette, but soon gave up these duties due to health problems.

Aeneas McDonnell Dawson (1810-1894), the second eldest son of John Dawson, remained in Europe until 1854, studying in Paris in 1826, and later at Douai, and Blairs, Belgium. He returned to Scotland in 1835, was ordained to the priesthood, and took charge of the parish of Dumfries. After moving to Canada in 1855, he was appointed Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Queen's troops in 1866, when Ottawa became a garrison town. When the military forces were moved, he took charge of the parish of Osgoode. He was also an author and poet, and his works included: History of the Catholics in Scotland, Pius the Ninth and His Time, and Our Strength and Their Strength, the Northwest Territories.

Cosmos Dawson (d. 1847) was a sailor, living around the town of Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland. After his death, Aeneas Dawson concerned himself with the education of his daughter Mary Elizabeth, who later married Ottawa playwright and essayist William Henry Fuller.

Charles Dawson (1800-1895), the eldest son of John Dawson, worked on his father's farm in Nepean Township. He later became a timber agent, moving to the Fraserville Riviere du Loup area of Quebec, and becoming a Crown timber agent for the Madawaska (N.B.) to Chaudiere (P.Q.) district from 1857 to 1867.

John Dawson Jr. (1814-1900) remained on his father's farm, and later became heir to his father's land in Palmerston township. In 1858, he purchased additional land in that township (Lot 28, concession 2). He should not be confused with the John Dawson of Bells Corners (c. 1830- 1903), who was Deputy Reeve of Nepean township, Member of the Carleton County Council, and Warden of Carleton County.

Simon James Dawson (1820-1902) was born at Redhaven, Banffshire, Scotland, and moved to Canada with his parents in 1836. He was educated as a Surveyor and Civil Engineer, and spent some time working in the timber business in the Pembroke, Ontario area. Around 1855, he was placed in charge of the construction of the Grandes Piles to Shawnigan road, which would provide a transportation link between the termination of the Three Rivers road and the beginning of steamboat navigation. In 1857, he was involved in the Gladman-Hind expedition to explore the territory between Fort William and Fort Garry. In 1859, he was sent to negotiate with native Indians for the purchase of the Fort William reserve which the Government wanted for settlement. In 1868, he was sent back to the country west of Lake Superior by the new Dominion government to construct the Dawson route, and in 1870 oversaw the passage of the troops of the Red River Expedition over this route. In 1873 he was appointed Commissioner for the conclusion of the treaty with the Salteaux nation. In 1874 he was elected to the Ontario Legislature for Algoma, and resigned from this post in 1868 to run for a Federal seat in the same riding. He retained that seat in the House of Commons until 1891.

William McDonnell Dawson (1820-1890) moved to Canada in 1836 and began working in the Crown Timber Office of the Department of Lands and Forests in 1841. In 1849 he was appointed to the position of Timber Superintendent of the Woods and Forests Branch of the Department of Crown Lands. He became Superintendent of Woods and Forests in 1856, resigned from this post in 1857, and in 1858 became a Director and the first President of the North-West Transportation, Navigation, and Railway Company (later the North- West Transit Company). He was elected in 1858 to the Legislature of the Province of Canada for the riding of Three Rivers, Quebec, and was later elected for the riding of Ottawa County, Quebec, in 1862.

Around 1868 William and Simon Dawson went into partnership for a one-third interest in gold bearing lands in the Township of Neebing, Thunder Bay district. William later acquired land at Jock Vale, Nepean Township (Lot 9, Concession 1 R.F., and parts of lots 10 and 11, Concession 2 R.F.) by Patent and purchase in 1857 and 1877.

Amelia Dawson (also referred to as Emily) was born in 1817, and lived most of her life on her father's farm and her brother William's farm on the Jock River. She died in 1902.