1. 1880 census Farmington, Van Buren, Iowa, p 480:

William DAWSON Self M Male W 30 OH Farmer ENG PA
Cynthia DAWSON Wife M Female W 34 IA Keeping House OH OH
Ada DAWSON Dau S Female W 8 MO At Home OH IA
Sarah DAWSON Dau S Female W 4 IA At Home OH IA
William C. DAWSON Son S Male W 3 IA At Home OH IA
Mary DAWSON Dau S Female W 3M IA At Home OH IA
Cynthia DAWSON Mother W Female W 63 PA At Home IRE GER



2. William and sister Harriet are found on the 1850 census in Jolly Township, Ohio with their mother in the household of Edward Dawson. The census shows that William's birthplace is Ohio. Willam and Harriet's surname on this census is Heddleston, not Dawson. Cynthia Ann's surname is also shown as Heddleston. (note by Susie Dent, Sept. 14, 2002)

3. Obituary for William Nelson Dawson
William Dawson was born in Washington County, Ohio, August 19, 1848, and departed this life July 10, 1910, age 61 years, 10 months and 21 days. He came with his mother and two sisters to Farmington, Iowa during the summer of 1851 and continuously lived near here during life.
He was united in marriage to Cynthia Ann Poe, Sept. 25, 1870. To this union were born nine children as follows, Mr. Ada Woods of Bonaparte, Mrs. Sarah Thompson, of Mt. Hamil, Clyde and Mrs. Clara Robertson, of Lepanto, Ark., Clarence of Marked Tree., Mrs. Emma Livingston, Pierre,S.D., Mrs. Mary Hickman, Wentworth, S.D., and Frank who resides at home, one daughter Eva having preceded him to the great beyond. These, with his wife, two sistes, two grandchildren and numerous relatives and friends are left to mourn his departure.
Deceased united with the Congregational Church in the fall of 1885 and lived a faithful Christian life. His death casts a gloom over the entire community.
Funeral services were conducted at the Anson church at 10:30 Wednesday, July 13 by Rev. Barnett, after which the remains were laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery.
******Correction to above, Robertson should read Roberson. I am directly related to William Dawson. Please feel free to contact me if you have any interest in this Dawson family. (made by Denice Quenon)
Obituary posted to the www.genforum.com Dawson surname website by Denice Quenon on Nov. 24, 2002.
Keokuk County, Iowa

4. A Brief History
The following county history summary was adapted from Project Completion Report Volume 16, Number 52. It was written by Marlin R. Ingalls, Project
Architectural Historian for the Highway Archaeology Program at The University of Iowa.

Setting

The Iowa 149 alignment runs south to north through Steady Run (T74N-R12W), West Lancaster (T75N-R12W), and Sigourney (T76N-R12W) Townships respectively. These three townships include the drainages of the North and South Skunk Rivers which meet in Richland Township. The area south of the rivers is level and rolling. The land between the rivers is hilly and interspersed with wide floodplains and sloughs. The topography north of the rivers is fairly flat and level.

Part of the area of Keokuk County was ceded by the Sauk and Mesquakie Indians early in 1838. This first area included "all of the southeastern township, half of the township above it, and a small part of the second township north of it" (Andreas 1971:453). Whites were entitled to settle on this strip in the fall of 1838. Consequently most of the very early settlement of Keokuk County occurred in this area which became Richland Township (Keokuk Historical Society 1969:2-3).

A second treaty ratified at Agency City, Wapello County, in 1842 ceded all the territory east of Red Rock, in what is now Marion County, and the balance of Keokuk County was opened to settlement in the spring of 1843. The boundaries of Keokuk County were formally established in 1843 and it was attached to Washington County. The principal chief who represented the Indians in making the treaty was Keokuk, in whose honor the county was named (Andreas 1971:453; Union Historical 1880:262).

The earliest settlement was in the "Old Strip," in the present townships of Richland and Clear Creek in 1838. Many of the Richland Township settlers were from the same area of Indiana. Settlers in the "Old Strip" section filed their claims in the land office at Fairfield while those in the new section had to file in Iowa City. Only one public land sale was held in 1846 (Union Historical 1880:324).

Near Sigourney, in what used to be Stillman's Grove, Jacob Shaver located in 1843. The first flour mill in the county was constructed on South Skunk in 1842. The first saw mill was built by Jacob Winer on the South Skunk, just above its confluence with the north branch, in early 1843 (Andreas 1971:284).

At the time of first settlement approximately 15% of the county was timbered according to the county history (Union Historical 1880:260). Most of the timber was along the major river drainages, with the stands along the North English River being the smallest. The rest of the county was interspersed with upland and lowland
prairies. Timber distribution did play a role in early settlement and industrialization.

Early Settlement

Early Keokuk County settlement follows the traditional settlement pattern of much of Iowa and the Midwest with the earliest settlement occurring along the prairie-timber margins. The open prairies between groves were often not settled until later, especially the northern tier of townships in Keokuk County. The two early roads shown on the 1845 GLO map (General Land Office 1845) indicate that these roads kept to the bluff tops along the rivers frequently passing next to or between timber groves, and descended into the valleys only to ford the rivers. In addition, the topography between the two branches of the Skunks made the early crossing perilous so that few of the early roads traverse this rolling section of the county. The early site selections of families near the Iowa 149 alignment was determined by the location of the early roads with respect to the prairie/timber margins. Only after 1874 did the roadways approach the present day system.

West Lancaster Township

West Lancaster Township was originally part of Lancaster Township. It is bounded on the north and south by the two branches of the Skunk River. Its interior topography is unlike that of the rest of the county, being comprised of rolling hills, bluffs, and floodplains which at the time of settlement were heavily timbered.
Lancaster Township was originally called Ridge Precinct. In 1846 it was briefly organized as Lafayette Township. Its named was later changed to Lancaster after the principal town of the same name.

Settlement between the Skunk River branches intensified after the land surveys of 1843 to 1845. Settlers who homesteaded Lancaster Township were primarily from Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Germany (Union Historical 1880:569).

Sigourney Township

Bounding West Lancaster Township on the north, Sigourney Township was separated from German Township in 1844 (Union Historical 1880:569). The town of Sigourney was platted that same year as the county seat but grew only gradually before the Civil War. In 1848 a petition to move the county seat to the town of Lancaster was successful and the county government was relocated there for nearly eight years. A court decision of 1856 moved the county seat back to Sigourney in 1856 ending a dispute which had lasted eleven years (Union Historical 1880:375-378).

The area around the Pennington Cemetery was closely tied to Sigourney after the county seat was moved from the defunct town of Lancaster. Between 1850 and 1860 the population of Keokuk County grew from 4,822 to 13,211 respectively, and by 1890 had reached 20,288 (Union Historical 1880:189). The rapid increase in population in predominantly rural Keokuk County dramatized the needs locally, and in Iowa and the Midwest in general, for affordable housing.

Early Roads

The earliest settlements are either directly along the river near the mills or along the major east/west roadways. The east/west roads at that time were full of pioneer traffic while the north/south roads, which in this instance had to cross a major valley and drainage, were limited to a few fords (Barnes 1861). It was along these
two roads that most of the rural settlement occurred in Lancaster Township prior to the 1870s.

There are two original sections of the south road alignment remaining. Prior to the construction of the modern road south out of Sigourney in 1930 there was only a singly north/south local road which serviced that area. Present Iowa 149 follows a segment of the route of the post-1861 north/south road to Sigourney. This segment consists of a 2 mile (3.2 kin) section in West Lancaster Township running from the north edge of Section 26 to the south edge of Section 35 (General Land Office 1848; Henn and Williams 1851; Barnes 1861; Andreas 1970; Foot 1887; Bishop 1895; Iowa Publishing 1912).

No houses prior to 1861 are shown in the immediate area because the location of most area farmsteads depended on the road already being established (James 1861). With the failure of Lancaster as both county seat and town in 1856, the county's orientation was redirected towards Sigourney as its central place. The south road out of Sigourney was established after 1861 and before 1874.

References Cited

Andreas, A.T.
1970 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa. Reprinted. State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City. Originally published 1875, Andreas Atlas,
Chicago.

Barnes, R.L.
1861 Map of Keokuk County, Iowa. Published by R.L. Barnes, Philadelphia.

Bishop, H.G.
1895 Atlas of Keokuk County, Iowa. H.G. Bishop, Sigourney, Iowa.

Foote, C.M.
1887 Plat Book of Keokuk County, Iowa. C.M. Foote, Minneapolis.

General Land Office
1845 General Land Office Survey Plat of T74N-RI2W. Microfilm on file, Office of State Archaeologist, Iowa City.

1845 General Land Office Survey Plat of T75N-R12W. Microfilm on file, Office of State Archaeologist, Iowa City.

1845 General Land Office Survey Plat of T76N-R12W. Microfilm on file, Office of State Archaeologist, Iowa City.

Henn and Williams
1851 A Township Map of Iowa. Published by J. F. Abrahams, Fairfield, Iowa.

Iowa Publishing Company
1912 Huebinger's Automobile and Good Road Atlas of Iowa. The Iowa Publishing Company, Des Moines.

James, S.A.
1861 Map of Keokuk County, Iowa. Published by R.L. Barnes, Philadelphia.

Keokuk County Historical Society
1969 Our Place in History: 1844-1969. Published by the Keokuk County Historical Society, Sigourney, Iowa.

Union Historical Company
1880 History of Keokuk County, Iowa. Union Historical Company, Des Moines.

United States Geological Survey
1980 Sigourney 7.5' series quadrangle map.

5. The county is named for the famous Sac Indian chief. The name means "Watchful Fox," or "He Who Has Been Everywhere."

In May of 1843 the entire county was opened up for settlement. Before this time the county was attached to Washington County. Like most counties, Keokuk County had its share of problems with the location of the county seat. Some wanted to locate the county seat in the geographical center of the county; others wanted to located it in the population center of the county. This argument was finally settled with the location of the county seat at Sigourney, the geographical center of the county, in 1844. The town was named after the author and poet Lydia Huntley Sigourney. She showed her appreciation by providing the trees which were planted on the courthouse grounds, and presenting 50 volumes to the town library.

Before the county seat was located at Sigourney, county business was completed at Western City (or Newton Village). County offices consisted of a log cabin and a log schoolhouse.

The first courthouse owned by the county was erected at Sigourney in 1845. The small building was made from hewn logs at a cost of $218. This building not only functioned as the courthouse but also the schoolhouse, church, jail, meeting room, and a hotel for travelers. This building served the county until the county seat was removed to Lancaster the following year.

Lancaster won the county seat by a vote in a special election held on August 7, 1846. The county seat was removed to Lancaster, because it was closer to the population center of the county. In 1848 a two-story frame courthouse was constructed at a cost of $699. It did not serve the county long, because the county seat was again moved back to Sigourney by election on April 12, 1856.

Even though Sigourney was declared the county seat, a courthouse was not built in Sigourney for quite some time. Residents thought it wise not to construct a building until the county seat question was answered. When the Iowa Supreme Court finally declared Sigourney the county seat, the third courthouse for Keokuk was begun.

This two-story brick courthouse was completed in 1858, at a cost of $17,200. Improvements and later additions were made at a cost $3,980.

In 1909 this building was leveled and replaced by the existing courthouse. Construction began with the laying of the cornerstone on June 8, 1909 and ended with a dedication ceremony on September 19, 1910. Architects for the building were Wetherell and Gage. It was constructed by J.L. Simmons.

Taken from History of County Governments in Iowa, published in 1992 by the Iowa State Association of Counties, Des Moines, Iowa

Originally prepared by Patti Streicher. Last updated, September 4, 1999, by hml.
http://www.uiowa.edu/~osa/regions/seast/keokuk.htm

1. 2. Ada Irma DAWSON   b. 30 Jul 1871, Near Farmington, Van Buren, Iowa; d. 7 Mar 1960, Bonaparte, Van Buren, Iowa; bur. Bonaparte, Van Buren, Iowa.
2. 3. Eva Jane DAWSON   b. Abt 29 Dec 1872, Near Farmington, Van Buren, Iowa; d. 12 Feb 1875, Anson, Clark, Missouri; bur. Anson Cem., Anson, Missouri.
3. 4. Sarah Edith DAWSON   b. 23 Jun 1875, Near Farmington, Van Buren, Iowa; d. 8 Jul 1946, Keokuk, Lee, Iowa; bur. Iowa.
4. 5. William Clyde DAWSON   b. 10 Mar 1877, Near Farmington, Van Buren, Iowa; d. Jun 1968, Eudora, Chicot Co., Arkansas; bur. Eudora, Chicot Co., Arkansas.
5. 6. Mary Margaret DAWSON   b. 8 Feb 1880, Near Farmington, Van Buren, Iowa; d. 25 Jan 1977, Bryant, Hamlin, South Dakota; bur. Bryant, Hamlin, South Dakota.
6. 7. Emma Estella DAWSON   b. 17 Feb 1882, Flat Rock, Iowa; d. 29 Dec 1969, St. Petersburg, Hillsborough, Florida; bur. Jan 1970, Anson, Clark, Missouri.
7. 8. Clara Ann DAWSON   b. 1 Aug 1884, Anson, Clark, Missouri; d. 4 Sep 1947, Lepanto City Cem., Section B., Lepanto, Poinsett, Arkansas.
8. 9. Clarence Andrew DAWSON   b. 1 Aug 1884, Anson, Clark, Missouri; d. 21 Jun 1975, Marked Tree, Poinsett, Arkansas; bur. 23 Jun 1975, Marked Tree Cem., Marked Tree, Poinsett, Arkansas.
9. 10. Frank DAWSON   b. 6 Aug 1887, Anson, Clark, Missouri.

Deathdate shown as July 30, 1877 in Oct. 3, 2002 letter from Leota Aronson to Susie Dent.

No children were born to Sadie and Ira Thompson.

"Clarence Andrew Dawson arrived in Marked Tree, Arkansas by train at 7 a.m. on September 10, 1903. Virgie Lena Waskom Dawson arrived June 15, 1905."
"Before I write about Clarence and Virgie Dawson, I must write about what was going on in this area prior to their arrival on the scene.
"Mr. Ernest Ritter came to this area in 1886 to work for his uncle, Mr. Markhardt, who had charge of the Oliver Davis Mill, the first industry in this area (Marked Tree, Arkansas). There was nothing but wilderness here, with a few men--practically no women or children--hunting, fishing, clearing land and logging.
"In Nov. 1890, Mr. Ritter opened a mercantile business and in 1893 he was appointed postmaster and moved the post office into his store. Clarence's older brother, Clyde, was keeping books for Mr. Ritter and in 1903 became ill with typhoid fever. Needing help while Clyde was ill, Mr. Ritter sent for Clarence who had completed nine grades of school and a business course. He was 19 at the time having been born Aug. 1, 1884. He was born in Anson, Clark Co., MO, which is near the Iowa line. His parents were Wm. Nelson (Dawson) and Cynthia Ann Poe Dawson. He had a twin sister, Clara, four older sisters, Ada, Marie, Emma and Sarah and two brothers, Clyde who was older and Frank who was younger. His father was a half-brother of Mrs. Anna Ritter's mother.
"Clarence was made secretary-treasurer of E. Ritter & Co. when it was incorporated June 10, 1907, and worked for the company in that capacity until he was 85, a period of 65 years. He was secretary-treasurer of the Marked Tree Methodist Church from 1910-1970, keeping books, paying the bills, the whole lot.
"Virgie Lena Waskom arrived in Marked Tree from Sturgis, KY, with her widowed mother, Mary Lee Hazel Waskom, at age 14 having been born April 14, 1891. Her mother had four brothers who had settled here and they came here to be with them. They were Jack and Crockett Hazel, farmers, Marion Hazel, a lawyer, and Noah Hazel, Marked Tree's first public school principal and later cashier of the bank.
"Soon after Virgie arrived, she went to Harrisburg, the county seat and took the county teacher's examination and won a two year license to teach. She taught the first five grades when she was 15 and 16 and her uncle Noah Hazel, principal, taught the sixth, seventh and eigth grades. The school was a three-room frame structure located on Liberty Street at Locust.
"Clarence and Virgie were married in the Marked Tree Methodist Church on Dec. 12, 1909, and resided in a home that Clarence had built for them on Home Street at Central. They lived there until 1929 when they moved to a larger home at 301 Dawson Street which is the family homeplace today. To them were born seven children: Helen Gertrude Oct. 5, 1910; Clarence Alston, Aug. 14, 1912; Marion, Aug. 30, 1915; Frances, Jan. 8, 1917; Howard Waskom, April 25, 1922; Martha Virginia, Nov. 13, 1925; and Cynthia Ann, May 14, 1934.
"Clarence died of heart failure June 21, 1975, and Virgie died of heart failure June 13, 1984. They are buried in Marked Tree Cemetery on the family plot." Submitted by Marion Dawson.
SOURCE: Clarence Dawson, William A. Poe, Harry Vredingburgh. Virgie Waskom Dawson, "Poinsett County, Histories and Families", Turner Publishing Co., 2002, page 301.