|
| Preface |
Maps |
Sketches
| Businesses | Essays | Back |
William Dawson |
| Was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1826, and received his education at
the Parish School. In 1850 he emigrated to Canada, and settled in the County of Norfolk.
After remaining here about three years, he leased the saw-mill of D. W. McCall, Esq., now
owned by Messrs A. & T. McCall, which he operated for a year only, when he gave it up
and leased the saw-mill now owned by the Owens Estate, which he successfully carried on
for two years. He then leased the farm of the late William Cowan, Esq., which he occupied
for sixteen years; during the greater part of this time he was also more or less actively
engaged in the lumber business. He next bought a farm from Joseph McCall, Esq., adjoining
Mr. Cowan's farm and afterwards bought the splendid property upon which he now lives, from
the late Edwin L. Potts, Esq. Since then he has purchased several parcels of land, and now
owns 330 acres of valuable farming land with comfortable building, good stock and the
latest improved implements.
In 1863 he entered into partnership with John E. Potts, Esq., in an extensive lumber business in which venture his customary success attended him; his dissolved partnership with Mr. Potts in 1868 and has since confined his attention almost entirely to agricultural pursuits. Although his education advantages have been somewhat limited, Mr. Dawson's perseverance and natural shrewdness have made his business career an exceptionally successful one, and although he is now in a position of affluence, and has not, as frequently happens in such cases, either saved money by miserly economies, nor made it by questionable means. He has always been noted for his liberality and public spirit, and is universally respected for the sterling integrity which characterized his whole life. When he first began farming he was elected an officer of the Charlotteville Agricultural Society and has since then held some of the offices in its gifts, and has been for several years Treasurer of the South Riding of Norfolk Agricultural Society. He has been for more than ten years in all, a member of the Township Council of Charlotteville, a considerable portion of which time he has been Reeve and is now Deputy Reeve. For over eight years he was President of the Conservative Association of South Norfolk and is now Treasurer of that organization. In 1872 he joined with several other gentlemen of the County in purchasing a large tract of Pine land in North Carolina in the United States, and built and carried on works for manufacturing resin and spirits of turpentine, with a general store in connection at a village which grew up around their works, which was named Dawson's after Mr. Dawson. In 1875, the venture not having proved as successful as was anticipated, the works were leased, and are still carried on by another person. His obliging disposition and genial manners have contributed to make Mr. Dawson
extensive popular. |
 Enlargement |
| From page 106 of the Mika re-print of
1877 Illustrated Historical Atlas of Norfolk County Copyright 1998-2012 John Cardiff |