Genealogy Data Page 1223 (Notes Pages)

Dawson Thomas [Male] b. 1690 England - d. 11 JUL 1768 West Caln, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA

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THOMAS DAWSON FAMILY

Thomas Dawson born about 1690, and his wife Mary born about 1695, settled in West Caln Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It would now be on King's Highway 340. This is between Compassville at St. John's Episcopal Church on the Chester County west line and Downington on Highway 30.
The township of Caln was settled shortly after William Penn arrived in the Colonies. It was named for Calne, in Wiltshire, England whence some of the first settlers came, and has gone through more changes and divisions than any other township in Chester County.
Thomas and Mary were of English ancestry and were probably born and married in England. When they arrived in Philadelphia, they purchased 100 acres of land in 1713 in Edgemont about 15 miles out of Philadelphia in Chester County. They retained this land but later moved a short distance to West Clan Township where they lived and made there permanent home. They brought with them brass candle sticks, mirrors, valuable decorative pieces, ladles, and high quality wooden chests, and other household articles indicating, at the time, the affluence of the neighborhood from which they came.
This Thomas Dawson became the first Dawson of his lineage in America as pointed out in the following report:
According to the records from "Two Hundred Years of Church History, St. John's pequea, P.E. Church at Compassville, Rt. 340, Chester County, Pa." by R. Chester Ross, published 1929:

"in the year 1729 the County of Chester was divided and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was formed. The same year the following church men organized a congregation and built a church."

In their records (on the first page) a Declaration of Purposes was made as follows: "We, adventurers from those parts of His Majesties Dominions called England, Scotland and Ireland, transplanting ourselves and families into America, and taking up our first settlement in the township of Pequea, Lancaster County and the township of Salisbury, Chester County, both in the province of Pennsylvania. We according to our small abilities did erect in the year of our Lord 1729, a wooden frame church of about 22 feet long and 20 feet broad upon a plot of ground containing about one acre."

The above declaration was signed by: (1) Samuel Bishop, (2) Isaac Robinson, (3) David Cowan, (4) Verner Archibald, (5) Little Archibald, (6) Archibald Douglas, (7) Andrew Douglas, (8) Thomas Dawson, (9) Henry Cowan, (10) William Richardson, (11) Richard Percival, (12) George Carr, (13) James Douglas, (14) Thomas Henderson, and (15) William Stringer.

Thomas Dawson was the 8th of the fifteen men who signed the Declaration of Purposes. He was a religious man, energetic and business like. He served as church officer or vestryman for almost forty years and gave liberally of his substance for the support of the church.

Thomas Dawson, Jr., like his father, served well his community and was a vestryman in St. John's Episcopal Church at Pequea.

Thomas Dawson died 1769 before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. His son Thomas, Jr., likewise did not experience the conflict and died 1771. They lived during the so-called Colonial Period when the British Government was in possession and control of the land. Thomas Sr., his sons and their families were good citizens and were given to the support of their government.

Thomas was trained to make shoes, harness and other leather goods. He also had the qualities of a good farmer; produced livestock, such as cattle, horses, hogs and some sheep. The family was very active and reflected a spirit of thrift and neighborliness. It was said that Thomas Dawson became the second largest landowner in the county. The sons were encouraged to buy land and set themselves up for the future.

William Penn was the Provisional Governor of the area. At this time, the pioneer colonists along the Atlantic Seaboard were struggling to survive the hardships of a poorly organized government in a wilderness where the winters were long and cold. The food supply had to be gleaned from the woods and waters. Fish was always available. Buffalo meat and venison supplied the daily larder; wild honey for daily use was plentiful; wild fruits and nuts were ample in most cases. Sugar came from maple trees, and hair from buffalo skins was used for making heavy coarse garments -for protection against the outdoor winter weather.

There were no schools in those days. Education was provided in the home. To learn to read and write was about the limit of educational accomplishments.

Thomas Dawson died 11 July 1768, age 77 years, at his home; buried in family cemetery, West Cain, Chester County, Pennsylvania. His wife, Mary, died 1769, and was buried beside her husband.

Abraham Dawson, eldest son of Thomas and Mary, remained unmarried. He left a will. Thomas and Mary had seven children.

From Thomas Dawson Book by Everett Dawson

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