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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Calhoun County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Daniel West Dawson, a farmer of Jefferson Township, Chambersville post-office. The above named gentleman was born in Tennessee, November 27, 1832, son of Jonathan Dawson, a farmer, who was born and raised in Tennessee. He died in Mississippi, when the subject of this sketch was but a small boy. His wife, Elizabeth (West) Dawson, was born and raised in Alabama. When our subject was still quite small, his mother moved the family from Mississippi to Arkansas County, Ark., resided there a few years, and then went to Hot Springs County, where she died in 1862. She was the mother of six children—five boys and one girl—but three of whom—two sons and the daughter—are now living. Our subject was the fourth child. He was mostly raised in Arkansas, in which State he was also educated, receiving only a small amount of schooling, as he was the oldest boy living at that time, and had to work to help his mother support the family. He resided with his mother, until he reached his majority, when he began farming for himself. In March, 1853, he married Miss M. C. Callaway, daughter of Martin and Eliza Callaway, born in Georgia, August 1, 1837. The result of this union was four children, all girls, all of whom are now living, viz.: Martha A. (wife of T. J. McManus), Serena (wife of Joseph Jones), Susan C. (wife of William Cook), and Fanny (wife of W.R. Turner). In April, 1862, our subject enlisted in the Confederate army, in McNally’s Company, and served until the close of the war, when he returned to his farm. Politically, our subject is and always has been a Democrat, casting his first vote for Buchanan. Both he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He resides about eleven miles north of the county seat, and has been a resident of this county, since 1852. He has 360 acres of land, about eighty of which are under cultivation. He is a good honest citizen, taking an active interest in schools, and all public enterprises.

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This family biography is one of 67 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Calhoun County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Calhoun County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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