Joseph Dawson
(1724-1779)
Hannah
(Cir 1725-After 1779)
Benjamin Dawson
(1769-1841)
Lettice (Letitia) (Letty) Smith
(1773-1810)
Thomas William Dawson
(1801-1863)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. Anne Elizabeth (Betsy) Hare

Thomas William Dawson

  • Born: 3 May 1801, Renhold, Bedfordshire England
  • Marriage (1): Anne Elizabeth (Betsy) Hare on 4 Nov 1820 in Renhold, Bedfordshire England
  • Died: 23 Aug 1863, Sumarez Ponds, near Armidale, NSW Australia at age 62 515

  General Notes:

Emigrated to Australia in 1848.
Paul Shurte notes:
Thomas William Dawson and Elizabeth "Betsy" Dawson's family quickly expanded by 1848 and their family reached up to ten children. In the year 1848 three sons were already married but other children were reaching that age where they were ready to expand into the world but England had nothing to offer but factory jobs or unemployment. The elder children and the father of the Dawson family gathered and discussed the future prospects in England and what was offered for the Dawson's and maybe what could be done in the colonies. The family agreed to give the land down under a try. One son, the one who was already married and stayed close to home was encouraged by his spouse to adventure to Australia however one son indicated England was home and that is where his and his family would remain. This son was Joseph Benjamin Dawson. As the leader of the clan Thomas William Dawson decided to immigrate to Australia and would make recommendations and find funds for the others who would be willing to go. He had convinced all of his children to accompany him except his one son Joseph Benjamin. Joseph elected to remain in England to stay the course - he had work and enjoyed what his life held. Joseph Benjamin later changed his mind. Joseph Benjamin Dawson joined the rest of his family in Australia six years later only after his wife realized England had too many hardships to overcome and too many crimes were occurring because of the poor conditions. It is noted here that it was Joseph Benjamin Dawson who organized the transportation of many other family not Dawson's, but married to the clan members who also joined the Dawson clan and he helped get them passage to Australia. Joseph himself worked so hard he neglected to take care of himself and forgot to pay for his own and his families' passage while he pushed others off to the new world. If it had not been for the generosity of his sisters future husband and his desire to marry her that he made ready Joe and the other family passages to be part of his dowry in marriage. His sister said his gift was payment in full.
Thomas helped the other families including family in-laws, once Thomas' children married and developed widening the family with grandchildren in support in England or paying passage for the families to migrate to Australia. These families did join the Dawson in Australia before 1858 and they included such families as Ingram, Chapman, and Hare.
When the bulk of the Dawson's immigrated to Australia they left England on the S/V "Equestrian" and made the crossing over to Australia landing first in India then coming to Sydney harbor, Sydney arriving in New South Wales, on July 16, 1848:
First Group same ship: sailing vessel "Equestrian were:
Thomas William DAWSON aged 47 years, (Father)
Elizabeth "Betsy" (nee HARE) Dawson aged 48 years, (Mother)
Benjamin DAWSON aged 19 years, (Thomas William Son)
Rebecca DAWSON aged 16 years, (Thomas William Daughter)
Ruth DAWSON aged 14 years, (Thomas William Daughter)
Rachel DAWSON aged 13 years, (Thomas William Daughter)
Robert Hare DAWSON aged 11 years, (Thomas William Son)
Ralph Ingram DAWSON aged 9 years, (Thomas William Son) and
Reuben DAWSON aged 6 years (Thomas William Son).
Second Group same ship sailing vessel "Equestrian"
Ellis Hare DAWSON aged 26 years, (Thomas William Son), his wife,
Mary (nee RICHARDSON) DAWSON aged 26 years and their three children,
Dinah DAWSON aged 5 years, (Ellis Hare's daughter)
Zilpha DAWSON aged 2 years and (Ellis Hare's daughter)
Joseph Equestrian DAWSON, who was born on the voyage, (Ellis Hare's son).
Third Group it is the same ship: sailing vessel "Equestrian"
Thomas DAWSON aged 23 years, (Thomas William Son) his wife,
Mary Anne (nee GARNER) DAWSON aged 22 years and their two children,
Benjamin Gardiner DAWSON aged 3 years born 1845 (Thomas Jr. son)
George DAWSON aged 1 year born 1847 (Thomas' Jr. son).
Forth Group different ship: Sailing Vessel "Ascendant"
On March 14, 1854, Thomas William Dawson arranged and paid seventeen pounds and ten schillings (remittance regulator-depositor), for his daughter-in-law's, Mary Ann (nee Garner) Dawson, sister, Elizabeth (nee Garner) White, and her family to come to Australia. On the March 18, 1855, the family arrived into New South Wales on the Sailing Vessel "Ascendant". Elizabeth White (nee Garner) she was 30 years old. Her husband, Thomas White aged 35 years, with an occupation as a Bricklayer's Laborer. They have with them four of their children. Emily Ann White aged 7 years, Benjamin Joseph White aged 5 years, and John White aged 3 years, and Mary Ann White and newborn infant. All the family will be recorded as to be from Bedfordshire, England. Elizabeth's parents were listed on the shipping records, as Thomas and Esther Garner, the mother Esther is noted to be deceased while the father remains back in Bedford, England. Thomas' parents were: William and Ann White, his father deceased at time of departure of England, his mother at Bedford.

His known cause of death is due to liver failure related to a short-term illness followed by the long-term liver disease believed to be caused by mosquitoes but this is not certain. Thomas William Dawson could read and write early in his childhood as soon as he arrived in Australia and possible well before arriving. He immigrated to Australia as a young man in July 16, 1848, when he arrived on S/V "Equestrian" at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from England. He first departed England to go to Victoria and there he was to meet his other sons however Thomas discovered he did not like Victoria, so he migrated towards the area, which he believed would work for him to start new. This area he moved to was Darthbrook, an area near Tenterfield, and Armidale, in the State of New South Wales. When Thomas died he was 62 years of age. His lifetime occupation was that of a laborer, gardener, shepherd, and horse stockman, starting his varied career as early as the date he arrived in Australia which is no less than early as 1848. His religious preference was that of a Baptist and he practiced this faith at least between the years 1828 to 1863 near his residence, which it is known he had in 1856. The residence was in the area of Dunwell, Dartbrook, New South Wales, Australia.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Baptism, 3 May 1801, Renhold, Bedfordshire England.

• connection. The connection between Darlene MacPherson and myself is as follows:

Darlene MacPherson's G Grandfather was Alfred Vintinner (1865)
His father was William Vintinner (1829)
His father was William Vintinner (1804)
His father was Thomas Vintinner (1784) & he also had Thomas Vintinner (1809)
He had Martha Vintinner (1840) who married Henry Godfrey (1836)
His father was David Godfrey (1805)
His father was William Godfrey (1763) who married Elizabeth Hare (1765)
They had Sarah Godfrey (1790) who married William Enersby (1791)
They had Thomas Endersby (1822) who married Rebecca Lockey (1821)
Her father was Joseph Lockey (1782)
His father was Thomas Lockey (1748) & he also had Elizabeth Lockey (1773) who married John Godfrey (1772)
They had George Godfrey (1798) who married Elizabeth Huckle (1801)
Her father was Joseph Huckle (1766)
His father was James Huckle (1724) & he also had Henry Huckle (1761)
He had Anna Huckle (1787) who married George Larkinson (1789)
They had George Larkinson (1817)
He had Frederick Larkinson (1865)
He had Winthrop Larkinson (1889)
He had Dulcie Larkinson (1926) who married Colin Davies (1925)
They had me Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950)

The connection between Darlene MacPherson and Robert is as follows:

Darlene MacPherson's G Grandfather was Alfred Vintinner (1865)
His father was William Vintinner (1829)
His father was William Vintinner (1804)
His father was Thomas Vintinner (1784) & he also had Thomas Vintinner (1809)
He had Martha Vintinner (1840) who married Henry Godfrey (1836)
His father was David Godfrey (1805)
His father was William Godfrey (1763) who married Elizabeth Hare (1765)
Her father was Ellis Hare (1740) & he also had Ellis Hare (1778)
He had Elizabeth Hare (1800) who married Thomas Dawson (1801)
They had Rachel Dawson (1835) who married James Bell (1824)
They had Robin Bell (1862)
He had Myra Bell (1892) who married Andrew Menzies (1892)
His father was Daniel Menzies (1865) who married Lavinia Gower (1869)
Her father was Charles Gower (1829) who married Lavinia Pearson (1838)
Her father was Robert Pearson (c1795) & he also had William
He had Robert Arthur Bray (1947) who married me - Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950) Pearson (1830) who married Susannah Dawes (1841)
Her father was Edward Bannister Dawes (1843) & he also had James H. Dawes (1843)
He had Annie Florence Dawes (1873) who married Arthur Augustus Bray (1869)
They had Albert Alan Bray (1896)
He had Robert Alfred Bray (1920) who married me - Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950)

• connection. Pamela Margaret Robins' link to me is as follows:

Pamela Robins (1939)
Her father was John Robins (1907) who married Lillian Daniel (1909)
Her father was Ernest Daniel (1863)
His father was Theophilus Daniel (1817) who married Elizabeth Stevens (1832)
Her father was George Stevens (1798) who married Mary Collins (1790) who was firstly married to William Howell
They had John Howell (1810)
He had Caroline Howell (1850) who married James Tully (1850)
They had Caroline Tully (1874) who married John Wallace (c1870)
They had Gloria Nancy Wallace (1914) who married Edward Dorward (1910)
His father was William Dorward (1867) who married Dinah Armstrong (1865)
Her father was Simon Armstrong (1822)
His father was Thomas Armstrong (1791) & he also had Jane Armstrong (1816) who married Christopher Dixon (1812)
They had Janet Dixon (1853) who married Harry Hiscock (c1846)
They had Arthur Hiscock (1907) who married Elsie Stephens (1919)
His father was Frank Hiscock (1873) who married Emily Wallis (1875)
Her father was William Wallis (1849) who married Victorine Groube (1851)
Her father was Rev Horatio Groube (1814) & he also had George Groube (1847)
He had Edith Groube (1880) who married Percy Howe (1866)
His father was Robert Howe (1833)
His father was Frederick Howe (1805)
His father was James Howe (1777)
His father was George Howe (1741) & he also had Sarah Howe (1775)
She had Alexander Moss (1811)
She had James Moss (1846)
He had Laura Kershaw Waldock or Moss (1864)
She had Winthrop Larkinson (1889)
He had Dulcie Larkinson (1926) who married Colin Davies (1925)
She had me- Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950)

Pamela Robins' link to Robert is:

Pamela Robins (1939)
Her father was John Robins (1907)
His father was Charles Robins (1869)
His father was Joseph Robins (1812)
His father was Joseph Robins (1778)
His father was Joseph Robins (1754) & he also had Henry Robins (1792)
He had Henry Robins (1819)
He had Edward Robins (1854)
He had Beatrice Robins (1885) who married William Hare (1882)
His father was Thomas Hare (1855)
His father was William Hare (1827)
His father was Thomas Hare (1797)
His father was Ellis Hare (1778) & he also had Elizabeth Hare (1800) who married Thomas Dawson (1801)
They had Rachel Dawson (1835) who married James Bell (1824)
They had Robin Bell (1862)
He had Myra Bell (1892) who married Andrew Menzies (1892)
His father was Daniel Menzies (1865) who married Lavinia Gower (1869)
Her father was Charles Gower (1829) who married Lavinia Pearson (1838)
Her father was Robert Pearson (c1795) & he also had William Pearson (1830) who married Susannah Dawes (1841)
Her father was Edward Bannister Dawes (1843) & he also had James H. Dawes (1843)
He had Annie Florence Dawes (1873) who married Arthur Augustus Bray (1869)
They had Albert Alan Bray (1896)
He had Robert Alfred Bray (1920)
He had Robert Arthur Bray (1947) who married me - Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950)

• connection. 517 Bronwyn Connor's links to me are as follows:

Bronwyn Shanley (1966) married Tony Darren (Darren) Connor (1968)
Her father was Eric Shanley (1937) who married Patricia Suey (1936)
Her father was James Suey (1904)
His father was James Suey (1870) who married Martha Jones (1871)
Her father was John Jones (1834) who married Dinah Dawson (1843)
Her father was Ellis Dawson (1822)
His father was Thomas Dawson (1801)
He also had Rachel Dawson (1835) who married James Bell (1824)
They had Robin Bell (1862)
He had Myra Bell (1892) who married Andrew Menzies (1892)
His father was Daniel Menzies (1865) who married Lavinia Gower (1869)
Her father was Charles Gower (1829) who married Lavinia Pearson (1838)
Her father was Robert Pearson (c1795) & he also had William Pearson (1830) who married Susannah Dawes (1841)
Her father was Edward Bannister Dawes (1843) & he also had James H. Dawes (1843)
He had Annie Florence Dawes (1873) who married Arthur Augustus Bray (1869)
They had Albert Alan Bray (1896)
He had Robert Alfred Bray (1920)
He had Robert Arthur Bray (1947) who married me - Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950)

• connection. 518 Robin Goleby's links to me are as follows:
Robin Goleby . . .
Is linked in some way to
Elizabeth Hare (1800) who married Thomas Dawson (1801)
They had Rachel Dawson (1835) who married James Bell (1824)
They had Robin Bell (1862)
He had Myra Bell (1892) who married Andrew Menzies (1892)
His father was Daniel Menzies (1865) who married Lavinia Gower (1869)
Her father was Charles Gower (1829) who married Lavinia Pearson (1838)
Her father was Robert Pearson (c1795) & he also had William Pearson (1830) who married Susannah Dawes (1841)
Her father was Edward Bannister Dawes (1843) & he also had James H. Dawes (1843)
He had Annie Florence Dawes (1873) who married Arthur Augustus Bray (1869)
They had Albert Alan Bray (1896)
He had Robert Alfred Bray (1920)
He had Robert Arthur Bray (1947) who married me - Robyn Bray (nee Davies) (1950)

• note. 519 Craig Dawson notes:
Thomas William Dawson (1801) is my 4 times great Grandfather.

The Dawson family tree has been put together by quite few different people and during the time I have been looking at it, it has continued to grow and become more accurate.
I have a couple of earlier Dawson generations than you have and can share them if you are interested.

I was wondering where Paul Shurte came by his notes on the Dawson family?

I have looking at TROVE newspapers for the Armidale and Guyra district covering the 1850s on and trying to add some padding to the hard dates of Births, deaths and marriages, and Paul's notes are another step on that journey.

I found a record of Thomas William working as a shepherd for squatter William Dangar on his property of Kangaroo Flats (now called Wongwibinda) when his daughter Ruth married a convict, Charles Roan in the 1850's. I found an article describing his life in retirement as an apiarist. There are Department of Lands records showing that he selected land at Saumarez Ponds, west of Armidale in 1860. He only lived another 3 years to enjoy his land. I believe a bunch of the Bedford emigrants settled in this area and built a church in the area.

Thomas William's 2nd son, Thomas Benjamin is my 3 times great Grandfather and he and his son's appear in the records of Ollera Station, run by the Everett brothers from the 1850's, and is shown on the 1861 census living at Tom's Gully, near Black Mountain (I hope the area was named after him). He and his sons selected land near Guyra (Sandy Creek), as did his older brother Ben J (Hillsdale). George selected land at Maybole, closer to Glenn Innes.

Many of the Dawson's became graziers in the 1860's selecting land in the districts around Armidale, Black Mountain, Guyra and Glenn Innes. The Department of Lands historical maps show the areas they selected and how they claimed land in their children's names to increase their holdings, beating the squatters at their own game.

I found a family secret involving my 2 times great grandfather Joseph B Dawson and his future brother in-law William Foster. They were both accused of beating and raping 19 year old Sarah Redmond. They were arrested and charged, but at the trail, under cross examination, Sarah changed her story and blamed her sister (-in-law?) for beating her, clearing both men.
Joe married William's sister, Sarah Foster at Inverell just before the trial in 1878.

Joe and Sarah's 2nd son, Alfred, is my great Grandfather. I was 2 years old when he passed away in 1964. I know I met he and his wife Mary as a toddler.


Thomas married Anne Elizabeth (Betsy) Hare, daughter of Ellis Hare and Rebecca Ingram, on 4 Nov 1820 in Renhold, Bedfordshire England. (Anne Elizabeth (Betsy) Hare was born on 26 Oct 1800 in Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire England, christened on 7 Nov 1800 in Great Barford, Bowerford, Bedfordshire England, died on 21 Mar 1854 in Armidale, NSW Australia 515 and was buried on 23 Mar 1854 in Armidale, NSW Australia 515.)


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