Oceans is amazing! What a generous person for helping me on my road to my ancestry!
The good news is you can now legitamately celebrate St Patty’s Day!!! Woo Hoo… Your 5th Great Grandmother was named Elizabeth Maria Maxifield. She was born about 1754 in Ireland She married John Dawson. He was born 4 Jun 1749 in Paul, Cromwell, England. At some point he immigrated to America but I don’t know when. They both lived and died in Greene Co, New York. John died in 1818 and Elizabeth in 1848. You have lots of longevity in your family!
John may have been here for the Rev War or maybe not and he could have served on either side (being from England and all). He needs researching. If he did serve for the States (and serve long enough) he and/or Elizabeth probably would have received a pension so I would start by searching Rev Pension records on the net. Even if they didn’t get a pension they probably would have applied for it.
They had a son Richard b. 1797 who is listed on a family record as being born in CN so include that state in your search… Richard and his family eventually moved to Iowa where he was one of the founders of Clinton Co. He married Millie Pearsall.
Richard and Millie had a son James N. Dawson. James was b in 1820 in Greene Co, NY (so maybe his father never lived in CN?). He m. Arsilla Hays. They would be your 3rd Great Grandparents. There was a tell-tale gap in the births of their children from 1861 to 1868 (if memory serves) and that usually means….
Yup! Civil War!!
Name: James Dawson
Residence: North Liberty, Iowa
Age at enlistment: 42
Enlistment Date: 20 Sep 1862
Rank at enlistment: 3rd Sergt
State Served: Iowa
Survived the War?: Yes
Service Record: Enlisted in Company I, Iowa 6th Cavalry Regiment on 02 Feb 1863.
Promoted to Full 2nd Sergeant on 01 May 1865.
Mustered out on 17 Oct 1865 at Sioux City, IA.
Promoted to Full 1st Sergeant on 11 May 1865.
Birth Date: abt 1820
Sources: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of Rebellion
