California Biographies Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 JOHN H. DAWSON. As a citizen who for more than a quarter of a century has been identified with the agricultural interests of Kings county, Cal., John H. Dawson is deserving of especial mention, and as president of the Kings County Live Stock Association, added interest is attached to his name. Born in Grant county, Wis., August 23, 1854, the boyhood days of Mr. Dawson were spent upon a farm, and, like the average farmer's boy, he obtained his education in the district schools. He left home to make his own career in the world, being thoroughly equipped with an ambitious spirit, which needed only the school of experience to broaden its powers and capabilities. After following various occupations in as many different localities, Mr. Dawson finally gave his entire attention to farm pursuits and the result has been even greater than he anticipated, assuring him continued prosperity. He now ranks among the most prosperous and substantial citizens of the Hanford district, having lived since 1882 on his farm, seven and a half miles northeast of Hanford, where he rented for the first few years of his residence, but sub- sequently purchased the land. In tracing the ancestry of Mr. Dawson, we find his father, Jacob Dawson, to be a native of Kentucky. He was taken to Missouri by his parents when but seven years old, and in 1847 the father went to Texas for a short time. Returning north to Wisconsin in 1848, Mr. Dawson worked in the lead mines of that state for one year and in 1849 he left that section of the coun- try for California. Upon the present site of Placerville, Mr. Dawson erected a cabin, which proved to be the first in the vicinity, and here he opened a general store, conducting a good business for several years. Returning to Wisconsin by the Panama route in 1852, in May of the same year, he was united in marriage with Lydia Fuqua, who was born in Kentucky, and taken to Ohio when quite small, and while still young her parents moved to Wisconsin. After' mar- riage, Mr. Dawson settled on a farm in Wisconsin and devoted his entire attention to agricul- tural pursuits. The intervening years of his life have been spent in that state, and there he still enjoys life amid familiar scenes, having now reached the age of eighty-two years, his wife be- ing seventy-seven years old. Upon first leaving home, John H. Dawson went to White Pine county, Nev., remaining there about a year, and in January, 1876, he was persuaded to come to California. In Mariposa county he prospected in the mining camps, also followed teaming from the valley to the camps. It was in 1877 that he first took up his residence in Kings county, then Tulare county, and for a time he rented land from Thomas Thornton. This land afterward became the property of Da- vid Burris, and, renting from the latter gentleman, Mr. Dawson continued to remain on the ranch for several years longer, renting from 1878- 82 sixteen hundred acres of land. The following year he rented twenty-three hundred acres, which he devoted to grain and before the close of that year he purchased two hundred and forty acres where he now lives. In connection with his general farming, he operates a dairy, making a specialty of the latter. He has a twenty- five-acre vineyard and one hundred acres of his land is used in raising alfalfa. By his marriage, December 3, 1879, he was united with Henrietta Ehrhart, who was born in Decatur, Ill., and four children blessed their union. They are named William Otto, Lucile, Lyd- ia and John Jacob. Mr. Dawson has made a decided success in introducing practical agricultur- al methods, and he was a director of the People's Irrigation Ditch, from 1886 to 1888, at which time he was elected president, serving until 1896. He then became a director and served two ad- ditional terms, resigning in 1898 in order to take a trip to Alaska. During the nineteen months spent in that far northern territory he prospected along Pick river and at Nome. Politically, Mr. Dawson is known as an independent Democrat.