The first known Dawson in my line is from Rappahannock County Virginia about 1800. Robert Dawson's sons, William, John Waldo and Albert, left Virginia after 1843 with their re-married mother, now Priscilla Hackley Dawson Freeman. They migrated through Harrison County, Virginia (now WV) showing up in the 1850 Census. By 1860, John Waldo and William lived in Jackson County, Ohio. The Freeman family was living in Vinton County 1860-1870. Through this web site I have connected with Gallia County Collard Cousins. William Dawson married Eliza Jane Collard. Mary Dawson b. abt 1840 married John Ayleshire in Ohio. That connection also from subscribers such as we. John Waldo Dawson married into the James Murphy family. He served in Union Army, drafted from Ironton. John Waldo Dawson married Mary Isabella Murphy 1866 in Jackson County, Ohio. Mary Isabella is also connected through the Abraham Collard line. The Dawson/Murphy branch migrated to the Montgomery and Dickson County areas of Tennessee about 1872. There they remained. Two sisters are unaccounted for: Elizabeth b. abt 1834, Harriet b. abt 1842. Their last know address was Harrison County, Virginia 1850. Albert Dawson, b. abt 1836 also was last sighted in Harrison County, Virginia. William Dawson disappeared between 1860 and 1870 although his daughter, Mary, lived with her Manring aunt and Collard grandmother in Vinton County in 1870. By 1880 she was old enough to be married and probably was. So she, too, is missing. I do not recognize any of the family names from your list. However, my Ireland connection comes through James Murphy. If any of these names or locations ring a bell, please ask for further details. I would love to have someone connect to these missing ancestors. Thanks for asking. Carolyn Dawson Hayford At 10:47 PM 3/21/2007, you wrote: >My interest is in the original poster of this thread, Carolyn Dawson >Hayford, as I am a Dawson researcher. My line descends from Martin >Dawson, one time >resident of Gallia County (and later descendants in Lawrence County.) I >wondered if there might possibly be a connection? I also research >Campbells of >KY and TN, Heltons and Byrds of same, as well as Cunningham, Rogers >(Ireland), Mallon (Ireland), in addition to my father's line, the >Dawsons. Thanks, >Barb E Mallon > > Carolyn Dawson Hayford, 2302 Windham Road, Charleston WV 25303-3021 304.343.3828