> Education was very important to Captain Rogers. He enrolled one of his > daughters in the Moravian Mission School at Spring Place Georgia. > In 1804, when Samuel was 20 and Polly Ann was 17 they were married at > her parents home in the Cherokee Nation. Polly Ann's parents lived on > the Hiwassee River close to the state line between Tennessee and > Georgia, so it was probably at Ross Landing near Lookout Mountain they > were married. > Sam Dawson was 5'9" blue eyes, black hair. Polly Ann, of Cherokee > Blood, tall splendidly formed, dark complexion, black hair and eyes. > They began to move Westward. > In February 1805 they had their first daughter, Elizabeth (Betsy). The > new family continued westward until they reached Missouri. Their 2nd > daughter, Edna Bell Dawson, was born on March 12, 1808 in Missouri > Territory. Their 1st son was born in 1811 and was named John Dawson > after his maternal Grandfather. Their second son was born in Missouri > Territory in February of 1814. > On June 6, 1814, Sam Dawson enlisted in the Company of US Mounted > Rangers lately commanded by Captain Daniel M Boone and Captain James > Callaway. While Samuel was at Camp Clemson, they had their third son, > Robert Dawson, born February 14, 1815. Samuel was hororably discharged > at Woods Fort on June 6, 1815. Another son, Joseph, was born around > 1820. Following Josephs birth, Samuel and Polly Ann decided to return > to Polly Ann's home state of Tennessee. In 1817, Polly Ann's father, > Captain John Rogers, had sadly directed the Cherokee emigration to > Arkansas as forerunners in the tragic "Trail of Tears". > Another son was born to Samuel and Polly when they reached Tennessee. > Samuel Riley Dawson (Jr), born 1823. The 1830 Census has this family in > McNairy County Tennessee (southwestern) in the town of Purdy. Samuel > was a farmer here.