John Bennett Dawson
John Bennett Dawson | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 2nd district | |
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 | |
Preceded by | Thomas Withers Chinn |
Succeeded by | Alcée Louis la Branche |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 3rd district | |
In office March 4, 1843 – June 26, 1845 | |
Preceded by | John Moore |
Succeeded by | John Henry Harmanson |
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives | |
In office 1823-1824 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 200px March 17, 1798 Nashville, Tennessee |
Died | June 26, 1845 St. Francisville, Louisiana | (aged 47)
Resting place | 200px |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Margaret Johnson |
Parent |
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Profession | planter |
John Bennett Dawson (March 17, 1798 – June 26, 1845) was a United States House of Representatives member from the state of Louisiana.
Early life
Born near Nashville, Tennessee on March 17, 1798, he went to Center College in Danville, Kentucky. He moved to Louisiana and became a planter residing at Wyoming Plantation; he was also interested in the newspaper business. He married Margaret Johnson and together they had four children. His daughter Anna Ruffin Dawson married Robert C. Wickliffe who would serve as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Louisiana in the 1850s.
Political career
From 1823-1824, Dawson was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives representing Feliciana Parish.[1]
He ran for Governor of the state, unsuccessfully, in 1834, being defeated by Whig candidate Edward D. White.
He was elected as a Democrat representing the Second District to the 27th, and representing the Third District in the 28th Congress; he served from March 4, 1841, until his death on June 26, 1845. He defeated James M. Elam (Whig) in the election of 1843.
He served as major-general in the State militia, judge of the parish court in West Feliciana Parish, and U.S. postmaster at New Orleans from April 10, 1843, until December 19, 1843.
Death
Dawson died on June 26, 1845. His remains were interred in Grace Episcopal churchyard in St. Francisville, Louisiana.
In his memory, a cenotaph was erected at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C..[2]
References
- ^ Louisiana House of Representatives, List of Members
- ^ "John Bennett Dawson". Find-a-grave. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- 1798 births
- 1845 deaths
- American Episcopalians
- American planters
- Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana
- Centre College alumni
- People from Nashville, Tennessee
- Louisiana Democrats
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- Louisiana state court judges