NameDawsonDescriptionJohn Dawson was born 1775, Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire. In 1809 he married Mary Hockney.
John and Mary, both 48, arrived in Australia abord ‘Canton’ in 1835, with their children –
Mary 19 b.1815 (married George Coker and Thomas Hobbs, died 1892, Cootamundra)
Jane 17 b.1817 (married Abraham Davy, died 1903, Rookwood)
John 15 b.1819 (married Emma Jones, died 1902, Rookwood)
Thomas 14 b.1820 (married Elizabeth Scott, died 1893, Sydney)
Fanny 13 b.1822 (married Joseph Longmore, Wollongong)
Charlotte 12 b.1826 (married William Bushby Jones, died 1922, Sydney)
John and Mary had other children who did come to Australia, but are not recorded on the shipping records for the ‘Canton’. It is unclear how and when they arrived -
William b. 1810 (married Sarah Shipman, died 1895, Ashfield)
Henry Hockey b.1825 (married Wilhelmina Jones, died 1863, Penrith)
Sarah Eve b.1829 (married James Henry Thomas, died St Leonards)
John, Mary and family settled at Peterborough (Shellharbour) in 1836, where they took up a lease from John Reddall.
In 1843, Henry Dawson was charged with firing at, and wounding James Clinch, with intent to do harm. Robert Wilson, and assigned convict in John Dawson’s service was charged as an accessory. Three men had come to the Dawson property and taken a colt. Henry Dawson and Robert Wilson took two of the men into custody on a charge of horse stealing. They were ultimately acquitted.
Mother, Mary Dawson died at Shellharbour in 1844, age 57 years, after a lingering illness.
In 1845, John King of Wollongong was charged with having stolen three yards of sail cloth from John Dawson, and clothing from Jane Bloomfield and James Shipman. He was eventually sentenced to hard labour in Parramatta Gaol.
It is believed the Dawson's left Peterborough in 1846, having spent about 10 years in Shellharbour.
John Dawson died 1 August 1869 at Humberston, Burwood, aged 86 years.
