Naming of Dawson County
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There has been several versions of which Mr. Dawson, the county name was derived from.
In an article by Jim Potter, Senior Research Historian from the Nebraska State Historical Society on the origin of "Dawson County".
He sited a newspaper article that he had found, dated 1860. In which, according to the article, stated the fact that Dawson County was actually named in honor of, John Littleton Dawson; a Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania.
John Dawson had promoted a homestead act which was introduced as a bill to Congress in 1854.
As Nebraska Territory was predominately Democrat at that time, it was not unusual to have counties named in honor of prominent Democrats like John Littleton Dawson.
The following are excerpts from that news article, Council Bluffs Iowa Bugle, dated, January 18, 1860:
We are pleased to note the passage by the Territorial Legislature of Nebraska and approval of an act locating the county of Dawson.
It receives the name from the Honorable John L. Dawson, of Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
......the counties and towns of our Confederacy are made to perpetuate the name of our distinguished men. Among those who are deserving of this commemoration, by the people of the west, none stands more prominent than Mr. Dawson. His persistent and able efforts for the last few years, both in and out of Congress, to secure the National Homestead Law, and his warm advocacy of all measures tending to promote the prosperity of our Territories and New States.
Another article was written by Russ Czaplewski and published in the Dawson County Historical Society Newsletter. Exerpts from his article are as follows:
He stated that in his research on the county, he had found a newspaper article in the Nebraska Advertiser - Brownville, dated January 12, 1860. (Editor Robert W. Furnas.)
In a column in this newspaper was the proceedings of the "House of the 6th Nebraska Territorial Legislature for January 3, 1860". Where the bill was introduced to create and define the boundaries of Dawson County.
The article also stated that the county was not being named for Jacob Dawson, but John L. Dawson.
The bill was passed and made law January 9, 1860.
Dawson County was established by a vote of 21 to 11.
In a biography for John Littleton Dawson, it states:
It seems ironic that Dawson County, one of the most traditionally Republican counties in Nebraska, should be named after a prominent 19th century Democrat.
Source: Periodical Source Index (PERSI) Journal: Dawson County Banner, Vol. 27, ISS2, 2005 - 978.201 D322hs Dawson County Named for John Littleton Dawson, 1860 The Origin of Dawson
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