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THOMAS DOWSON, a farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 15, Concord Township, Louisa Co., Iowa, was born in Cumberland, England, in 1822, being the eldest child born to John and Elizabeth (Eliot) Dowson, who were also natives of Cumberland. The father was a farmer by occupation, and remained in his native country, where his death occurred in 1854. His wife survived him many years, and died in 1875.
The boyhood days of our subject were spent upon a farm, but at the age of fifteen he left home and learned the carpenter’s and joiner’s trade, and April 16, 1844, entered the navy, enlisting on Her Majesty’s ship “Trafalgar,” where he remained over four years, being discharged June 30, 1848. He sailed over the Mediterranean Sea, visiting Naples, Malta and Lisbon, and was on board 120 gunships, with 1,000 men on board.
Returned to his native land, Mr. Dowson, in 1849, was united in marriage with Miss Mary Robeson, who was also born in that country, and is a daughter of Robert and Jane Robeson, who were natives of Sunderland, Durham County, England. The father was a tailor by trade, and remained in England until his death, which occurred a number of years ago. The wedding tour of the young couple was their journey to America. Embarking on the American sailing-vessel “Andrew Foster,” after a pleasant voyage of twenty-six days they landed at New York, and thence proceeded to St. Louis, reaching that city shortly after the great fire, where he worked at his trade of joiner for four years. Coming to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1853, they settled in Concord Township, on section 10, where Mr. Dowson purchased forty acres of Government land, began its improvement, and then added another forty, but later sold that farm, and purchased, in 1872, 200 acres of partly improved land on sections 15 and 23. He immediately began its cultivation, and as time passed has added to it until he now has 400 acres, which are highly cultivated and improved. He makes a specialty of raising stock, which is all of the best grades, and feeds about 100 head per year.
Mr. and Mrs. Dowson are the parents of seven children: Jane, now Mrs. Bonnichsen, resides in Washington County, Iowa; Mary is the wife of Thomas Newell, who is engaged in farming in Concord Township; Robeson is married and resides in Cheyenne, Wyo.; John is at home; William is married and resides in Concord Township; Charles Henry and Florence Elizabeth are also at home; Mary attended the university at Iowa City, and engaged in teaching in Louisa County for several terms.
Mr. Dowson takes great interest in political affairs, casts his vote with the Republican party, has served as Township Trustee, was School Director, and is now School Treasurer, which office he has held for several years. He is a promoter of all educational institutions, and has given his children good educational advantages. An early settler of Louisa County, Mr. Dowson has witnessed almost its entire growth and development, has seen the prairies over which the deer roamed and where game abounded, transformed into well-cultivated and improved farms, and to all enterprises beneficial to the public has given his support. His pleasant home is situated about four miles from Columbus Junction and six miles from Letts, and we are pleased to record his sketch among the worthy citizens of the county, and also pleased to present excellent portraits of himself and wife, which appear upon the opposite page.
