ROBSON DOWSON.

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         Robson Dowson, who owns one of the excellent farms of Concord township, in the cultivation of which he is engaged, was born in Louisa county on the 29th of August, 1858. His parents, Thomas and Mary (Robson) Dowson, were natives of England, where they were married, emigrating to the United States in 1849. Upon their arrival here they first located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they remained for a short time, and then removed to St. Louis, Missouri. At the expiration of four years they came to Louisa county, Iowa, where they entered forty acres of land, in the cultivation of which Mr. Dowson engaged for twenty years, during which time he added to his holdings another sixty acres. Disposing of this farm they purchased one hundred and twenty acres two miles farther south, upon which they located, continuing to make that their home until their retirement in 1893. Mr. Dowson was a good agriculturist and capable manager and had acquired three hundred and seventy-five acres of good farm land when he withdrew from agricultural pursuits. When they left their homestead he and his wife moved to Columbus Junction, and there they were residing when she passed away in January, 1894. To them were born eight children: Jane, the wife of Caesar Bonnichsen, of Columbus Junction, a retired farmer; Mary, who became the wife of Thomas Newell, of Louisa county; Thomas, deceased; Robson, our subject; John, a resident of Kossuth county, Iowa; William, living in Nebraska; Charles H., of Detroit, Michigan; and Florence E., who died in 1896.

         The boyhood and early youth of Robson Dowson were spent on the homestead farm where his parents first located upon coming to this county. His education was acquired in the district schools of the vicinity, which provided little more than a general knowledge of the common branches. He assisted his father in the work of the farm while still very young and by the time he had attained his maturity had a comparatively thorough knowledge of the science of farming. At the age of nineteen he began learning the carpenter’s trade, for, being of a mechanical turn of mind this appealed to him more strongly as a vocation than did farming, and he continued to follow that trade for seventeen years. At the expiration of that period he rented his father’s homestead, which he operated for eleven years. Acquiring his present farm at the end of that time he removed to it and has resided there continuously since. Mr. Dowson takes a great interest and pride in keeping up the appearance of his farm and it is one of the well improved and highly cultivated places of Concord township. In addition to the tilling of the soil he makes a specialty of raising stock, and his efforts in both directions have been rewarded with very favorable returns.

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         On the 9th of September, 1885, Mr. Dowson was united in marriage with Miss Della Westbrook, who is a native of the state of New York and a daughter of James and Clarissa (Scott) Westbrook. Her parents are both deceased, the father having passed away in 1895, and the mother in 1897. Eight of their family are living, as follows: A. J. and J. B., both of whom are residents of Oklahoma, the latter a millionaire; D. H., living near Letts, this county; Edgar, who is living in the state of Washington; Emma, now Mrs. Wilson, living in Minnesota; Roana Diller, also a resident of the state of Washington; Della, now Mrs. Dowson; and Hector H., who is living in Muscatine county.

         To Mr. and Mrs. Dowson have been born three children, as follows: Harry Robson, who was born on the 21st of June, 1886, and is now attending Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa; Scott Westbrook, who was born on the 11th of March, 1889, and is a high-school graduate, now teaching school in Wellington district; and Charles Hector, who was born on the 29th of June, 1892, and is attending high school.

         The family affiliate with the United Brethren church, and his political support Mr. Dowson gives to the republican party but never having been an office seeker he does not actively participate in public affairs. He concentrates his energies upon the development of his farm, which is located on sections 14 and 15, Concord township, in the operation of which he is meeting with such gratifying success.