The first-born child of Angus and Elizabeth MURRAY was a daughter named Janet, who came to be known as Jessie. The parish records from Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland have the following christening record:

1811
Octr 12
Murray      Said day Janet daughter to
in          Angus MURRAY, Smith in Brora
Brora       & Elizabeth McDONALD was born baptized 16

Jessie remained in Brora until 1831 when at age 20 she left Scotland and came to Mount Thom, Pictou County, Nova Scotia with her parents and two brothers and six sisters. Little is known of her life in Scotland or in Mount Thom.

Perhaps she attended school in Brora for a few years. A river runs through Brora and Jessie's younger brother, John, in later life told his son about crossing the bridge to get to school. (Did he remember it being up hill both ways?)

Many young girls in those days worked as domestic help. It is possible that Jessie worked for families both in Brora and in Mount Thom. She may have stayed in Mount Thom until 1844 by which time both parents had died. The obituary of Elizabeth McDONALD MURRAY mentions that she was afflicted with a painful and lingering illness, so it could have been Jessie's duty as the oldest daughter to look after her mother and the household.

At any rate, Jessie eventually settled in the town of Pictou and married James DAWSON. His obituary in 1886 mentions that he had been a resident of Pictou for fifty years. If this is correct it means that James came to Nova Scotia in 1836, although there is some evidence that he immigrated 17 Aug. 1848 on the ship, Lulan, from Glasgow.

James DAWSON was born in Aberdeenshire Scotland about 1806. In the parish records for Auchindoir & Kearn, Aberdeenshire, Scotland there is a James DAWSON, son of Charles DAWSON christened the 12th January 1807.

On the 3rd of March, 1854 the only child of Jessie and James was born and named Charles Murray 

On the 1871 census of Pictou taken on April 15th, the following information is given:

James, male, age 63, married, grocer
Jessy, female, age 59, married
Jane, female, age 22
Charles, male, age 17 
(James & Jessy born Scotland, Jane and Charles born Nova Scotia)

The 1871 census brings up more questions. Who was Jane? Jane married John David MURRAY. According to her marriage record her parents were Robert and Jane (Murdoch) Dawson. Jane must have been a niece to James.

By the 1881 Census James and Jessie were living alone again. He is listed as male, age 74, married with no occupation listed. Jessie is female, age 68 and married. Chas. M. DAWSON is in Truro, Colchester, Nova Scotia living in a boarding house. His information is as follows: male, age 26, Ticket Clerk.

James died on the 13th October 1886 and was buried in Haliburton Cemetery in Pictou. In the THIRTY YEARS AGO column of the Oct. 1, 1916 edition of the "Pictou Advocate" there is an extract of the obituary of James DAWSON.

James a native of Aberdeen, Scatland, for fifty years a resident - father of Mr. C.M. DAWSON, of Truro - died in his 80th year.

 Jessie lived another 15 years after the death of her husband. In 1891 she was listed on the census of Truro along with the family of her son, Charles. She died May 1, 1901 and her obituary was in the Pictou Advocate on May 3rd, 1901, page 1:

Mrs. Jessie Murray DANSON, relict of the late James DAWSON of Pictou, died at the residence of her son Charles M. Dawson, (ticket agent I.C.R.) Truro, Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. DAWSON who was 90 years of age remembered by many of the older people of Pictou, among whom she had many warm friends. Her remains were taken to Pictou for internment, the funeral services having been held in Prince St. Church this afternoon.
 
 

On the 20th NOVEMBER 1883 Charles was married to Ellen Dickie, daughter of the Hon. John B. DICKIE of Truro and in 1891 they were listed on the census of Truro as:

DAWSON Chas. M., male, age 37, married, occupation - R.R. Ticket Agent 
Ellen, female, age 32, married
Jno B., male, age 6
Fred J., male, age 5 
Francis M., male age 2
Jesse, female, age 79, widow, mother
 
 

At this time the Dawsons were able to have a general house servant, a 19 year old girl.

Three more children were born to the family: Howard Charles, about 1891; Jean Agnes, about 1892; and Martin Henry on the 6th August 1896.

On the 15th February 1895 the Pictou Advocate carried the sad news of the death of the DAWSON's only daughter as follows:

We regret to learn of the death of Jean Agnes, infant and only daughter of C.M. and Ellen DAWSON of Truro. The child was taken dangerously ill with croup and died on Wednesday morning. The bereaved parents will have the sympathy of their many friends in Truro.

Education was a priority in this family. Charles was a member of the Board of School Comissioners at Truro for many years. The boys were educated at DaIhousie, Nova Scotia Technical College, McGill University, and Cornell University.

The First World War had a great effect on the Dawson family. All five boys enlisted and at least four of them were in France and England. Lieut. H. C. DAWSON was killed in one of the historic engagements of the Somme on January 12th, 1917.

"The Pictou Advocate" of June 15, 1917 carried the news of his death. Part of the write-up follows:

Previous to enlistment, Lieut DAWSON was a student at Dalhousie University, and was one of the most prominent of his class in society work and debating. He was one of the members of the 1915 debating team, and secretary of the Dalhousie skating club.

 On October 31st, 1919, "The Pictou Advocate" carried a story headlined "Pictonian Retires After Faithful Public Service - 45 Years in Railway Work in Canada - Over Two Score Years a Resident of Truro". Charles had started working for the Intercolonial Railway which eventually became the Canadian National Railway. Part of the article follows:

He has been a bright, painstaking and most intelligent official and he surely deserves the "well done" for his labors.

In town affairs he has ever taken a decided interest and he was always found assisting good movements and ever battling for the right. He has been an all round good citizen.

He has been a pillar in the First Presbyterian Church, ever advancing its schemes and of his means contributing generously to its support.

 One more son predeceased the DAWSONS. John Bruce, their oldest child, died on November 22, 1930 at Truro. He had followed in his father's footsteps and was a ticket agent for the C.N.R. He did not marry.

We get a brief glimpse of the life of the DAWSONs through a letter from Ellen DAWSON to her grandson, John, written on Oct. 16th, '33.

We enjoyed about 4 hours of the fair in Chicago and got on quite nicely all the way home. It was raining very hard when we arrived in Truro. And they had had very bad weather nearly all the time we were away. It was so different in Madison. We had so many lovely days there and so many nice drives.

 Ellen DAWSON died suddenly from a fall on September 17, 1934. Charles remained in his home until his death on the 15th December 1940. Although he had lived in Pictou or Truro all his life, his sons left Nova Scotia and his descendents now are spread all over the continent.

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