Frederick James Dawson was the second child of Charles Murray Dawson and Ellen Dickie. He was born on the 22 September 1886 at Truro, Colchester, Nova Scotia.

Fred grew up at Truro and then went on to attend Dalhousie University and McGill University graduating in Civil Engineering.

In 1910, Fred started working as a consulting engineer in Kamloops, B. C. He worked for a time for the Department of Public Works.

The first World War interrupted his career and he enlisted and went overseas with the 54 Kootenay battalion. An article in "The Pictou Advocate" of 4th August 1914 (page eight) gives some information on his overseas service:

Lieut. Fred J. Dawson went over with 54th Victoria Rangers of British Columbia, now with Canadian engineers, somewhere in France. Passed through battle of Ypres in June O.K., but had close call. . . . Lieut. Fred Dawson passed through the ten days' furious fight at Ypres in June unscathed, through (sic) he had a very narrow escape.

With a comrade, whose name he did not even know, he was hurled by the force of an exploding shell into a shell hole.

The shock bereft his companion of his reason. Jumping from the crater he ran around its rim, exposed to the fire of the Germans, then leapt onto Lieut. Dawson in the hole, forcing him down onto the mud at the bottom.

Just then at other shell burst near them, and a piece of it struck the demented man and killed him. Lieut. Dawson believes that but for his unfortunate comrade being on top of him he would have been killed too.

Lieut. Fred Dawson had his picture in the 8 December edition (page 8) of The Pictou Advocate along with three of his brothers and is also mentioned in the 1 Dec. 1916 (page 1) and the 16 March 1917 (page 3) editions.

On the 29 of December 1917, Fred was married to Marion Patterson Russell in Ottawa. Marion was born in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

The Dawsons returned to Kamloops and were there until 1922 when Fred formed his own firm in Vancouver. In 1924, it became Dawson, Wade.

In 1948 a second engineering firm, Dawson & Hall, was formed and its operations have spread into Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. By 1959 it was the biggest contracting firm in the Yukon.

Fred Dawson was described as "a man who liked to keep in touch with his company's projects. He tramped the province on survey parties and visited construction crews in the field. He was one of the few men of whom one could truly say, 'He knew the province like the back of his hand'."

Some of the projects that he was associated with were the construction of Vancouver's Burrard and Granville bridges, the building of Kitimat and the original surveying and construction of the Hope Princeton Highway and many other highways and bridges throughout B.C.

Along with his occupational activities Fred was active in other areas. He was a life member of the Professional Engineers Association of B.C. He was one of the founders and original directors of Vancouver Curling Club and was a member of Shaughnessy Golf Club and the Vancouver club.

As his father before him was a member of the Board of School Trustees at Truro for many years, Fred won a seat on the Vancouver School Board in 1937 because, as he said in an open letter, he wanted to do his part "to ensure a type of education best suited to equip our youth to go out and take their place in the development of our industries and natural resources".

He served two terms and became chairman of the board.

The Shaugnessy Heights United Church also benefited from his commitment. He was an active worker and chairman of the building committee. On Sunday, February 11, 1962, a memorial window was dedicated in memory of Frederick James Dawson. The moderator of the United Church, Dr. Hugh McLeod attended the dedication.

The window's theme was described in the church program.

The Dawsons had three children, Jean Russell Dawson, James Frederick Dawson and Graham Russell Dawson.

Frederick James Dawson died on the 7 January 1959, at Vancouver General Hospital at the age of 72 years. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Burnaby, British Columbia.

His wife Marion Patterson Russell Dawson lived until the 11 September 1971 when she died at Vancouver and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

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