John Bennett Dawson

John Bennett Dawson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	Thomas Withers Chinn
Succeeded by	Alcée Louis la Branche
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1843 – June 26, 1845
Preceded by	John Moore
Succeeded by	John Henry Harmanson
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
In office 1823-1824
Personal details
Born	March 17, 1798 Nashville, Tennessee
Died	June 26, 1845 (aged 47) St. Francisville, Louisiana
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Margaret Johnson
Profession	planter
Religion	Episcopalian

John Bennett Dawson (March 17, 1798 – June 26, 1845) was a United States House of Representatives member from the state of Louisiana.

Early life

Born near Nashville, Tennessee on March 17, 1798, he went to Center College in Danville, Kentucky. He moved to Louisiana and became a planter residing at Wyoming Plantation; he was also interested in the newspaper business. He married Margaret Johnson and together they had four children. His daughter Anna Ruffin Dawson married Robert C. Wickliffe who would serve as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Louisiana in the 1850s.

Political career

From 1823-1824, Dawson was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives representing Feliciana Parish.^[1]

He ran for Governor of the state, unsuccessfully, in 1834, being defeated by Whig candidate Edward D. White.

He was elected as a Democrat representing the Second District to the 27th, and representing the Third District in the 28th Congress; he served from March 4, 1841, until his death on June 26, 1845. He defeated James M. Elam (Whig) in the election of 1843.

He served as major-general in the State militia, judge of the parish court in West Feliciana Parish, and U.S. postmaster at New Orleans from April 10, 1843, until December 19, 1843.

Death

Dawson died on June 26, 1845. His remains were interred in Grace Episcopal churchyard in St. Francisville, Louisiana.

In his memory, a cenotaph was erected at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C..^[2]

References

1. Louisiana House of Representatives, List of Members
2. "John Bennett Dawson". Find-a-grave. Retrieved July 29, 2012.