William Dawson Family Papers
Scope and Content Note
The family papers of William Dawson (1705[?]-1752) span the years 1728-1775. William Dawson was an Anglican clergymen in Virginia who served as second president of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, 1743-1752. The collection consists of correspondence, financial and administrative records, certificates, commissions, ecclesiastical papers, sermons, addresses, poetry, and other material concerning the ecclesiastical affairs of the Anglican Church in Virginia and administrative matters of the College of William and Mary. Included are papers of William's brother, Thomas Dawson, also an Anglican clergyman, commissary of Virginia, and the fourth president of the College of William and Mary, 1755-1760.
Correspondents include Thomas Bacon, Philip Bearcroft, John Blair, Thomas Broughton, Edwin Conway, Samuel Davies, Robert Dinwiddie, Benjamin Dodd, George Fothergill, Edmund Gibson, Rebecca Staunton Gooch, Sir William Gooch, Patrick Henry (died 1777), Patrick Henry (1736-1799), Philip Ludwell, John Potter, James Scott, Alexander White, and Thomas Wilson.
Dates
- Creation: 1728-1775
Language of Materials
Collection material in English
Access and Restrictions
The papers of William Dawson family are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of William Dawson family is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Biographical Note
William Dawson was an Anglican clergyman, a commissary of the Bishop of London, and a member of the Virginia Governor's Council, A graduate of Queen's College at Oxford University, he was the second president of the College of William and Mary, 1743-1752. Dawson died on July 20, 1752. His brother, Thomas Dawson, served as fourth president of the College of William and Mary, 1755-1760.
Extent
200 items
2 containers
4 linear feet
1 microfilm reel
Abstract
Anglican clergyman, college president, and public official of Virginia. Correspondence, financial and administrative records, certificates, commissions, ecclesiastical papers, sermons, addresses, poetry, and other material concerning the ecclesiastical affairs of the Anglican Church in Virginia, administrative matters of the College of William and Mary, and professional and social affairs of William Dawson and his brother, Thomas Dawson, also a clergyman and college president.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged chronologically in bound volumes.
Catalog Record
Provenance
The family papers of William Dawson, Anglican clergyman, college president, and public official of Virginia, were purchased by the Library of Congress in 1917.
Processing History
The Dawson Family Papers were bound after being obtained in 1917. The collection was microfilmed in 1975, and the finding aid was created in 2016.
Source
- Dawson, William, 1705?-1752 (Creator, Person)
Subject
- Bacon, Thomas, approximately 1700-1768--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bearcroft, Philip, 1697-1761--Correspondence. (Person)
- Blair, John, 1687-1771--Correspondence. (Person)
- Broughton, Thomas, -1737--Correspondence. (Person)
- Conway, Edwin, 1681 or 1682-1763--Correspondence. (Person)
- Davies, Samuel, 1723-1761--Correspondence. (Person)
- Dawson family. (Family)
- Dawson, Thomas, 1715-1760. Thomas Dawson papers. (Person)
- Dawson, William, 1705?-1752. (Person)
- Dinwiddie, Robert, 1693-1770--Correspondence. (Person)
- Dodd, Benjamin, -1765--Correspondence. (Person)
- Fothergill, George, 1705-1760--Correspondence. (Person)
- Gibson, Edmund, 1669-1748--Correspondence. (Person)
- Gooch, Rebecca Staunton--Correspondence. (Person)
- Gooch, William, Sir, 1681-1751--Correspondence. (Person)
- Henry, Patrick, -1777--Correspondence. (Person)
- Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799--Correspondence. (Person)
- Ludwell, Philip, approximately 1660-approximately 1704--Correspondence. (Person)
- Potter, John, 1673 or 1674-1747--Correspondence. (Person)
- Scott, James (Anglican clergyman)--Correspondence. (Person)
- White, Alexander, 1738-1804--Correspondence. (Person)
- Wilson, Thomas, 1703-1784--Correspondence. (Person)
- Church of England--Virginia. (Organization)
- College of William & Mary. (Organization)
- Title
- William Dawson Family Papers
- Subtitle
- A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress
- Author
- Prepared by Manuscript Division Staff
- Date
- 2016
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Part of the Manuscript Division Repository
Manuscript Reading Room
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