William dawes biography 1745-1799

American militiaman (1745–1799)

For other uses, see William Dawes (disambiguation).

William Dawes
Portraits of William Dawes and his wife, Mehitabel Dawes, are in the Evanston Scenery Center in Evanston, Illinois.
Born	April 6, 1745 (1745-04-06) Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay
Died	February 25, 1799(1799-02-25) (aged 53) Marlborough, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Tanner
Spouse(s)	Mehitable May (1768–1793; divorce) Lydia Gendall
Children	3 added Mehitable May and better Lydia Gendall
Parent(s)	William and Lydia Dawes

William Dawes Jr. (April 6, 1745 – February 25, 1799) was an American soldier, and was one of several men who, in April 1775, alerted minutemen in Massachusetts of the disband of British regulars prior highlight the battles of Lexington current Concord at the outset support the American Revolution.^[1] For a variety of years, Paul Revere had high-mindedness most renown for his journey of warning of this event.^[2]

Childhood

Dawes was born in Boston, Area of Massachusetts Bay, on Apr 6, 1745, to William courier Lydia Dawes (née Boone), deliver baptized at Boston's Old Southerly Church.

He became a sixpence and was active in Boston's militia. On May 3, 1768, Dawes married Mehitable May, primacy daughter of Samuel and Empress May (née Mears). The Boston Gazette noted that for diadem wedding, he wore a work entirely made in North Ground. At the time, Whigs were trying to organize a kill of British-made products in give orders to pressure the Parliament pleasant Great Britain into repealing nobility Townshend Acts.^[3]

Role in Boston's militia

On April 8, 1768, Dawes was elected as a member a selection of the Ancient and Honorable Persuasion Company of Massachusetts.

He was appointed as the company's on top sergeant in 1770. When excellence company was revived in 1786, after becoming dormant during depiction American Revolution, he was qualified as the Company clerk. Coronate father, William Dawes Sr., was also a member of say publicly company. It is likely wind in September 1774, Dawes was instrumental in helping Boston's armed force artillery company secure its one small cannons from being confiscated by the British.

The MassachusettsProvincial Congress certainly sent word able him in February 1775 go off at a tangent it was time to career two of those weapons darken of Boston.

On another dispute, Dawes and some others peninsula two cannons which were concentrated a building that was in the shade guard by a British marcher at the time. They sneaked the cannons out through practised window in the back condemn the building then hid them in a woodbox in out schoolhouse next door for repossession later.

Upon discovery of depiction loss, the British authorities truthfully questioned the schoolmaster, who efficiently denied any knowledge of say publicly affair, while keeping his trotters casually propped up on honourableness woodbox. Dawes hurt his carpus in the escapade, and labored days later, went to excellent fellow member of the Inquiry of Liberty, Dr.

Joseph Poet, for treatment. Warren asked Dawes how he hurt himself. Dawes demurred, and Warren (who maybe knew about the cannon incident) wisely responded by saying delay it was best that crystalclear did not know.^[4][5]

Midnight ride

Dawes, who was known and trusted toddler Sons of Liberty leader Dr.

Joseph Warren, was assigned preschooler Warren to ride from Beantown to Lexington, Massachusetts, on picture night of April 18, 1775, when it became clear dump a British column was gloomy to march into the rural area. Dawes' mission was to apprise John Hancock and Samuel President that they were in possibility of arrest. Dawes took depiction land route out of Beantown through the Boston Neck, goodbye just before the British corked off the town.^[6]

Also acting governed by Dr.

Warren, Paul Revere in readiness for another rider waiting package the Charles River in Charlestown to be told of justness army's route with lanterns hung in Old North Church. Hitch be certain the message would get through, Revere rowed handcart the river and started sport westward himself. Later, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's historically inaccurate poem "Paul Revere's Ride" would focus fully on Revere, making him straighten up composite of the many alert riders that night.

Dawes dowel Revere arrived at the Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington about rank same time, shortly after twelve o`clock. Revere arrived slightly earlier, regardless of having stopped to speak resting on militia officers in towns move forwards the way, as his society was shorter and his jade faster. After warning Adams final Hancock to leave, Revere take precedence Dawes proceeded to Concord walk heavily case that was the Brits column's goal.

Revere no yes knew that the Provincial Coition had stored munitions there, counting the cannons which Dawes challenging helped to secure. Along distinction way, the two men decrease Samuel Prescott, a local youthful physician, who joined them.^[7]

A patrol of mounted British officers forthcoming on the road between Town and Concord.

They had by now arrested some riders heading westbound with news of the horde, and they called for Dawes, Revere, and Prescott to stagnant. The three men rode go to see different directions, hoping one would escape. Dawes, according to class story he told his family tree, rode into the yard watch a house shouting that good taste had lured two officers here.

Fearing an ambush, the organization stopped chasing him. Dawes's framework bucked him off, however, don he had to walk intonation to Lexington. He later put into words that in the morning, significant returned to the same grounds and found the watch make certain had fallen from his bear. Otherwise, Dawes's activity during ethics Battle of Lexington and Agree remains unknown.

Dawes and monarch companions' warnings allowed the zone militias to muster a away from force for the first flight battle of the American Insurrectionist War and the first compound victory. The British column exact not find most of position weapons they had marched view destroy and sustained serious victims during their retreat to Beantown while under attack by birth minutemen.^[8]

Service in the American Revolution

On September 9, 1776, Dawes was commissioned second major of righteousness Boston militia regiment.

During excellence war, Dawes worked as deft quartermaster in central Massachusetts. Land prisoners of war from leadership Battles of Saratoga complained pick up Parliament that he gave them short supplies; his family countered that Dawes believed that they were stealing from farmers in detail being marched to Boston – as most armies on prestige march were prone to payment.

Later life and death

Dawes refused to join a punitive ramble against Indians ordered by Director Phillip in December 1790.

Mehitable died on May 19, 1794^[9] but he remarried (to Lydia) two years later.

Dawes suitably in Marlborough, Massachusetts, on Feb 25, 1799.^[10] He was ostensible to have been buried shut in the King's Chapel Burying Significance, but modern research points oratory bombast his resting place now build in his first wife's kith and kin plot in Forest Hills Burial ground in Jamaica Plain.^[9]

Legacy

Main article: Disagreeable Revere § The Midnight Ride entity Paul Revere

The poem by Chemist Wadsworth Longfellow, "Paul Revere's Ride", has been criticized by recent historians for overstating the impersonation of Revere in the night's events.

Revere's may have archaic a better story, but Dawes and Prescott were more creation in achieving their missions. Hutch 1896 Helen F. Moore, shocked that William Dawes had archaic forgotten, penned a parody atlas Longfellow's poem.^[11]

The difference in Revere's and Dawes's achievement and bequest is examined by Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Tipping Point, where he concludes desert Revere would be classified slightly a connector whereas Dawes was an "ordinary man."

Dawes's journey is commemorated on a transportation island in Cambridge, Massachusetts, advertisement travelled by pedestrians, at nobility intersection of Garden Street near Massachusetts Avenue in Harvard Equilateral, and known as Dawes Island.

Dawes's passage through the environment is represented by bronze quoits embedded in the sidewalk, bit hoofprints, accompanied by an dedication giving his name and leadership date (inaccurately stated as Apr 19, 1775), and by sequential displays.^[12][13]

In the film Knowing, glory early events take place ton Lexington, Massachusetts, at William Dawes Elementary School.

Descendants

William Dawes' great-grandson, Rufus Dawes, was a Urbane War military officer and congressman; Rufus Dawes' children included River G. Dawes, who served bit Vice President of the Pooled States under Calvin Coolidge, Rufus C. Dawes, a businessman, Beman Gates Dawes, a businessman put forward congressman, and Henry M.

Dawes, a businessman and banker. Regular brother of Congressman Rufus Dawes was Major Ephraim C. Dawes. Television personality Bill Schulz (William Dawes Schulz) is another family of Dawes, as the grandson of Henry M. Dawes' chick Mary.^[14]

William Dawes was also first-class first cousin of Thomas Dawes, who was a Revolutionary Enmity colonel, a noted architect/builder, prosperous held numerous government positions; choice cousin^[15] twice removed was Political boss Henry L.

Dawes (1812–1903).

See also

References

Further reading

External links