Henry Barton Dawson

Background

Henry Barton Dawsonwas born on June 8, 1821 at Gosberton, Lincolnshire, England. He was the son of Abraham and Mary (Barton) Dawson, came with his parents, from his birthplace to New York City in 1834.

Education

Dawson's formal education, begun in England and continued in the public schools of New York, ended in March.

Career

Dawson's natural interest in books was undoubtedly enhanced by a short but agreeable term of service in a publishing and book-selling house in Ithaca, New York, whither the family had moved in associated with several pre-Republican party movements, including the Free-Soil party, for whose first New York City meeting he issued the call, and of which he was elected secretary. Later, thinking that he had discovered in the Republican party a tendency to a centralization which he considered unconstitutional, he retired from politics.

The publication of Dawson’s article, “The Park and its Vicinity” and several valuable historical papers which followed, established his reputation and enlarged his circle of friends.

He gained wide recognition from his Battles of the United States by Sea and Land. His strictures therein on the military conduct of General Israel Putnam led to bitter controversy in the columns of the Hartford Daily Post. His excellent edition of The Federalist (1863), of which but one volume appeared, resulted in controversy with James A. Hamilton and with John Jay. After a year as editor of the Yonkers Gazette, he purchased the Historical Magazine, which he edited from July 1866 to its discontinuance for financial reasons in April 1876. His frequent contributions to this magazine, including hundreds of book-notices, show, as do his other writings, critical ability, accuracy, keen analysis, great industry, and trenchancy of style. These characteristics, combined with his “revisionist” tendencies, were bound to provoke controversy and hostility among local patriots and filiopietistic zealots. His natural pugnacity was undoubtedly increased by his ill health, which, proceeding from an attack of malaria in 1868, prostrated him completely from 1876 to 1884. He recovered sufficiently to write what is perhaps his ablest work, “Westchester County, New York, during the American Revolution”.

Achievements

• Dawson gained wide recognition from his Battles of the United States by Sea and Land.

Works

More photos

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  • Old New-York Revived (Classic Reprint)

    (Excerpt from Old New-York Revived The following exhibit ...)

  • Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution

    (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

  • Declaration Of Independence By The Colony Of Massachusetts Bay: May 1, 1776

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • Diary of David How: A Private in Colonel Paul Dudley Sargent's Regiment of the Massachusetts Line, in the Army of the American Revolution

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • The Sons of Liberty in New York

Connections

Dawson married Catherine (Martling) Dawson on May 28, 1845. They had several children.

Father:

Abraham Dawson

Mother:

Mary (Barton) Dawson

Wife:

Catherine (Martling) Dawson