James William Dawes (January 8, 1845October 8, 1918) was a Republican state

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. He served as the fifth governor of

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

from 1883 to 1887. He was born in

McConnelsville, Ohio McConnelsville is a village in and the county seat of Morgan County, Ohio, United States, on the east bank of the Muskingum River. Located southeast of Zanesville and northwest of Marietta, the population was 1,667 at the 2020 census. His ...

. He was the great-grandson of

William 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 approach of British regulars prior to the Battles of Lexington and Concor ...

, a first cousin of Rufus R. Dawes, and a first cousin once removed of Charles G. Dawes. Dawes attended

Western Reserve Academy Western Reserve Academy (WRA), or simply Reserve, is a private, midsized, coeducational boarding and day college preparatory school located in Hudson, Ohio, United States. A boarding school, Western Reserve Academy is largely a residential ...

in Ohio and The Milwaukee Business College. He studied law in his cousin's law firm and was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1871. Dawes married his cousin, Francis Anna Dawes, in 1871. She died in 1909.

Career

After relocating to

Crete, Nebraska Crete is the most populous city of Saline County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,099 at the 2020 census. The city is home to Doane University. History The railroad reached Crete in 1870, attracting new settlers. In 1871, two c ...

, Dawes worked in the mercantile business and opened a law practice. He was a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention in 1875 and a member of

Nebraska State Senate The Nebraska Senate was the upper house of the Nebraska Legislature The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the legislative branch, legislature of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State ...

in 1877. Dawes was a chairman of the Republican State Central Committee from 1876 to 1882. Dawes was elected

Governor of Nebraska The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential ...

in 1882, and was reelected to a second term in 1884. He later served as

paymaster A paymaster is someone appointed by a group of buyers, sellers, investors or lenders to receive, hold, and dispense funds, commissions, fees, salaries (remuneration) or other trade, loan, or sales proceeds within the private sector or public secto ...

for the United States Army, working in Cuba and the Philippines. Dawes served on the

Doane College Doane University is a private university in Crete, Nebraska. It has additional campuses in Lincoln and Omaha. Established in 1872, Doane is the oldest private university in the state of Nebraska. History Doane College was founded on July 11, ...

board of trustees A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...

for thirty-seven years.

Death

Dawes died on October 8, 1918, at the age of seventy-three, in

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, Wisconsin. He is interred at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Legacy

Dawes County, Nebraska Dawes County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 8,199. Its county seat is Chadron. The county was formed in 1885; it was named for James W. Dawes, the Nebraska Governor at the ti ...

was named in Dawes' honor. Between 1885 and 1890, Dawes' portrait was painted in Omaha by artist Herbert A. Collins.Biography of Herbert Alexander Collins, by Alfred W. Collins, February 1975, 4 pages typed, in the possession of Collins' great-great grand-daughter, D. Dahl of Tacoma, WA

References

External links

*
National Governors Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawes, James William Republican Party governors of Nebraska Republican Party Nebraska state senators 1845 births 1918 deaths People from McConnelsville, Ohio People from Crete, Nebraska Western Reserve Academy alumni 19th-century members of the Nebraska Legislature

Career

Death

Legacy

See also

References

External links