Isom Martin Dawson

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Notes from the memoirs of daughter Verna (Dawson) Karns

I. M. [as he was known] was born in Blackjack Grove, TX on February 27, 1863. This is sometimes also known as Blackjack, TX. The area was a good farming community, but very small. It had a church, a school, and a little store or two, but no post office. This location is now known by and shown on a current road map as Cumby, Hopkins Co., TX. [On a visit to Cumby in 1999, we noted that one of the retail stores still had the name on the window -- Blackjack Grove. JKL]

Later the family moved to the Sarcoxie, Jasper Co, MO area, where the Charles W. Cannady and Harriman families also lived. Isom Martin and Alfretta grew up in this rural community and were married there on Oct. 5, 1884. Six children were born in MO. The Cannady family (Allie's parents) had moved to the Great Bend, KS area, and because of their advice and hoping for better success in a financial way the I. M. Dawson family started to Kansas by covered wagons drawn by four fine, husky mules on July 28, 1899. Alfretta had come earlier by train because a new baby was expected soon. She was disappointed because she wanted to make the trip with the family, and she greatly enjoyed travelling. Lillie became ill with malaria fever on the road, so I. M. had to load the family on a train to reach proper medical help. The family possessions were left with the John Denny family and Mr. Tom Boucher, who also were coming to Kansas to make their home.

The I. M. Dawson family moved to a farm in Stafford Co., KS. Farming methods, as well as implements, were very different there. There was homesickness, lack of finances, and I. M. was especially discouraged and would have returned to Missouri if he could have financed the move with his family. The children were taught to work and helped harvest a fair crop of wheat the next year. The older children husked corn for neighbors the first two winters to help carry the financial burden of pioneer days. Cow chips were used for part of the fuel to keep the family warm.

Three different farms were "home" during the five years in Stafford and Barton county where three children were born. After five years, I. M. had accumulated horses, mules, cows, machinery and money enough to make a payment on land. So with a land agent he moved further west to Ford County where he bought three quarters of land which later became known as the "Dawson Place." (It was located about 3 miles north of Ford, Ford Co., Kansas on the Spearville Road.) A four room square house was built on his land. The same house was later extensively remodeled by Verna and Elmer Karns in the 1940's.

After the home was ready, the family again loaded into covered wagons pulled by teams and started west, driving their cattle with them. In a raging snow storm, they arrived on Dec. 2, 1904. Neighbors D.O. Rinehart and Frank Cook were keeping a fire going as they were expecting the new neighbors to arrive.

The following spring, Lillie was married to W. P. Warner of St. John and returned to live in the same house where the parents and brothers and sisters had previously lived. Only one of the children, the 10th, who was Clarice, was born in Ford County in 1907. Some of the childhood memories of the farm were the harvest crews of header barges, many horses and several men; the huge dinners for the threshers; the mile and one-half walk to and from the rural school; the sand storms pelting the children on the road; the rural Sunday School where the minister, Rev. Ballinger, looked like Abraham Lincoln.

Later, in 1912 the family moved from the farm setting to the town of Ford, Kansas. Memories of adjusting to the town school, the Saturday afternoon visits to town, and later, Saturday night in the little town, are vivid. Ford was a small rural town--perhaps never having more than 250 population at any time. The family home was located in the Southwest corner of the town. The three youngest children each graduated from the High School at Ford, and later had some teaching experience.

After I. M.'s death in 1938, Alfretta moved to a smaller home closer to church and downtown. She lived there until her death in 1945.
--Excerpts from notes of Verna Dawson Karns

Note from granddaughter Jean (Karns) Ladd

Memories of my grandfather, I.M. Dawson, are of his tall, straight form, with beautiful white hair as he was seen often walking back and forth from the family home to the downtown area of Ford. He seemed also to enjoy teasing the grandchildren as they played at his home.

Most of the children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren lived in that nearby area during all of their years in Ford County.

Isom Martin Dawson and "Allie" Cannady Dawson both are buried in the family plot about a mile east of the town of Ford, Ford Co., KS. [JL]

Memories of other grandchildren

By other grandchildren, Isom is remembered for his playful tickling when the young ones "dashed" past him in his living room, for the peppermints he carried to be passed out.

Others remember his cheering and hollering at basketball games along with neighbor Bill Heiland, and his V/8 with the hand-throttle installed, as he drove into the surrounding farmlands to survey his land where many of the family lived.

Others remember his stately stance and his black suit as he daily walked down the sidewalk from his home, crossed the railroad tracks, and passed by the grade school on his way downtown to pick up the mail, and spend some time exchanging the time of day and news with friends in this small friendly town.

On the serious side, during those dust-bowl, depression years he gave $3.00 for the old-fashioned meeting. It is still remembered as being generous! With his glasses pushed up on his head, he could be heard above the rest of the congregation singing his favorite song, "He Brought Me Out."