"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 
1844-1943" by Wendell H. Rone.  Probably published in 1944 by 
Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, pp. 309-311.  
Used by permission.  [Daviess]

JAMES MADISON DAWSON:  As a thinker, as a lucid, pointed preacher, 
and as a debater, Elder James M. Dawson probably had no superior in 
his day and generation in the entire state of Kentucky.  He was 
considered by those who knew him as one of the ablest preachers 
Kentucky Baptists have ever produced.
     Elder Dawson was the oldest of three children born to Gipson and 
Catherine Dawson, and was born in Daviess County, Kentucky, on 
January 17, 1836.  At the age of eighteen he was converted to Christ 
and was baptized into the fellowship of the Yelvington Baptist Church 
by Elder John G. Howard.  The exact date was in November, 1854.  On 
the 1st day of January, 1855, he entered into the constitution of the 
South Hampton Church.  By this same Church he was licensed to preach, 
in July, 1855.  In July, 1857, he was ordained to the ministry by 
Elders A. B. Smith, John G. Howard, and I. R. Allen.
     Elder Dawson's opportunities for acquiring an education were 
very Poor [sic]; however, he possessed a strong intellect and devoted 
himself to close study, from his boyhood to the close of his life.  
Without the aid of a teacher, he not only acquired a good English 
education, but made very considerable attainments in the Greek 
Language.  Daviess County Association offered to aid him in 
attending Georgetown College but he declined the assistance, 
preferring the slower but more independnt [sic] course of acquiring 
an education by his own energies.  His abilities were pronounced at 
an early date after his ordination.  In his twenty-second year he 
wrote and published a little booklet entitled, "The Final 
Preservation of the Saints."  This is the best production on the 
subject that the author has ever seen.  His understanding of the 
Scriptures and his acuteness of logic in presenting the subject and 
in answering all objections is marvelous indeed.  None can read the 
book without realizing that a man of ability wrote it.
     Mr. Dawson preferred to serve the churches around his 
birthplace, to occupying the village and city pastorates, and hence 
gave all of his ministry to the country churches in the Daviess 
County Association.  He was very successful in all of his pastoral 
labors and was esteemed and honored by his brethren throughout the 
entire State.  He preached the Annual Sermon before the General 
Association of the Kentucky Baptists in 1869.  From the year 1864 
through the year 1868 he served the Daviess County Association as 
Moderator.  He also preached the Annual Sermon before this 
Association in the years 1859, 1865, 1870, and again in 1872, the 
year just prior to his untimely death.  From first to last he served 
the following churches in this Association: Macedonia, 1858-1869; 
Whitesville, 1863-1865; Bethabara, 1863-1873; Sugar Grove, 1869-1873; 
Mt. Carmel 1859-1863; Oak Grove (Utica), 1869; Yelvington, 1861-1865; 
Owensboro First, 1859; and South Hampton, 1861-1873.  Before he 
reached the prime of manhood he was suddenly called to give an account 
of his stewardship.  He died of pneumonia at his home in Daviess 
County, on April 20, 1873, at the age of thirty-eight.  He was buried 
in the cemetery at Macedonia with Masonic honors and one of the most 
commanding stones in the old Macedonia cemetery shows his final 
resting Place.  The announcement of his death sent a pang of sorrow 
to the hearts of Kentucky Baptists for all recognized him as a great 
and good man.
     Brother Dawson married Miss Ruth A. Dowden, daughter of Elder 
Darnell Dowden, in 1858.  His widow and seven children mourned his 
passing away.  At one time he was offered the Doctor of Divinity 
Degree, but declined it by saying, "I hope they will not give me the 
D.D., I don't want it and it would injure me."  Nevertheless, there 
were few men who would have sustained the title better than J. M. 
Dawson.  An earnest effort was made after his death to have his life 
and writings, along with a History of the Daviess County Association, 
which he was preparing, written but all came to naught.  It would have 
indeed been a blessing to have had something more from his pen.  He 
had distinguished himself as a clear able writer.  Many of his 
articles appeared in the old Green River Baptist, published during the 
Civil War.  Among his last articles was a somewhat lengthy controversy 
with the learned Prof. J. E. Farnham through the columns of the 
Western Recorder.  He was always ready to come to the defense of the 
doctrines and polity [sic] of the Baptists either orally or in writing.  
Our imaginations can picture greater accomplishments for this useful 
man but death intervened and brought his abundant labors to a close.  
Daviess County Association was inspired to higher attainments in the 
cause of Christ because of the life of J. M. Dawson.

Dawson Howard Smith Allen Dowden Farnham
=
none

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/daviess/dawson.jm.txt