Susan A. Dawson

  General Notes:

See notes on Chester her husband

1920 Spring, Alfalfa County, OK Frank Straw age 28 ;born KS Nannie age 30; born KS Chester age 2mos; born OK Susie Straw 1857 (mother) born OH [next door is Pete Straw and wife Eliza]

1850 Colerain, Ross county, Oh Thomas Dawson 1820 Arilla 1821 Mary 1847 also: 1860 Colerain, Ross County, Ohio Thomas Dawson age 44 c1816 Arabella age 39 c1822 Mary age 13 c1847 Almira age 8 c1852 Zedekiah age 6 c1854 Susan age 4 c1856 William age 2 c1858 also: 1870 Mifflin, Wyandot County, Oh Thomas Dawson 1814 Arilla 1822 Susan 1856 William 1859 also: 1880 census of Mifflin, Wyandot county, OH - living two doors away - possibly parents and bro of Susan? Thomas DAWSON 52 OH Farmer OH OH Arilla DAWSON Wife 62 OH Keeping House OH OH William DAWSON Son S Male W 22 OH Laborer

research of J W O'Neal on www.rootsweb.com Thomas Dawson born 5 Mar 1818 in Ross County, Ohio; s/o Zedekiah Dawson [Birth: 22 Apr 1776 in Hampshire County, Virginia Death: 18 Jul 1862 in Ross County, Ohio with Burial: Dresbach Cememtery, Hallsville, Ross County, Ohio. In 1776 Zedekiah Dawson and his brother Thomas left their home in Virginia, came to Ohio and built the first cabin on the east bank of the second stream of water east of Hallsville, Ohio. The Dawsons kept Bachelors Hall for a time then returned to Virginia and brought their wives to Hallsville. From A History of Ross County, Ohio.] and Ann O'Neal [Birth: 12 May 1788 in Frederick County, Maryland Death: 24 Oct 1865 in Ross County, Ohio Burial: Dresbach Cememtery, Hallsville, Ross County, Ohio. Zedekiah and Ann Married: 11 Aug 1805 in Colerain Township, Ross County, Ohio] married c 1841 Arilla (LNU) born NY and had 8 children According to Civil War Pension File: 5'10" tall, ruddy complexion, hazel eyes, grey hair and by occupation when he enlisted a farmer. Discharged from service by reason of surgeons certificate: loss of teeth, incapacitating him from masticating the diet of the soldier; chronic rheumatism and over age; diseases existing before enlistment. Enlisted at Hallsville, Ross Co., Ohio on Oct 26, 1861; discharged Nov 15 1862. PENSION APPLICATION: STATE THAT "he is almost totally disabled for the performance of manual labor by reason of chronic rheumatism effecting his legs, arms and shoulders and a general breaking down of the physical system and that he is wholly dependent for support of himself and family on his daily labor. He makes this application for the purpose of being placed on the pension rolls of the United States under the disability bill of June 1890. Signed by his mark "X".

research for consideration: I have two pictures of someone that Bob's dad told me were Grandma Metz on his mom's side. That would make her Susan Dawson Straw, but I don't know where the name Metz comes from. It's possible she remarried after Chester was killed. Her headstone with Chester doesn't include a death date so I don't know if she is buried there. ...Debi Young
addenda June 2002
I think I've solved another mystery. In looking at your website I found that you had researched Susan Dawson Straw being remarried with the last name Metz and found a Thomas and Susan Mitts in Cherokee, OK in 1930. I did a little digging and found that he had been married to Mary Catherine Dale, had 6 children, then they divorced. She moved to Wyoming where she died in 1946. He stayed in Cherokee and married Mrs. Susan Straw on October 15, 1924. Their marriage license in on the familysearch.org website. Even though the 1930 census says Susan was born in Indiana, I've found enough discrepancies not to worry too much. Everything else fits. Once we find them (or at least him since he died in 1946) in the 1940 census we may have more questions answered. I haven't found a gravestone for either of them though. I traced back his census records and found his name spelled: Mitts, Metts, and Metz. [Debi]

In 1930, there is a Susan MITTS born 1856 married to a Tom E Mitts b. IL with parents b. Ky and IN] in Cherokee, Alfalfa Co., OK. Says her POB is IN....they are living next door to Chester and Viola McCaffree [Chester is Susan's grandson and the s/o her daughter Grace]

WPA Indian-Pioneer History Project - 17 June 1937 - Interview with Susan Mitts by interviewer: Pearl E. Parker. VOL 63 #6016928
Mrs Susan Mitts of 503 Fifth St, Cherokee, OK - born 18 Mar 1856 OH; father Tom Dawson born OH; mother Mary Dawson born OH
"I am the daughter of Tom Dawson of Ohio. We moved to Kingman County, KS and lived there for several years. In 1890 we moved to Pratt Center, KS and lived there until the opening of the Cherokee Strip; we came on train from Kansas to Oklahoma. As soon as we got here we were able to get a cart and horse. the horse could hardly run and we thought several times he would fall down in the run. But finally we "made" it ; we staked our claim ten miles west of Cherokee which was known as Askley. I was eighteeen years old at that time. My father got busy and made a dugout; we lived in it for awhile or until we could get the money to build a frame house of one room.
Alva in Woods County, twenty miles away, was our nearest trading point. Our mail was carried with horse and buggy. sometimes the roads were almost impassable.
Our crops were small. We had an old coffee grinder which my parents had to grind our corn to make corn bread."

1940 Cherokee, OK
Tom Mitts age 86 IL
Susan Mitts age 84 OH; supplemental questions; married first at age 18; married more than once: yes; no of children ever born: 8; parents born OH

Find A Grave Memorial #89447620

Susan married Chester Matt Straw, son of Daniel Straw and Flavia Neal, on 16 Jan 1876 in Mifflin, Wyandot County, Ohio. (Chester Matt Straw was born on 8 Aug 1852 in Ohio, died on 9 Jul 1916 and was buried in Short Springs Cemetery, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma.). The cause of his death was blood clot on brain following head injury.

Susan next married Thomas Lee Mitts, son of Squire Jefferson Mitts and Nancy Ann Cames, on 17 Oct 1924 in Cherokee, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. (Thomas Lee Mitts was born on 9 Jan 1854 in Burton, Adams county, Illinois, died on 22 Apr 1946 in Cherokee, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma and was buried in Cherokee Municipal Cemetery in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma.)

  Marriage Notes:

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