ROANE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA 
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@aol.com
November 28, 1999
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History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927
William H. Bishop, Esq.

p 502

DAWSON: Albert G. and Villa M. (Reed) Dawson, were born in Harrison County, Western
Virginia, he on October 24, 1883, she, November 24, 1833, made their home on upper Middle
Reedy in what later became Curtis District, September, 1856; he enlisted in the Confederate
service of the Civil War. He is remembered by the oldest citizens yet as the largest man of all
the country, though never corpulent; tall and gigantic, he was usually designated as “Big Bert
Dawson.” Whether “Bert” and Villa M. raised more than one child we can not say. We have a
record of one, Columbus Albert, who had the foresight to subscribe for a book, 1882, in which a
short biography of subscribers is given. In this is seen “Columbus Albert Dawson, born in
Roane County, September 26, 1856, and in this county his wedded life began, Dora B. Wade
becoming his wife on the 14th day of March, 1880.” Dora B. was a daughter of Otho and Sarah
(Wright) Wade, he born in Monongalia County, 1833; she, in Green County, Penn­sylvania,
1836. They came as residents of Roane County in the year 1873. To C. Albert and Dora Wade
Dawson were born in Roane County, West Virginia, two daughters: Ella Maud, 1883, and Lillie
May, 1881. C.Albert Dawson was one of Roane County’s first crop of school teach­ers that
came out of the free school system; he taught seven years and was seen at all the first “Teachers’
Institutes” of the county.