“Frank C. Daws, of Bloom township, died at the Infirmary last Saturday evening of consumption, in his thirty-fifth year. He leaves a wife and five children. His wife and two youngest children3
The above clipping is from the Scioto County Infirmary’s Record of Inmates. It notes that that “F. Dause” 37 years of age from Bloom Township, was admitted to the Scioto County Infirmary on April 29, 1876, and that he died on July 29th at 7 o’clock ‘in peace”. Additionally it notes that he served with Company F, 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Directly beneath the entry for Frank is the entry for MJ Dause4 aged 36 years, CF Dause5 aged 6, WH Dause6, aged 4 years, and Abra Dause7 aged 2 years.
United States Civil War Index Entry for Francis M. Dawes8
Below is the entry for Francis “Frank” M. Dawes, who served as a Corporal with Company F, 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. We can see from the entries. that the initial application for pension was filed May 19, 1876, which would have been after his admittance to the Scioto County Infirmary. Later you can see where his widow had remarried to a Hannon Burgess Cremeens in 1879 and applied for a widow’s pension on January 23, 1891, and later William H. Dawes, Frank’s son, applies for a minor dependant’s pension on May 11, 1894. An interesting possibility is that William H may have been named for Frank’s brother, Henry, who died July 27, 1864 at Andersonville Prison near Macon, Georgia.
“The children of Mr. Dawes, the man who recently died at the Infirmary, are to be sent to the Soldier’s Home, at Dayton.”9
Of the five children described in the stories following the death of Francis Dawes only three have been identified. The 1870 Federal Census only enumerated Francis and Mary, and it is possible that five children could have been born between that time and his death in 1876. Unfortunately, we also do not know the exact location of Francis’ burial within the Scioto County Infirmary Cemetery, only that based upon earlier research, it is likely he is buried on the western-most row between grave marker 7 and 15. However, this burial ground was not set aside for such purposes until about 1884. So it is possible that these markers have been reset from their original location. What is known is that no veteran burial marker exists despite his eligibility and Congress’ 1879 authorization for them to be furnished for unmarked graves in private cemeteries.
“Editor Times- A correspondent of the Tribune, writing from Webster, has made a groundless charge upon Mr. Haines, one of the present Infirmary Directors. He writes that, not content with putting the county to the expense of paying two doctors to attend Mr. Dawes, he, Haines, when township trustee, charges for every visit to Mr. Dawes until his bill for these visits alone was over $30.”
“In this locality, where Mr. Haines is known, it is unnecessary to correct the statement, for its palpable untruth is not questioned, but for the benefit of those outside of the township, I desire to make a plain statement of the facts, which cannot be contradicted. Mr. Dawes was a township charge when Mr. Haines was township trustee. Dawes was in ill health, and after Dr. Watts10 had made two or three visits the trustees learned that he intended to charge $3 per visit, and they recommended the Infirmary Directors to employ another physician, which they did, at $1.50 per trip. Dr. Watts was notified by the Infirmary Board that he was not in their employ. Mr. Miles, a Republican member of the Board, agreed with Mr. Haines, that Watts’ figures were too high.”
“Notwithstanding the action of the Board, Dr. Watts persisted in treating the case, and knowing well that the township Board would not approve his bill, he sneaked in a bill of $82 to the Infirmary Board, and the first thing the trustees of Bloom township knew, he had been allowed $72 for an illegal and unauthorized bill. The physician employed by the County Board made eight trips, and his bill of $12 was approved by the Township Board.”
“Mr. Haines did the main work of the Township Board, and for the whole year drew only $32.50 for his entire services, so that the charge of running up a bill of $30 in the Dawes’ case, is too ridiculous to need a refutation.”
“The other members of the Board, Reverend John B. Tracy, of Pioneer, and Mr. SS Ferguson11, of Webster, both Republicans, are conversant with the facts, and I am sure will inform anyone, when called upon, of the absolite correctness of this statement, and the correspondent of the Tribine could have learned these facts if he had not desired to willfully deceive the public. -Bloom Township Republican Webster, Ohio, September 6th, 1876.”12
- One of these children are believed to be Charles M. Dawes, who was born about 1869.1 are inmates of the Infirmary, and the other three children are at the Children’s Home.”2(1876, August 5). Portsmouth Times, p. 3.
- Mary J Engalls Dawes
- Possibly Charles Marion Dawes who was born about 1869
- Possibly William H Dawes, who was born about 1872 and also named in his father’s pension application.
- Likely Abraham Lincoln Dawes who was born about 1873
- “United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917”, , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NHD6-FY4 : 24 March 2016), Francis M. Dawes, 1876.
- (1876a, August 5). Portsmouth Times, p. 3.
- Dr. William Morrison Watts
- Samuel Seeley Ferguson
- From Webster. (1876b, September 9). Portsmouth Times, p. 2.
