Hon. John A. Dawson (b. 1762 - d. 31 Mar 1814) {Congressional Cemetery, DC: Range 30 Site 11)

A Delegate and a Representative from Virginia. Graduated from Harvard University in 1782 and studied law. Member of the Continental Congress in 1788 and 1789 and delegate to the State convention in 1788 that ratified the Federal Constitution. Elected as a Democrat to the 5th through 13th Congresses and served from March 4, 1797 until his death. Served as aide to General Jacob Brown and to General Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812.

The National Intelligencer, April 2, 1814 Died. In this city on Thursday night, of a lingering illness, John Dawson, a Representative in Congress, from Virginia, aged about 52 years. He had filled with respectability various public stations, having been in the occupation of some appointment by the People from the time he reached maturity until the day of his death. He had successively filled the stations of the Member of the Virginia Convention, of the General Assembly and Executive Council of Virginia and Representative in Congress from the Fredericksburg district, to which he had been reelected by the People for sixteen or eighteen years successively. Mr. Dawson owed his painful illness and his death to his expedition to the seat of war during the last summer, in the capacity of volunteer aid to the commanding general. He caught the fever common on the Lakes; which left him much debilitated, and induced a cold, which settling on his lungs, terminated his life by a rapid and painful decay of those vital organs. He was buried on yesterday evening. His remains were attended to "that bourne whence no traveller returns," by both Houses of Congress; and a numerous train of personal friends, who had known him long and appreciated his political virtue and private worth.