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Archival description
McGill University Archives Dawson-Harrington Families Fonds Series
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Anna Dawson Harrington

Anna Dawson Harrington's papers consist chiefly of incoming correspondence, including: 1.5 cm of letters from J. W. Dawson, 1868-1896; 3 cm from Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1870-1902; 10 cm from George Mercer Dawson, 1865-1901; 7 items from William Bell Dawson, 1868-1876; 5 items from Rankine Dawson, 1871-1899; 15 items from Eva Dawson Atkin, 1880-1896; 13 cm from her husband B. J. Harrington, 1876-1906; 2 cm from her children, 1892-1913; 1 cm of congratulatory letters at the time of her marriage, 1875-1876; 13 letters from friends and associates, 1867-1911; 4 cm of letters of sympathy on the death of her husband, 1907; 2 cm of letters concerning subscriptions for his portrait, a girlhood diary, 1866-1871 and some notes for biographies of J. W. Dawson and George Mercer Dawson. Earlier years contain substantial correspondence from her brother George during his education in London and early travels with the International Border Survey and then the Geological Survey of Canada. Substantial family correspondence with her children during their youth and her husband Bernard relates to domestic matters, such as the household, new house, the children's health and activities, with frequent passing mention of finances.

Harrington, Anna Dawson, 1851-1917

William Bell Dawson

The series consists of correspondence to William Bell Dawson from George Mercer Dawson, between 1865 and 1899; John William Dawson, 1865; Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1868, 1871; Department of Interior Canada, 1923; Rankine Dawson, undated; one receipt of a 14-month subscription to Leisure House; Psalm of the Honest Investor; three photographs of Florence Jane Elliott Dawson and William Bell Dawson; seven photocopies of printed lectures on evolution; two of his daily journals, 1907 and 1909; and his letters written to the Redpath Museum, 1921.

Other Dawson/Harrington family members

The series includes personal and professional correspondence between various Dawson and Harrington family members, between 1861 and 2001; family history, documents and genealogical notes, essays, newspaper clippings, maps, mementos, and obituaries of family members; pamphlets and other promotional material for Redpath Museum, 1933-1961; conference material for the Phoenix Festival in 1971 and the Phoenix Natural Science Association; photocopies of receipts, deeds of gift, notes, and correspondence related to the donation of archival materials to McGill University, given by the Dawson family, between 1908 and 1963.

Eva Dawson

The series consists of correspondence to and from Eva Dawson, her monthly report card, 1873; a series of essays written in Eva Dawson’s hand, possibly for publication in a school paper or magazine, some essays are addressed to the editor, 1867; letters from George M. Dawson to Eva Dawson, written from London, 1870 and Dufferin, 1873; a letter from William Bell Dawson to Eva Dawson, written on board a train, 1882; a letter from Isabella B. Greenshields to Eva Dawson, written from Liverpool, 1884; a letter from Summerhayes & Walford to Eva Dawson, 1887; a letter from John MacGillycuddy to Eva Dawson, written from Phillips’ Square, Montreal, 1887, and letters written to Hope Atkin (future husband of Eva Dawson) from Wallbrae Place and Montreal, between 1889 and 1891.

Rankine Dawson

The series consists of printed materials and newsclippings from the Globe and The Gazette, between 1881 and 1889; short professional biography of Rankine Dawson; City of Winnipeg tax receipt for 1884; correspondence from George Mercer Dawson, 1869, 1876; E. Stacey, 1877; Percy H. Selwyn, 1880; John William Dawson, between 1881 and 1899; George Mercer Dawson, between 1881 and 1884, 1890, 1892, 1898, 1899; Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1890, 1893, 1894, 1898; Eva Dawson, 1882, 1883, 1888, 1896; Hugh A.J. Macdougall, 1882; Anna Dawson Harrington, between 1884 and 1886, 1888, 1894, 1898, 1899; Chas. Gibb, 1884; D. Muller, 1884; Edith Harrington, 1888; Clare Harrington, 1888; Ms. Cheadle, 1901; Sybil Wilson, 1901; Argyll, 1901; William C. Macdonald, 1901; Sam Finley, 1901; W. Peterson, 1901; Adelaide Campbell, 1901; J.S. Archibald, 1901; Henry Coates, 1901; and W. Gardner, 1901.

Bernard James Harrington

The series consists chiefly of the personal and professional correspondence of Bernard J. Harrington. Family correspondence covers the period from 1862-1907. Professional correspondence and records stem largely from Harrington's scientific and university work and covers the period from 1871 to 1903. The majority of the letters fall between 1878 and 1884. The professional letters chiefly concern mining questions, and there are numerous requests for Harrington to analyse mineral samples. The correspondents include mining companies and private individuals, technical schools, and officers of the Geological Survey, particularly its Director, George Selwyn. There are also numerous letters from Harrington's closest student, Frank Dawson Adams, concerning his studies and subsequent work for the Geological Survey. Some of Harrington's geological work is presented in publications and reprints in files 45-64. Harrington's role as university teacher is represented by a small collection of printed ephemera from university festivals, sports days and Glee Club concerts. The series also contains some family documents such as deeds. Biographical information prepared by Lois Winslow-Spragge about the Harrington family is found in file 065.

Harrington, Bernard J. (Bernard James), 1848-1907

Margaret Mercer Dawson

The papers of Margaret Mercer Dawson consist of 6 cm of letters from her husband, 1848-1873; 14 cm from her children, 1858-1906, including a majority of letters from Anna Harrington; 13 cm from her Scottish relatives and friends, 1836-1907, including Peter Bell, Isabella Hall, Marion Mercer, and Walter Mercer ; and 35 cm (approximately one-third undated) from friends, 1855-1906, including J. Sybil Wilson. All of the letters are incoming correspondence to Margaret Mercer Dawson.

Dawson, Margaret, Lady

Sir William Dawson

This series includes John William Dawson's papers, which are chiefly scientific and scholarly in character, with some materials reflecting other aspects of Dawson's career, particularly educational work and religious controversy.

Dawson, John William, Sir, 1820-1899

James Dawson

The series contains some letters from family and friends in Scotland, and later, some correspondence with his son John William and his grandson George, but the bulk of his correspondence is concerned with his business interests and legal affairs. This includes deeds to land in Pictou, Nova Scotia, authorizations, copies of wills, and other legal documents; correspondence concerning publishing ventures and other money-making schemes, as well as government economic policy; and finally, bills, invoices with books titles and receipts from his book and stationery store. The series also contains correspondence, reports, and notes on Dawson's involvement in Bible and missionary societies. James Dawson also wrote two autobiographical works: a narrative diary from 1838-1861, and the more formal "Incidents of a Life," around approximately 1859.

Dawson, James, 1789-

George Mercer Dawson

George Mercer Dawson's papers comprise professional, scientific and family correspondence, some scientific manuscripts, drawings and photographs of Western exploration, juvenalia, student materials, and poetry. His scientific correspondence (boxes 54-55) commences in 1872, but drops off sharply after the early 1880s. The letters, and his occasional draft replies, document the political and administrative fortunes of the Geological Survey, the North American Boundary Commission, and various learned societies. As well, they report on field research, particularly on mineral deposits, arrangements for equipment and assistants for expeditions, and the exchange of specimens. The correspondents include other members of the Survey, government officials, and business concerns, especially railways and mines. Dawson's scientific manuscripts fall into two groups: notes and reports on Western exploration, geology, mining, and Indigenous communities, 1870-1875, and 5 cm of general lectures on physical geography delivered to the Montreal Ladies' Educational Association, 1880. Closely allied to his scientific and exploratory work are an album of photographs taken in western Canada in 1894-95 (box 70), and about 10 cm of pencil sketches, sepias and watercolors of landscapes, many produced during exploratory trips in 1873-1874, and 1881 (box 59). Materials of a more personal nature include juvenalia (short essays, drawings, and two diaries from 1861 and 1865) and 16 lecture and laboratory notebooks from his student years at the Royal School of Mines, 1869-1872, together with pocket diaries, memorandum books, and notes of geological field trips during the same period (boxes 57-59). Dawson also wrote poetry, of which 10 cm of manuscript is extant (box 56), mostly reflections on states of mind, the Canadian landscape and seasons, and the vanity of human society, endeavour and love. There is also a small notebook of poems and reflections during an European trip in 1882 (box 58). Family correspondence includes 22 letters from his grandfather James Dawson, 1856-1857; 5 cm of letters from J.W. Dawson, 1856-1899; 15 cm from Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1865-1901; 3 cm from Anna Dawson Harrington, 1869-1901; 3 cm from William Bell Dawson, 1865-1899; 2 cm from Rankine Dawson, 1870-1900; and a handful of items from other members of the family.

Other papers primarily concern Dawson's geological interests, and consist of a diaries and general notebooks, 1873-1899; miscellaneous articles on geological subjects, 1887-1894; papers connected with explorations in the Yukon and with the Boundary Question between Alaska and British Territory and with sealing regulations in the Bering Sea, 1887-1897; correspondence, 1883-1898; and poems.

Dawson, George Mercer, 1849-1901