The Dawson-Harrington Families Fonds follows the family of Sir John William Dawson, geologist and Principal of McGill University from 1855-1893, through four generations, including both personal and scientific papers of John William Dawson, his son-in law, B. J. Harrington, and his son, explorer, geologist, and Director of the Geological Survey George Mercer Dawson. Other family members include James Dawson, father to Sir John William Dawson, a Scots immigrant to Nova Scotia, printer, stationer, unsuccessful investor and zealous Presbyterian; John William's wife Margaret Mercer; their children William Bell Dawson, an engineer, Rankine Dawson, a physician, and Anna Lois Dawson. Also represented are Anna Dawson Harrington and B. J. Harrington's children, Eva Dawson and her husband, Hope Atkin, and their families

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.

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.