• General Notes

  PRESIDENT THOMAS DAWSON.
  
                   ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND,
                                            26 July, 1902.
  
     DEAR SIR:  In the year 1896 we had some correspondence with regard
  to David Mossom and Daniel Taylor (WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY,
  Vol. V., No. 3, p. 204-'5-'6).  I have since found that Daniel
  Taylor was ordained deacon 6 Febuary, 1726/7, and priest 7 May,
  1727, by the Bishop of London.
  
     While working a few days ago at the Episcopal registers of the
  Diocese of Carlisle I came across the ordination of one Thomas
  Dawson,(1) of William and Mary College, which I copied, and send
  herewith in case they may interest you.
  
     Rose Castle was then and is now the official residence of the
  Bishop of Carlisle.
  ________________________________________________________________
  
     (1) Rev. Thomas Dawson was son of William Dawson, of Aspatria,
  Cumberland, England and brother of William Dawson, D.D., president
  of William and Mary College.  He was educated by his brother at
  William and Mary College, and, after serving as master of the Indian
  School at the college, he was made president in 1755, and continued
  such till 1761.  In 1752, married Priscilla Bassett, daughter of Col.
  William Bassett, of New Kent, Va.  He had issue Thomas Bassett
  Dawson of the Virginia navy.
  
  Page 93.
  
     At an Ordination Special held on Sunday the fourteenth day of
  September 1740 in the chapel at Rose Castle in the County of Cumber-
  land, by the right reverent Father in God George by devine permission
  Lord Bishop of Carlisle in the presence of me Joseph Nicolson Notary
  public Register of Carlisle aforesaid Thomas Dawson of the College
  of William and Mary in Virginia was admitted into the holy order
  of Deacon and had Letters Testimonial thereof under the said Lord
  Bishop's Episcopal Seal.
  
     An exactly similar entry records that Thomas Dawson was admitted
  priest on Sunday, 21 September, 1740, at a special ordination held
  in the same place.
  
    The Bishop of Carlisle in 1740 was Dr. George Fleming.
  
     It will be observed that Thomas Dawson was ordained deacon and
  priest on two successive Sundays.  Such a course at that time was
  infrequent, but not without precedent.
  
       Yours very truly,                        R. F. SCOTT.
    Dr. Lyon G. Tyler, M.A., LL.D.

Details of Rev Thomas' family with Priscilla Bassett