Thomas Dawes, Date of Birth, Date of Death

    

Thomas Dawes

Massachusetts Revolutionary War-era politician and architect

Date of Birth: 05-Aug-1731

Date of Death: 02-Jan-1809

Profession: politician

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Leo


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About Thomas Dawes

  • Thomas Dawes (August 5, 1731 – January 2, 1809) was a Patriot who served as a Massachusetts militia colonel during the American Revolution and afterward assumed prominent positions in Massachusetts's government.
  • His positions included membership and chairmanship of the Massachusetts Governor's Council and representative in both the House and Senate.
  • As chairman of the Governor's Council, Dawes served briefly as the de jure presiding officer of the executive branch of Massachusetts' state government for ten days – May 20, 1800 to May 30, 1800 – following the death of first Governor Increase Sumner and then Lieutenant Governor Moses Gill.
  • (See List of Governors of Massachusetts.)Dawes was born in Boston.
  • Prior to the Revolution, he attended a regular school and worked as a mechanic.
  • He ardently supported the Whigs, gaining infamy among Royalists; his house was plundered by the British when they withdrew from Boston in 1776.
  • Later, he became active in politics, lived in a roomy house on Purchase Street beside John Adams, and worked as an architect and builder designing many notable buildings in Boston, including the Brattle Street Church and repairs and/or modifications on the Old State House in about 1772. He was the master builder for Hollis Hall at Harvard College and probably also designed the building.
  • Only 11 days after the construction of Hollis Hall, a fire destroyed Old Harvard Hall, and in 1766, Thomas Dawes was again chosen as master builder, to replace this building.
  • Three decades later Harvard again called upon him, this time to build Stoughton Hall.
  • He helped build the Shirley-Eustis House for Governor William Shirley.
  • He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1784.
  • He attended Old South Church from 1786 until his death in 1809, and was a good friend of John Hancock. Dawes, a member of the prominent Dawes family of Massachusetts Bay, was a cousin of the April 1775 Whig patriot William Dawes.
  • He married Hannah Blake on July 1, 1752.
  • Their son Thomas Dawes (July 8, 1757 – July 21, 1825) was a jurist and an alumnus of Harvard University, graduating in 1777, and served in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1792 to 1802; he married Margaret Greenleaf.

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