Contents

Charles I. Dawson

American judge (1881–1969)

Charles I. Dawson
Judicial portrait of Dawson, 1934, by John Rhinehart.
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
In office January 13, 1925 – June 30, 1935
Appointed by	Calvin Coolidge
Preceded by	Charles Harwood Moorman
Succeeded by	Elwood Hamilton
Attorney General of Kentucky
In office 1920–1923
Governor	Edwin P. Morrow
Preceded by	Charles H. Morris
Succeeded by	Thomas Burnett McGregor
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office 1906
Personal details
Born	Charles Irving Dawson (1881-02-13)February 13, 1881 Logan County, Kentucky
Died	April 24, 1969(1969-04-24) (aged 88) Pewee Valley, Kentucky
Resting place	Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky
Political party	Democratic (until 1909) Republican (from 1909)
Education	University of Kentucky read law

Charles Irving Dawson (February 13, 1881 – April 24, 1969) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He also served in the state legislature. He was a Democrat until 1909 when he joined the Republican Party.

Education and career[edit]

Born on February 13, 1881, in Logan County, Kentucky, Dawson attended the University of Kentucky and read law in 1905. He entered private practice in Russellville, Kentucky from 1905 to 1906. He continued in private practice in Pineville, Kentucky starting in 1906. He was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1906. He was the county attorney of Bell County, Kentucky from 1910 to 1920. Dawson was the Attorney General of Kentucky from 1920 to 1924.^[1] Dawson was a member of the Democratic Party until 1909, and a member of the Republican Party from 1909.^[2]

Federal judicial service[edit]

Dawson was nominated by President Calvin Coolidge on January 2, 1925, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky vacated by Judge Charles H. Moorman. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 13, 1925, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on June 30, 1935, due to his resignation.^[1]

Later career and death[edit]

Dawson resumed private practice in Louisville, Kentucky from 1935 to 1969. He died on April 24, 1969, in Pewee Valley, Kentucky.^[1] He was interred in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.^[2]

Unsuccessful political campaigns[edit]

In 1923 Dawson, still serving as attorney general, was the Republican nominee for Governor of Kentucky. The Democratic nominee, J. Campbell Cantrill, suddenly died that September, after defeating Alben Barkley for the nomination. Democrat William J. Fields quickly replaced Cantrill on the ticket after Barkley declined the nomination. Dawson lost the general election to Fields, winning 306,277 votes (46.2%) to Fields' 356.035 (53.8%).^[2]

In 1950 Dawson was the Republican nominee for a seat in the United States Senate. Dawson lost that race to Democrat Earle C. Clements, who won 300,276 votes (53.9%) to Dawson's 256,876 (46.1%). Clements went on to become the assistant majority floor leader under Lyndon B. Johnson, serving as Majority Leader of the United States Senate during Johnson's extended absence for medical reasons.^[2]

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

• Kleber, John E.; Kentucky, University Press of; Policy, Institute for Regional Analysis and Public; Library, Camden-Carroll; University, Morehead State (19 February 2019). "The Kentucky Encyclopedia". www.kyenc.org. {{cite web}}: |last3= has generic name (help)
• Charles I. Dawson at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

External links[edit]

• Dawson at Political Graveyard