CHARLES W. DAWS

There are some men who are born leaders. It is safe to say that one of the
leaders among the farmers of Shelby County, Iowa, is Charles W. Daws, who was
president and one of the first organizers of the Shelby County Fine Stock
Exchange of Harlan. He is a man who has been identified with the agricultural
interests of his county for more than thirty years and by good management has
risen from a place of obscurity to become one of the most prominent men of his
county. That he is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens is shown by the
fact that he served as trustee of Center Township for fourteen years. This is
certainly a striking tribute to his work as a public spirited citizen and shows
plainer than anything else the confidence which his fellow citizens have in him.
He is a widely informed man on a great variety of subjects and impresses his
individuality upon the county in which he has played such an important and
distinguished part for so many years.

Charles W. Daws, the son of Thomas and Charlotte (NEAVS) DAWS, was born in Lena,
Stephenson County, Illinois, April 18, 1855. His parents were both born in
Sussex, England, and did not come to this country until after their marriage.
They landed in New York harbor in 1841 and for the first two years lived in New
York state. From there they moved to Wisconsin, and a year later the family
permanently located in Lena, Illinois, where Thomas Daws entered a tract of
government land, which he cleared, improved and made one of the most productive
farms of his community. He was an extensive breeder of pure blooded sheep and
hogs, and became one of the largest stock raisers of his county. He was a
charter member of the Mutual Insurance Company of Lena, Illinois, and took a
prominent part in everything pertaining to the welfare of his county. He held
several offices as a representative of the Whig Party, and later as a member of
the Republican Party. He and his wife were both prominent members of the Baptist
Church. He was born in January 1815 and died in 1890, and his wife was born in
January 1818 and died in 1895. Twelve children were born to Thomas Daws and wife
and ten were reared to maturity: Thomas, deceased, who was a mechanic at Cresco,
Iowa; Mary E., deceased, who was the wife of B. F. Wire; Henry, a retired farmer
of San Diego, California; Sarah, the wife of Eliab Meyers of Bellefield, North
Dakota; Alfred, a farmer of Guthrie Center, Iowa; Margaret, the wife of Edward
Kleckner of Kent, Illinois; Carrie, the deceased wife of C.E. Graves; Elias,
deceased; Charles W., whose history is here presented; and Addie, the wife of H.
M. Royer of Lena, Illinois.

Charles W. Daws was educated in the common schools of Lena, Illinois, and lived
at home until he was twenty-four years of age. He came to Shelby County, Iowa,
March 17, 1879, with a team, driving from his home in Illinois to this county.
He worked out for farmers, breaking their land during the spring of 1879 and
also did threshing during that and the following year. After his marriage in
1881, he rented a farm for a while and in 1883 bought some unimproved land in
Center township. As he prospered, he added to his holdings until he now owns two
hundred and forty acres of well improved land in this township. He raised pure
blooded Poland China hogs for several years, beginning in 1884 and in 1887
started to breed fine bred Shorthorn cattle. He has been exceptionally
successful as a stock raiser and has been active in everything pertaining to the
stock raising business of his county. He served on the board of directors of the
Shelby County Fair Association for fourteen years and was one of the promoters
of the Fine Stock Exchange of Shelby County, an organization of which he served
as president until January 1912.

Mr. Daws has one of the finest improved farms in Center Township and the most
attractive and beautiful home in the county. The fine, modern residence of eight
rooms sets well back from the highway on a beautiful lawn shaded by trees of
fifteen different varieties. This farm is known as "Pinehurst." A grove of
beautiful evergreen trees shades the driveway and forms a windbreak. A handsome
iron fence fronts the highway. The grounds are laid out as by an expert. The
farm buildings are modern and convenient. White towers predominate on the
buildings. Two large barns occupy appropriate places. A carriage house, corn
crib, poultry house, etc., are arranged in harmony with the general scheme. Mr.
Daws is driector and vice president of the Harlan and Avoca Telephone Company.

Mr. Daws was married February 19, 1881, to Elizabeth WOMER, of Lena, Illinois,
who was born at Winslow, Illinois, October 13, 1859, the daughter of John and
Catharine (Stahlman) Womer, natives of Pennsylvania. To this union has been born
one son, James Leroy, who married May Walters. The Womer family settled in
Illinois and there died. They were the parents of twelve children, seven living
to maturity: Priscilla, Edward, James, Anna, Rhoda, Mrs. Daws, George. James is
now farming his father's place in Center Township and is the father of two
children, Charles Frederick and Blanche Elizabeth.

Mr. Daws moved to Harlan in 1913 and are now building a beautiful home on South
Tenth Street, which will cost nearly seven thousand dollars. He and his wife are
loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Harlan and take an active
interest in all church work. Mr. Daws is a trustee of the church at the present
time. Politically, he has been identified with the Republican Party and in
addition to serving as trustee of his township for fourteen years, he served as
school director for several years. He is a man of great energy and when his
hearty support is given to any measure, it seems that he will do anything in its
behalf. He is one of the most highly respected citizens of the county and at the
same time one of the leaders who have been instrumental in placing this county
to the front in agricultural matters.

Source: 1915 Past and Present of Shelby County, Iowa, p. 928

Courtesy = Mona Anderson (#46620248)5/16/205