Alexander was born about 1860 but no birth record has been found. He was the third son of William Dawson and Catherine McKay who were both convicts from Scotland. William was a baker.

Alexander’s siblings were:

• 1855 Francis
• 1858 William Albert
• 1860 Alexander
• 1863 John McKay
• 1866 Elizabeth

On 26th April 1882, Alexander Dawson was a 22-year-old miner, when he married Hannah Sutton, aged 23, at the home of Catherine Dawson at Gladstone, Tasmania. Both were single. The Wesleyan Church ceremony was performed, by license, by Samuel Harris, Minister, before witnesses Catharine Dawson and Matthew Sutton.

Over the next 18 years, 11 children were born to this couple, all but one born in Gladstone, while the youngest was born after their move to Queenstown.

• 1882 William John Alexander – died age nearly 2
• 1883 Albert William
• 1884 Alexander
• 1886 Catherine Mary
• 1891 Henry George
• 1892 John McKay
• 1894 Olive Maud – twin
• 1894 Myrtle Amy – twin
• 1896 George Byron Matthew
• 1898 William Percy
• 1900 Frederick Roy (James)

In late March 1884 Bishop Sandford visited Gladstone and he baptised an infant of Alexander’s. This may have been Alexander who had been born in February that year.

The birth of the twin girls was mentioned in a family notice in Daily Telegraph Launceston on 25 October.

In 1895 Alexander’s father passed away in hospital in Launceston from heart disease.

Between 1898 and 1900 the family moved to Queenstown where Frederick was born.

Alexander was a miner both in Gladstone and Queenstown where he worked at Great Lyell South.

Alexander’s death on 15 April 1901 from inflammation of the lungs was registered in Queenstown, Tasmania, Australia. This left his wife Hannah with 10 children to look after. 

Less than a month later, monies had been raised or given to help the family who were now without a breadwinner after the loss of their father. There was a long story behind the loss of their father and husband.