Career and Achievements
 

Perhaps best known for his work in Nodaway County law, Lafayette Dawson also looked for more political roles. He considered running for Congress to represent Missouri. Though Dawson himself was a self-described Democrat, he disliked the temperance movement during a time when prohibition had gained significant power within the party. These opinions on prohibition forever excluded Dawson from gaining a political career. However, his political opinions and beliefs did not detract from his noted skill as a court judge. In 1885 President Grover Cleveland offered Dawson a special opportunity -- a judicial position as the sole judge for the U.S. District of Alaska. During his time as the sole judicial appointee in the entire District of Alaska, Dawson made a few key judgments that categorized his judicial style while in office.

 

While in Alaska, Dawson most famously made the Bering Sea Seal decision, where he ruled against captured Canadian sailors backed by Britain. His argument was that they were illegally hunting fur seals in U.S. waters. This decision was not well received by his contemporaries in Washington who correctly feared the issue would cause a broader international scandal. Though the decision was highly favored by those living and working in Alaska, as many feared the techniques to hunt seals between their breeding islands meant many American seal hunters’ livelihoods were at risk. This decision, which was originally upheld in the U.S. Supreme Court, was later disputed at an international tribunal in Paris where six out of eight of the ruling members were from Europe. Though this ruling was seen as disadvantages to U.S sealing endeavors, the same ruling also set numbers on the amount of fur seals each country could harvest. Also during his time in Alaska, Dawson took assured to ensure that Indigenous Alaskan people could no longer be enslaved. Within a few years, Dawson became homesick and returned to Maryville, Missouri in 1888. Soon after his return, he wrote a book that chronicled and explained his various rulings during his time as a judge in Alaska. He hoped that his writings would greatly aide his successors to the position.

After returning to Maryville, Lafayette continued to practice law in some capacity and serve as a circuit court judge. He lived happily with his family until his death in 1897 at the age of 58. He was fondly remembered by those he worked with as well as the community of Nodaway County. These community sentiments are best represented by a "Resolution of Appreciation to Lafayette Dawson" in 1879 which was signed by fourteen of Dawson’s peers. One of the lines read, “We the members of the Maryville Bar, Nodaway County, desiring to express our appreciation to Hon. Lafayette Dawson, Special Judge, for his ability, integrity and courtesy and fidelity in presiding as judge during the present term....” The resolution said that its purpose is “not intended to flatter or praise but because they are justly merited.” These sorts of accolades and achievements are what truly endeared Lafayette Dawson to the people of Nodaway County at the time and has forever cemented his place in the county’s history.
 

Resources

 

• Reports of International Arbitral Awards: Award between the United States and the United Kingdom relating to the rights of jurisdiction of United States in the Bering’s Sea and the preservation of fur seals, 15 August 1893 VOLUME XXVIII pp. 263-276

• “Lafayette Dawson: Career and Characteristics of a Noted Jurist,” Maryville Tribune, February 4, 1897.  

• Stairway of Stars Booklet, Nodaway County Historical Society.