Rufus C. Dawes
Encyclopedia
Rufus Cutler Dawes was an American businessman from a prominent Ohio
family.
Dawes was born in Marietta, Ohio
, to American Civil War
Brigadier General
Rufus R. Dawes
and Mary Beman (Gates) Dawes. He was a younger brother of Charles G. Dawes
and great-great-grandson of Revolutionary War
figure William Dawes
. Two other brothers were also nationally known - Beman Gates Dawes
and Henry May Dawes. His middle name, Cutler, was in honor of one of his father's Civil War colleagues in the Iron Brigade
, Lysander Cutler
.
Dawes graduated from Marietta College
with an A.B. in 1886 and A.M. in 1889. He married Helen B. Palmer on June 3, 1893. He was active in many gas and lighting utilities, becoming president of the Union Gas & Electric Company, Metropolitan Gas & Electric Company, and Dawes Brothers, Inc.
He became involved in public service in 1918, serving on the Illinois
State Pension Laws Commission (1918-1919). In 1920, he was selected as a delegate to the Illinois constitutional convention. He was asked by his brother Charles to serve on the experts commission preparing the Dawes Plan
in 1924. Because of this work, Dawes was again asked to work on the reparations problem, this time as assistant to Owen D. Young (see the Young Plan
).
Dawes was a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago
, and, in fact, served as president of the Club in 1925-26. He was president of A Century of Progress Corporation from 1927 until his death in 1940. From 1934 until his death, Dawes was concurrently president of the world's fair organization and the Museum of Science & Industry. Dawes was the third president of MSI after Sewell Avery
and William Rufus Abbott. Previously, he had been an active member of the Board of Trustees, helping to brief once and future New York Times science editor Waldemar Kaempffert
when the latter became the first Executive Director of the Museum of Science & Industry in 1928.
During World War II
, the United States Navy
commissioned a Liberty Ship
, the SS Rufus C. Dawes, in 1943. It was scrapped in 1968.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
family.
Dawes was born in Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, to American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Rufus R. Dawes
Rufus R. Dawes
Rufus R. Dawes was a military officer in the United States Army during the American Civil War. He used the middle initial "R" but had no middle name. He was noted for his service in the famed Iron Brigade, particularly during the Battle of Gettysburg...
and Mary Beman (Gates) Dawes. He was a younger brother of Charles G. Dawes
Charles G. Dawes
Charles Gates Dawes was an American banker and politician who was the 30th Vice President of the United States . For his work on the Dawes Plan for World War I reparations he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served in the First World War, was U.S...
and great-great-grandson of Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
figure William Dawes
William Dawes
William Dawes, Jr. was one of several men and a woman who alerted colonial minutemen of the approach of British army troops prior to the Battle of Lexington and Concord at the outset of the American Revolution....
. Two other brothers were also nationally known - Beman Gates Dawes
Beman Gates Dawes
250px|right|thumbBeman Gates Dawes was a politician and oil executive who served two terms as a Republican Congressman from Ohio....
and Henry May Dawes. His middle name, Cutler, was in honor of one of his father's Civil War colleagues in the Iron Brigade
Iron Brigade
The Iron Brigade, also known as the Iron Brigade of the West or the Black Hat Brigade, was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Although it fought entirely in the Eastern Theater, it was composed of regiments from Western states...
, Lysander Cutler
Lysander Cutler
Lysander Cutler was an American businessman, educator, politician, and a Union Army General during the American Civil War.-Early years:Cutler was born in Royalston, Massachusetts, the son of a farmer...
.
Dawes graduated from Marietta College
Marietta College
Marietta College is a co-educational private college in Marietta, Ohio, USA, which was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The school offers 42 majors along with a large number of minors, all of which are grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation...
with an A.B. in 1886 and A.M. in 1889. He married Helen B. Palmer on June 3, 1893. He was active in many gas and lighting utilities, becoming president of the Union Gas & Electric Company, Metropolitan Gas & Electric Company, and Dawes Brothers, Inc.
He became involved in public service in 1918, serving on the Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
State Pension Laws Commission (1918-1919). In 1920, he was selected as a delegate to the Illinois constitutional convention. He was asked by his brother Charles to serve on the experts commission preparing the Dawes Plan
Dawes Plan
The Dawes Plan was an attempt in 1924, following World War I for the Triple Entente to collect war reparations debt from Germany...
in 1924. Because of this work, Dawes was again asked to work on the reparations problem, this time as assistant to Owen D. Young (see the Young Plan
Young Plan
The Young Plan was a program for settlement of German reparations debts after World War I written in 1929 and formally adopted in 1930. It was presented by the committee headed by American Owen D. Young. After the Dawes Plan was put into operation , it became apparent that Germany could not meet...
).
Dawes was a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago
Commercial Club of Chicago
The Commercial Club of Chicago is an anti-labor club resulted from the 1907 merger of two predecessor Chicago clubs: the Merchants Club and the Commercial Club . Its most active members included George Pullman, Marshall Field, Cyrus McCormick, George Armour, Frederic Delano, Sewell Avery, Rufus...
, and, in fact, served as president of the Club in 1925-26. He was president of A Century of Progress Corporation from 1927 until his death in 1940. From 1934 until his death, Dawes was concurrently president of the world's fair organization and the Museum of Science & Industry. Dawes was the third president of MSI after Sewell Avery
Sewell Avery
Sewell Avery was an American businessman.Born in a wealthy family of lumber barons in Michigan, Avery attended public schools in Saginaw and Detroit and the Michigan Military Academy. He was a financier of the American Liberty League and a National Advisor for one of its front organizations, the...
and William Rufus Abbott. Previously, he had been an active member of the Board of Trustees, helping to brief once and future New York Times science editor Waldemar Kaempffert
Waldemar Kaempffert
Waldemar Kaempffert was a US science writer and museum director.Waldemar Kaempffert was born and raised in New York City. He received his B.S. from the City College of New York in 1897. Thereafter he was employed by Scientific American, first as a translator , then as managing editor...
when the latter became the first Executive Director of the Museum of Science & Industry in 1928.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
commissioned a Liberty Ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
, the SS Rufus C. Dawes, in 1943. It was scrapped in 1968.