Charles Gates Dawes (1865 - 1951)

Born 27 Aug 1865 in Marietta, Washington County, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline Dana (Blymyer) Dawes — married 24 Jan 1889 in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Apr 1951 at age 85 in Evanston, Cook County, Illinois, United States

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Preceded by 29th Vice President Calvin Coolidge

Charles G. Dawes 30th Vice President of the United States 1925—1929

Succeeded by 31st Vice President Charles Curtis

Descendant of Pilgrim William Brewster.

Biography

Charles Dawes is Notable.

Charles Gates Dawes was born in Marietta, Washington County, Ohio, the son of Rufus Dawes and Mary Beman Gates Dawes. He was the brother of Rufus C. Dawes, Beman Gates Dawes, Henry May Dawes, Mary Frances Dawes Beach, and Betsey Gates Dawes Hoyt. ^{[1] [2]} Charles Gates Dawes, 2nd great grandfather William Dawes was a contemporary of Paul Revere, but not as well known. He was one of the Riders who rode to warn of the coming of the British on 18 April 1775. Charles Gates Dawes is also a descendant of the Boone family.

Charles graduated from Marietta College in 1884, and from the Cincinnati Law School in 1886. He married Caro Blymyer on 24 January 1889.^[3] They had the following children: ^[4]

1. Rufus Fearing Dawes,
2. Carolyn Dawes,
3. Dana McCutcheon, and
4. Virginia Dawes.

Composer of Melody in 'A' Major

In 1911, Charles who was self taught in playing the piano and flute, wrote a tune that he liked very much and gave it a solo part for violin. He played it for his friend the violinist, Francis MacMillan, who liked the tune very much, so much that Charles gave the untitled tune to Francis who promptly sold it to a publisher. Before long Charles's tune, now titled Melody in A Major, was a light-classical hit. The tune was played at many official functions as his signature song.^[5] Just after his death in April 1951, another lawyer called Carl Sigman, who had turned songwriter added lyrics to Melody in A Major and renamed it, Its all in the game. It was sung by artists such as Dinah Shore, Sammy Kaye, Carmen Cavallaro, but the one that had the most success was Tommy Edwards, who reached number 18 on the best sellers list.^[6] This song continues to feature under various artists to this date.

Brigadier Charles Gates Dawes

When the United States entered the First World War in 1917, Charles was offered a position from Herbert Hoover, who had organized American relief efforts in Europe pre U.S involvement, and was now serving Head of the U.S. Food Administration, which was created under the Lever Food Control Act in 1917. Charles turned down this position as he wanted to serve in uniform and was commissioned as a major in the 17th Railway Engineers, soon rising to Lt Colonel and later full Colonel. He eventually became the chief of supply procurement for American troops in Europe and later served as the U.S. member of the Military Board of Allied Supply. Charles was promoted to Brigadier General 1918 and was decorated with the DSM effective by Act of Congress, 09 July 1918.^[7] After the Armistice in 1918, he remained in Europe to oversee the disposition of surplus military property. In 1919 he resigned his commission and returned to the United States, for his service the French Goverment awarded him the Croix de Guerre.

Charles worked as a banker and Republican politician, eventually becoming the 30th Vice President of the United States (1925–1929) serving under President Calvin Coolidge. For his work on the Dawes Plan for World War I reparations, he was a co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1925.^[8] Charles was the Comptroller of the Currency, the first Director of the Bureau of the Budget, and, in later life, the Ambassador to the United Kingdom.^[9][10][11]

Charles died 23 April 1951 in Evanston, Cook County, Illinois. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Timmons, B. N. (1953). Portrait of an American: Charles G. Dawes New York: Holt.
2. ↑ Waller, R. A. (1998). The Vice Presidents: A Biographical Dictionary. Purcell, L. E. (Ed.). New York
3. ↑ Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958 index, FamilySearch, Charles G. Dawes and Caro S. Blymyer, 24 Jan 1889; citing Hamilton Co., Ohio, reference 2:3KKL0R8; FHL microfilm 344,493.
4. ↑ Biographical Dictionary of the United States: Charles G. Dawes
5. ↑ Melody in A Major Youtube Video playing original 78rpm record.
6. ↑ Its all in the game Youtube Video, Tommy Edwards.
7. ↑ Military Times, Hall of Valor Awarded for actions during the World War I. Brigadier General Charles Gates Dawes, DSM.
8. ↑ Nobel Prize Peace Laureates Charles Dawes
9. ↑ Wikipedia:Charles G Dawes
10. ↑ Haberman, F. W. (Ed.). (1972). Nobel Lectures, Peace 1901–1925. Amsterdam: Elsevier Publishing.
11. ↑ Hatfield, M. O. (1997). Vice Presidents of the United States, 1789–1993 Senate Historical Office. Washington: United States Government Printing Office
12. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #264 for Charles Dawes

See also:

• Dawes, Charles. Notes As Vice President, 1928-1929. Boston: Little, Brown, 1935; Timmons, Bascom N. Charles G. Dawes: Portrait of an American. 1953. Reprint. New York: Garland Publishers, 1979.

• Northwestern University Manuscripts and Papers Charles Dawes Archives

• "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch accessed 3 April 2015), Charles Gates Dawes, London, England, Consular Services; citing enumeration district (ED) 0000, sheet A, family 19, line 42, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2630; FHL microfilm 2,342,364.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d1t36lBli0