Sir John William Dawson was born in Port Pictou, Nova Scotia, on October 13, 1820. Dawson was an educationist, geologist, and naturalist. He received his education at Pictou Academy. Additionally, Dawson held an honorary Doctor of Law degree from McGill and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Edinburgh. Dawson became the Superintendent of Education for Nova Scotia in 1850, an office that he held for three years. In 1855, he became Principal and Professor of Natural History at McGill University. Two years later, he was appointed Principal of McGill Normal School for the Training of School Teachers. Dawson established the School of Civil Engineering at McGill in 1858. He was a member of the Natural History Society of Montreal, the Canadian Institute in Toronto, as well as a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Additionally, Dawson was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an honorary member of the Botanical Society of Canada. He had numerous essays and articles published. Dawson died in 1899.