Auto-Mobile (Dawson Manufacturing Company)

Dawson Manufacturing Company was an early American manufacturer of automobiles. The brand name was Dawson.

History

George Dawson was from Cincinnati. He founded the company in 1899 in Basic City, Virginia and manufactured a first vehicle and also the first of its industry in the state of Virginia. He offered it in a car magazine and received some inquiries, but no firm orders. Then he sold the first vehicle to Luther Gaw and John Clark.  Work on a second vehicle began, but it was not completed. In 1901, the company was dissolved when Dawson went back to Cincinnati.

The only model was built in 1901 called Auto-Mobile hand-built by Dawson. The open wooden body was mounted on a tubular steel frame as a runabout to accommodate three people. This was a steam car the steam engine had two cylinders and was made of brass. This droves over a chain to the rear axle. It was steered with a steering lever. The top speed was stated at 40 km / h on good roads with its 30-inch wheels.

There was no connection to the JH Dawson Machinery Company, which later used the same brand name.