Mary B. (Mollie) Dawson (1853-1933) was the principal of the first public school in South Austin, which was established in 1886 on South Congress.  It today is known as Fulmore Middle School.  She had been educated at the State Normal College in Huntsville.  Miss Dawson ran private schools at 202 East 9th Street, and later at 106 West 16th Street (the Dawson Preparatory School, operated with other members of her family).  Honoring Miss Dawson’s service to education in Austin, the elementary school on South 1st Street near Terrell Hill is named Mollie Dawson Elementary.

Nancy Elizabeth (Nannie). Dawson, born in 1858, was also an educator.  She studied at Peabody Normal School in Nashville, Tennessee, and later received a Master’s degree from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio.  Most of her career was in San Antonio, but she later taught in Austin high schools and resided here until her death.  She became the sole owner of 1200 South 5th in 1931.  She held it as rental property until deeding it to her niece, Elizabeth Daniel McFall (daughter of the third Dawson sister, Belle Dawson Daniel) in 1941.