Charleston woman researches link to Missouri's first families

CHARLESTON -- "I always wanted to be a detective," said Dixie Rolwing. "I like the search and it's funny how you finally find something then go BINGO!"

The mysteries Rolwing is sleuthing are not family secrets but family facts. Bits of her own family history that need to be straightened out as she follows her roots to the earliest days of Missouri's history.

Recently, Rolwing's search and documentation earned her a Territorial Certificate from the Missouri State Genealogy Association. It certifies her great-great-grandfather, Dr. Robert Doyne Dawson, resided in Missouri before it was declared a state on Aug. 10, 1821.

The thoroughness of her work got the attention of those behind the Missouri State Genealogy Association's publication, "Journal." Rolwing was asked to author an article on how the public should research their own families.

Rolwing describes researching family history much like standing at the bottom of a flight of stairs and looking up.

"You want to get to the top but you have to start at bottom with yourself. Then climb up the steps. You can't jump. You have to piece things together because there are a lot of pitfalls out there," she said.

In her search, she began with family records. Rolwing noted she was luckier than many because much of the life of Dr. Robert Doyne Dawson is already recorded in Missouri history books.

She also scoured family records and courthouse documents. Solid research requires at least two sources for each fact, she said.

For the full story, see today's e-edition.