When Longfellow wrote "Paul Revere's Ride," he took a well-known local incident, modified the plot to create a singular hero, and used it as Civil War propaganda. Samuel Prescott, Abel Prescott, Martin Herrick, and, of course, William Dawes' names were omitted, and the poem became notorious. It has been criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of the men and of their actions. The events listed here for Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott occurred between 1770 and 1818. They played a role in events leading up to the American Revolution, the War for Independence from Britain, and the creation of the United States of America. William Dawes was born on April 20th, 1751 in Salisbury, Massachusetts. He was the second son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Blackman) Dawes. His older brother John followed them when they left home to join the army. In 1768, after the death of their father, he married Mary Pratt, also from a wealthy family in Salisbury. They had four children: Abigail, William, Jr., Elizabeth, and Daniel Pratt. In 1774, at the age of 27, he joined his brother John in Lexington on the night of April 19th when they rode away from their homes in Massachusetts to warn people that a war was about to begin. He was given permission by the governor to raise a company of soldiers from Salisbury.