Examining Theories of Ancestry of Richard Dotson born 10/23/1752 "RICHARD DODSON DESCENDS FROM CHARLES DODSON SR OF RICHMOND CO VA": Williams & Lucas have traced many DODSON lineages down past 1752 in "The Dodson (Dotson) Family of New Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, but no one has suggested a parentage for Richard that can be proved. A "name" connection is Bartholomew Richard Dodson, whose exact birth date is unknown but who was probably born in late 1600's. He was the son of Charles. Barth. Richard married Elizabeth Clarke. There is a record of the birth of one son James born 12/23/1716 in North Farnham Parish and mention of another child, Elizabeth, in a will. Barth. Richard inherited a "plantation" called the Oake neck tract, but sold this to his brother in May 1734. At the time Barth. Richard and his wife were living in Northumberland Co, VA - this is the last known record of Barth. Richard. At that time, his son James would have been 18 years of age and was probably "emancipated" then or later in Northumberland Co, VA. (In 1752 James would have been 36 and would have had to be in Shenandoah County to be Richard's father). According to Williams & Lucas, "many Northumberland County records are missing." In Minnie Kendall Lowther's (MKL) "History of Ritchie Co, WV" (Ritchie county is where Richard Dotson and descendants ended up), she says "The original spelling of this name in the Old World was "Dodson", but for some unknown reason (probably from the natural inclination for mispronouncing names) it became changed to its present form. Two brothers, James and William Dotson, came from England in colonial days and settled near Richmond, Virginia; and from James (or some say his name was Richard) the different families of this part of the county trace their lineage. William Dotson, son of James (or Richard) married Miss Mary Franks, and settled at Greenwood, in Doddridge county in his younger days . . ." MKL did not record the source of this information, but Rev Lucas in an earlier version of his book (1950's) printed this information, but had shown Richard Sr. and William as brothers (rather than father and son). Jim Dotson in his book "Richard Dotson (1752-1847) and his Descendants" 1992 examined the possibilities of parentage for Richard by looking at any of Charles Sr.'s descendants who were in Shenandoah County VA in 1752 (where and when Richard said in his Rev War pension application that he was born). The most likely candidate was John (or John's children). John was a son of Charles Sr., born in the early 1700's. John married Elizabeth Goad about 1724 and John died in Shenandoah VA in 1784. Known children of John and Elizabeth and their birth dates are Martha Ann 11/7/1725; Charles 8/28/1726; Moses 1/12/1729; John Jr. 8/12/1731 (died young); Peter b 5/22/1735; Elizabeth born about 1741. No mention of Richard in birth records or in John's will. However, he did omit a son Moses from his will. Two of John's children appear to have been left with the church fathers in Richmond County, but again no mention of a Richard. Son of John, Peter, would have been only 17 at Richard's birth, and his will shows no Richard. His children were born 1760-1770. Another son of John's, Charles, was born in 1726; would be the right age to be Richard's father; but a list of his children does not show a Richard. However, many of Charles' descendants used the spelling of Dotson (not Dodson). Also, it appears that a son of Charles was born in Shenandoah County in 1751 and Richard claims to have been born there in 1752. Charles and family apparently went on to settle in Greene Co., TN. Jim Dotson found an "unknown" Thomas Dotson Sr. in Augusta Co, VA in 1750 (list of tithables) and on personal property tax lists in Shenandoah Co each year w Thomas Dotson from about 1783 to 1790. Jim says that this may be the Thomas Dodson b 5/25/1735, son of George and Margaret Dagord Dodson. George was son of Thomas, son of Charles Sr. George was born in 1702. He apparently sold his land in Richmond Co in 1756 and his whereabouts are hard to trace after that. No proof, but it has been reported that his descendants ended up in KY. Son of Thomas Sr. appears to be Thomas Jr. who was born about 1748. (more about this Thomas later who is claimed to be from the PA Dodsons from other sources). Other Dodsons in Shenandoah County with no information to confirm or deny relationship to Richard are William, David, and Samuel. Conclusion: To date, there is no evidence to tie Richard with any descendant of Charles Sr. "RICHARD DOTSON IS A DESCENDANT OF THOMAS SR DODSON OF PA BORN ABT1685" (Most of this information is from "Dodson Genealogy 1600-1907" by Thompson P. Ege 1908) Thomas Dodson b. Abt 1685 m. Mary Prigg and settled in Chester Co, PA about 1723. He is believed to be the son of John who came with his brother Thomas and sister Mary to America in about 1677. They are believed to be the children of Daniel from Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England. (More about John's brother Thomas later). Thomas b 1685 1723 settled in Chester Co Pa having purchased land from the Franklins in Vincent Twnship 1729 In tax lists 1731 Lived on French Creek. 3 of his children: Rev John Caspar Stoever baptized Hannah, William and Richard on 12/3/1731. 1756 Moved to E Nantmeal Twnship 8/25/1755-survey map by Benjamin Lightfoot shows Thomas' land and son John's adjoining it. CHILDREN: ......... 2 John Dodson 1720 - 1818+Mary Eleanor Evans 1723/24 - 1815 ......... 2 Michael Dodson 1722 - 1813+Ann Evans ......... 2 Ann Dodson 1725 - +James Bumason ......... 2 Hannah Dodson1727 - +William Templin ......... 2 John William Dodson 1729 - ......... 2 Richard Dodson 1731 - 1785+Susannah Rhodes 1740/41 - ......... 2 Thomas Dodson1732 - ......... 2 James Dodson 1734 - ......... 2 Mary Dodson 1736 - ......... 2 Joseph Dodson 1737 - ......... 2 Samuel Dodson 1738 - 1796+Elizabeth Rhodes 1744 - 1815 ......... 2 Esther Dodson 1740 - Sons John and Richard's descendants have been fairly well documented. No indication that John b 1720 or Richard born 1731 could have been father of Richard born 1752. Neither appears to have left PA The best possibility for a tie-in for our Richard born 1752 with Thomas b 1685 would be through sons Michael b. 1722, James born 1734 or Joseph b 1737. The only information about James and Joseph (Ege) is that they "went soon after or about the close of the Revolution, to Kentucky, and were never heard of again as far as the memories and traditions of older descendants of their brothers knew." James and Joseph were probably too young, Michael be 1722 had 2 known sons, Michael Jr. born about 1746 and Thomas born about 1748. Michael Sr. could have had a son, Richard, born 1752 and named him for his brother, Richard, but there is no record that Michael Sr. ever left PA. He is in the later censuses, but the only "proof" of his earlier whereabouts are that he was baptized in 1722 in Philadelphia at Christ Church and Ege says he was a farmer and assessed in Vincent Township Chester Co, PA in 1749 and also in 1753 then being married, but wife's name is unknown. He says he later moved to Lehigh County and died there. Lots of time to go to VA for awhile. However, there are no records of a Michael in Shenandoah Co that have been found. Ege claims that Michael Sr.'s son, Thomas Dodson, is the who was receiving a Rev War pension in Shenandoah Co, VA and died there in 1825 (see above notes about Thomas, son of George). Ege also says that both Michael Jr. and Thomas went into what is now WV after their father died. There is no record of Michael Jr.'s descendants, but Thomas' descendants used the name of Dotson. Descendants of Thomas Dotson 1 Thomas Dotson 1748 - 1825 +Elizabeth ......... 2 James Dotson 1792 - ......... 2 Thomas Dotson 1794 - ......... 2 Sarah "Sallie" Dorothy Dotson 1796 - 1893 ............. +Jacob Copenhaver 1792 - Sarah DOTSON b. 1796, Augusta Co., VA d. 1893, Nicholas Co., WVA m. 1818, Greenbrier Co., (W)VA to: Jacob COPENHAVER .................... 3 Joseph Copenhaver ........................ +Abigail Dotson ......... 2 Richard Dotson 1799 - 1873 ............. +Mary Kessler .................... 3 William M Dotson 1826 - 1897 ........................ +Rebecca Hamilton Bays 1842 - 1925 ............................... 4 Elizabeth Dotson ............................... 4 Margaret Dotson ............................... 4 Maria Dotson ............................... 4 Mineola Dotson ............................... 4 Zorayda Dotson ............................... 4 Laura Dotson ............................... 4 Willie E Dotson ............................... 4 Lola Virginia M Dotson ............................... 4 Newman H Dotson ............................... 4 Maude R Dotson ......... 2 Jacob Dotson 1800 - 1883 ............. +Eleanor (Nellie) Foster .................... 3 Andrew Dotson .................... 3 Jacob L Dotson .................... 3 Jackson Dotson .................... 3 Isaac F Dotson ........................ +Jemima Bays .................... 3 Sarah A Dotson .................... 3 Eliza Dotson ........................ +Thomas Bays .................... 3 Virginia Dotson ......... 2 Joseph Dotson 1802 - Although Richard was born in Shenandoah County, VA in 1752 and lived there for 20 years (per his pension application), there was some reason for him to go directly from there to PA around 1772. One would suspect there might have been family ties. (But the more logical reasonin his RevWar pension application is that he enlisted in "Dunmore's War" and went via Ft Pitt into OH etc.so he may have just returned to that area after the march to Ohio and as a young man of 22 just stayed there to fight the Indians). In 1730 the colony of VA encouraged settlers to go east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Land grants were given to a family, 100 acres, but they must settle for two years. The cost to the family was for the survey fee and issue patent. It is said that in 1725-1744 85% of the early settlers of Old Frederick Co (Shenandoah was formed from Frederick) came from Wm. Penn's area of PA; abt 5% were from NY; 5% from southern MD and about 5% came from Eastern VA. From North Neck Grants & Surveys Q-32 by Joyner: Shenandoah County. Thomas Dodson sold 367 acres on Jeremy's Run in Frederick Co. 3/12/1776. Richard left Shenandoah County around 1772 - don't know if this is relevant. However, after Rev War, Richard returned to Shenandoah County for a few years, and apparently Thomas, above, remained there until his death in 1825. There are other notes of a Thomas Dodson in Shenandoah County. There is record of a marriage for Thomas & Catherine Gunner and marriages for their daughters. This may be the Thomas referenced above born in 1748 who came from PA to Shenandoah Co after the Rev War, and received a pension. Jim Dotson suggests this would be Thomas Jr. (which would make him son of Thomas, not of Michael?) CATHERINE1 GUNNER married THOMAS JR DOTSON September 14, 1788 in Shenandoah Co, VA, son of THOMAS SR DOTSON. Children of CATHERINE GUNNER and THOMAS DOTSON are: i. ESTHER2 DOTSON, m. (1) HENRY KYLE, November 01, 1799; m. (2) ANDREW BARNSIDE, August 31, 1804. ii. POLLY DOTSON, m. H KNICELY, 1807. "RICHARD DOTSON IS SON OF MARYLAND BRANCH OF DODSONS" According the Ege, when the brothers came from Knaresborough, England (John and Thomas), John went on to PA, and Thomas remained in NJ. His descendants went on into Maryland. CHILDREN of Thomas B Dodson b 1669 d. 1740 and Katharine Savill b? D. 1755 ......... 2 John Dodson .................... 3 Charles Dodson ........................ +Eleanor or Elizabeth or Frances Poindexter .................... 3 William Dodson .................... 3 James Dodson .................... 3 John Dodson .................... 3 Daughters? Dodson .................... 3 Daniel Dodson ........................ +Martha Rowlett ......... 2 Robert Dodson - d. 1745 ............. +Mary Brumell .................... 3 Thomas Dodson 1728 - 1779 ........................ +Esther ? ......... 2 Suzannah Dodson ............. +William Clark Some descendants remained in Baltimore and were ship builders and sea captains, but some descendants are not traced. Richard born in 1752 COULD have been the son of one of these, such as James son of John, son of Thomas. Maryland is just across the water from VA, so any of the descendants COULD have settled in VA. According to Ege a VA family claim John (son of Thomas) as their ancestor from MD. Ege says John settled with his parents in Talbot Co, MD. He married there quite early in life and abt 1725 with his wife, settled in one of the border counties of VA. "RICHARD DOTSON IS THE SON OF THOMAS DOTSON AND FRANCES MINOR" There is a lineage that his been around for about twenty years which was gathered by a Hazel Seevers and given to Bertha Dotson Sellers of Toll Gate. (Jim Dotson quotes from the Lucas book that some of this legend originated with a Mrs. Sandy Miller of Starke, FL who several years ago earned a reputation for selling phony pedigrees). The lineage is: 1 Abraham B Dodson 1689/90 -+Elizabeth Dameron 1692 - ......... 2 Thomas Dodson 1731 - +Frances Minor 1731 - .................... 3 Richard Dotson 1752 - Richard Dotson fought in Revolutionary War under a Capt. John Minor, so attempts have been made to find Frances Minor. The following is from a Minor researcher: "I have over 67,000 descendants of Thomas Minor and Grace Palmer of Stonington,CT and several thousand descendants of several unrelated Minor families ofVirginia but I do not have Richard Dotson nor a Frances Minor". Apparently Jim Dotson and others who have tried to trace the lineage, disproved that Frances Minor was the daughter of John Minor and Ann Washington. Efforts have also been made regarding the Dameron connection, with no success. Richard's mother may be Frances Minor, dau of John Minor and Ann Pope Washington, but no one has offered any proof. There is a John Minor who died in 1698 who had a daughter Frances, but she would have been too old to marry Thomas Dodson born in 1731. So, as yet, there is neither proof of the Thomas Dodson and Frances Minor parentage nor any record of these names in any documents.