RICHARD DOTSON
(1752-1847) and His
Descendants
(Note: the bold numbers within the text are the numbers from the book and cross reference with the Contents and Index)
Published by James M.
Dotson, 306 Bonanza Way,
Danville, California
94526
PREFACE
In 1985, I became interested in genealogy and
started tracing my Dotson ancestral
line. This research led back to my native
Ritchie County, West Virginia and the
adjoining counties of Doddridge, Tyler and
Wood. It also led to a correspondence with
Barr Wilson who had lived all of his life at
Toll Gate, Ritchie County, and who had
published a book on his Wilson ancestors and
associated families; one of these associated
families was “Dotson”. Subsequently, in
corroboration with Bertha Dotson Sellers,
he wrote a separate Dotson family history
Richard Dotson (1752-1847) which is the
precursor of this book. His typed manuscript,
completed in 1983, was distributed to the
local libraries in the Ritchie-Doddridge
County area, and generously loaned for
copying to interested descendants of Richard
Dotson such as myself. This family
history was the first to recognize Richard
Dotson as the sole progenitor of all the
Dotsons living in the Ritchie-Doddridge area
in the early 19th century. Much of the
information in this family history came from
his own personal knowledge of Dotson
descendants still living in the
Ritchie-Doddridge area, plus contributions from individual
families; additional information was derived
from local county public records—
marriages, deeds, court records— plus census
data up through 1850. Most of the
information (and some misinformation) about
Richard Dotson’s ancestors came from a
Mrs. Hazel Seevers Beck, a descendant of
Richard Dotson, who had sent it to Bertha
Dotson Sellers.
In 1988, I agreed with Barr to research, and
publish as co-author, a major revision
to this family history. My principal
contributions were to include (a) additional family
information uncovered during my search of
land records for the book Dotson Land
Grants (1804-1865) published by me in 1988, (b) later census
information, that is, post
1850; and (c) the results of research at many
genealogical libraries, looking for Richard
Dotson’s parents and
ancestors.
The result is this book containing 346 pages
of text divided into eighteen chapters,
the last fourteen of which are devoted to
each of Richard Dotson’s known children.
The book also includes five appendices, and
an ‘every name’ index to the chaptered
text; this index contains some 7000 name
entries, with about 25% being Dotson.
In addition to his 1983 Richard Dotson
(1752-1847) providing the nucleus of this
publication, Barr has continued to contribute
his more recently acquired information;
he has also reviewed the draft of each
chapter going into this revised edition.
While the resulting book represents a major
increase in the published information
about Richard Dotson and his descendants, it
is by no means the final word. It should
be considered a progress report representing
the current status of knowledge about
Richard Dotson, his descendants, and his
ancestors. Hopefully it will provide the
background and motivation for some of his
descendants to continue research in these
areas, particularly that of his ancestors.
Our goal of finding Richard’s parents was not
achieved; however,
some promising leads are contained in the first chapter.
vi
Acknowledgments
Many sources of information were used in the
preparation of this book and
gratefully acknowledged. Library sources
included the family history libraries of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
in Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City,
Utah; Sutro Library in San Francisco,
California; the West Virginia Archives and
History Library, Cultural Center, Charleston;
the Virginia State Library and Archives,
Richmond, Virginia; the DAR (Daughters of the
American Revolution) Library in
Washington, DC. Public record type
information was obtained at the County Clerk
offices of Doddridge County at West Union,
and Ritchie County at Harrisville, West
Virginia; Frederick County at Winchester, and
Shenandoah County at Woodstock,
Virginia; Federal Population Census
information was copied at the National Archives,
San Bruno, California.
Several Dotson descendants have contributed
valuable information on their own
family lines, and have reviewed drafts of
their respective sections in the book; these
sections, to which they have contributed, are
identified in the text; Helen L. Simmons,
Margaret Buoncristiana, Viola Wadsworth,
Emolene and Armour Lynch, Art Dotson,
Ruth Allen Stanley, and Linda
Worden.
Publication of this book would not have been
possible without the help and
support of my wife Irma McGinnis Dotson, who
got me interested in genealogy in the
first place. Her contributions to the
research for, and editing of this book, are gratefully
acknowledged.
How This Book was Prepared for
Publication
“Desk-top publishing “ is a recent term
applied to a technique for the preparation
of “camera-ready” material on a computer
using the proper word-processing and page
lay-out software. This book is an example, in
which the author prepared the text, and
type-set the master pages on a Macintosh
computer. Printing of the “camera-ready”
text and photographs using an off-set method,
and binding, were done by a commercial
printer.
James M. Dotson
August 30,
1992
Vii
CONTENTS
Preface v
Contents vii
Introduction xi
Chapter I Early Pioneer Dotsons
1
Chapter II Revolutionary War Service
9
Chapter III Post Revolutionary War Period
17
Chapter IV Later Years in Western Virginia
(1800 - 1847) 19
Chapter V William Dotson, Sr.
27
V-1 Emanuel Dotson 29
V-2 John Dotson 51
V-3 Nancy Dotson 59
V-4 Mary Ann Dotson 59
V-5 Elizabeth Dotson 60
V-6 Henry Dotson 64
V-7 Charlotte Dotson 65
V-8 Margaret Dotson 67
V-9 William Buskirk Dotson
71
V-10 Solomon “Sol” Dotson
83
V-11 Eliza Margaret Dotson
86
V-12 Cynthia Dotson 89
V-13 Squire Dotson 90
V-14 Mary Jane Dotson
91
Chapter VI Nancy Dotson
97
Chapter VII Emanuel Dotson, Sr.
99
VII-1 Girl Dotson (1)
104
VII-2 Girl Dotson (2)
104
VII-3 William L. Dotson
104
VII-4 Frances Dotson
106
VII-5 Benjamin Dotson
107
VII-6 Mary Dotson 126
VII-7 Girl Dotson (probably Elizabeth)
128
VII-8 John S. Dotson
128
VII-9 Robert Dotson 133
VII-10 Thomas Dotson, Jr.
155
VII-11 Joseph Dotson
156
viii
Chapter VIII Richard Dotson, Jr.
161
VIII-1 Melissa Dotson
162
VIII-2 William White Dotson
165
VIII-3 Anna Dotson 174
VIII-4 Luthur Dotson
175
VIII-5 John Calvin Dotson
180
VIII-6 Deliah Dotson
186
VIII-7 Drucilla Dotson
186
VIII-8 Malvina Dotson
186
VIII-9 Francis Marion Dotson
186
Chapter IX Elisha Dotson
191
IX-1 Richard W. Dotson
194
IX-2 Jackson Dotson 196
IX-3 Mary Dotson 196
IX-4 Zachariah Dotson
197
IX-5 Hiram Dotson 197
IX-6 Mahala Dotson 204
IX-7 Albert Dotson 205
IX-8 Clarinda Dotson
206
IX-9 Elisha Dotson 206
IX-10 Irvin Dotson 207
IX-11 Daniel Dotson 207
IX-12 Warner W. Dotson
208
IX-13 Robert Dotson 208
Chapter X Joseph Dotson
211
X-I Emily Jane Dotson
213
X-2 Michael Carey Dotson
219
X-3 Owen M. Dotson 220
X-4 Evaline Dotson 221
X-5 Mary Elizabeth Dotson
221
X-6 Samuel Scott Dotson
222
X-7 Margaret Dotson 223
X-8 Lucinda Dotson 223
X-9 Joseph Dotson 224
Chapter XI James Dotson
225
XI-1 Malinda Dotson 227
XI-2 Deborah Dotson 228
XI-3 Mathias Dotson 228
XI-4 Temperence Dotson
237
XI-5 Asbury Dotson 237
XI-6 Phebe Dotson 238
XI-7 James Dotson, Jr.
238
XI-8 Benjamin Dotson
241
ix
Chapter XII Zachariah Dotson
243
XII-1 Uriah Dotson 248
XII-2 Male Dotson 250
XII-3 Charles Dotson
250
XII-4 Alfred Dotson 251
XII-5 William Dotson
254
XII-6 Mary Ann Dotson
258
XII-7 Louisa Dotson 259
XII-8 James Garrison Dotson
260
XII-9 Emsy Dotson 261
Chapter XIII Margaret Dotson
263
Chapter XIV Thomas Dotson
265
XIV-1 Martha Dotson 272
XIV-2 Malvina Dotson
272
XIV-3 Perry Dotson 273
XIV-4 Lemmon Dotson 278
XIV-5 Ellis Dotson 281
XIV-6 Mary E. Dotson
288
XIV-7 Marshall Dotson
288
XIV-8 Elza Dotson 289
XIV-9 Clarissa Dotson
289
XIV-10 Cyrus Dotson 293
XIV-11 Aaron Jason Dotson
304
XIV-12 Lawson Dotson
322
Chapter XV Ruth Dotson
325
XV-1 Lorenzo Dow Cain
326
XV-2 Zachariah Cain 328
XV-3 “Polly” Cain 329
XV-4 Amelia Cain 329
XV-5 Silas Cain 330
XV-6 James Cain 330
XV-7 Stacy Cain 331
Chapter XVI Michael Dotson
333
XVI-1 Sylvanus Dotson
334
XVI-2 Emily Jane Dotson
334
XVI-3 Arieus Dotson 335
XVI-4 Francis
Jerleen Dotson 339
x
Chapter XVII Naomi Dotson
341
XVII-1 Henry Williams
342
XVII-2 Marion Williams
342
XVII-3 Angeline Williams
342
XVII-4 Eleazar Williams
342
XVII-5 Sophia Williams
343
XVII-6 Jasper Williams
343
XVII-7 Richard Williams
343
XVII-8 Maria Williams
343
XVII-9 Elizabeth V. Williams
343
XVII-10 Florence O. Williams
343
Chapter XVIII Lydia Dotson
345
XVIII-1 George Childers
345
XVIII-2 Jerome Childers
345
XVIII-3 Manerva Childers
345
XVIII-4 Amos Childers
346
XVIII-5 Elisha Childers
346
XVIII-6 Ella Childers
346
Appendix 347
A Myths, Legends Concerning Richard Dotson’s
Ancestors 349
B Documentation for Chapter 1 (Early Pioneer
Dotsons) 355
C Henry Franks 361
D Unplaced Dotsons 369
E Census Information
373
Index
377
xi
INTRODUCTION
Introductory Narrative of Richard Dotson’s
Life, 1752-1847
Richard Dotson was born in Frederick County,
Virginia, 1752. As a young man he
moved to the southwestern part of
Pennsylvania, then under Virginia’s control, where
he lived as a frontiersman until the end of
the Revolutionary War. While there, he
served in the 1774 Lord Dunmore campaign
against the Indians, down the Ohio River
and on to Fort Charlotte at present day
Chillicothe, Ohio; while on this campaign he
was undoubtedly introduced to the western
section of Virginia where he later settled.
He served during the Revolutionary War as a
soldier defending the forts in the south-western
Pennsylvania area. Some of his older
children, whose mother was Mary, were
slaughtered by the Indians; their son William
survived. By the conclusion of the war,
Virginia had given up to Pennsylvania, her
claim to the disputed territory southwest of
Pittsburgh to conform with an extended
Mason-Dixon line. At this time Richard
removed back to Frederick County. The next
several years were spent in Shenandoah,
Loudoun, and Hampshire Counties, Virginia; he
may have resided for a short time in
the state of Maryland. His first wife Mary
had died and he remarried a Mildred (Millie)
Miller. Richard and his oldest son William
were each enumerated as “head-of-house-hold”
during the years 1798-1799 in Hampshire
County, Virginia.
Shortly after 1800, Richard brought his
family to the Greenwood Area of present
day Doddridge County, WV, where he built his
cabin on a six hundred tract of land
granted to him as assignee of a Isaac Pryon.
His two older sons William and Emanuel
were each given part of this tract where they
established households of their own. As
shown in the1810 Federal Population Census,
all three Dotsons (Richard, William and
Emanuel) were enumerated separately as
“head-of-household”, in what was then Wood
County. Shortly after 1810, Richard’s second
wife Millie died. He then married Naomi
Villers Gregg, a widow of George Gregg who
had built a mill at the JUG on Middle
Island Creek near
Middlebourne.
About 1820, Richard moved to Tyler County,
where he acquired land by deed and
grant in the Hugle Run area; this location
was only a few miles northeast “across the
ridge” into what was then Tyler County (now
Doddridge). Richard’s wife Naomi died
ca. 1826-27. His son William remained in the
Greenwood area; Emanuel moved to an
area of Arnold Creek then in Harrison
County.
By 1830 Richard, who was getting up in years
by then and again a widower, had
moved in with one or another of his younger
sons (Joseph in Tyler or Elisha in Wood
County), with whom he was shown residing in
the 1830 census. The 1840 census
showed him by name, as a Revolutionary War
pensioner residing with his son James in
Tyler County. The younger sons with whom
Richard was associated in his land
dealings after 1820 included Zachariah,
Elisha, James, Joseph, Thomas, and Richard,
Jr.
Richard died in 1847 and is buried in a
marked grave in the Arnold Creek Cemetery
in Doddridge County.
Chapter I
Early Pioneer Dotsons
It is not known who the parents of Richard
Dotson were or from where they came.
Many stories and myths have been proposed,
have appeared in print, quoted and
re-quoted, and have therefore been given
unwarranted credence by some. It is the author’s
conclusion that none have been adequately
substantiated and that one account is actually
fraudulent.1 In order to avoid further confusion to the
reader, and perpetuation of
misleading information, these myths will not
be repeated here, but relegated to the
appendix (App. A). For those wishing to
review them further, the following additional
references are given. 2, 3
The earliest documented record of Richard
Dotson’s birth appears in his application
filed in 1833 for a Revolutionary War
Pension; a transcript of this, and associated
documents, is included in a subsequent
chapter. It is from this record that we must develop
clues as to his parentage. This information
includes the following: that (1) he was born in
Frederick Co. Va. (the part now Shenandoah
Co.) on October 23, 1752 and continued to
reside there until he was about 20 years of
age; (2) he then removed to (present day) Greene
County, State of Pennsylvania, that in the
year 1774 he served a tour of duty under Lord
Dunmore against the western Indians; he
returned to his place of residence in the State of
Pennsylvania where he continued to live until
after the close of the Revolutionary war; (3)
after the close of the Revolution he returned
to Shenandoah County, Virginia; after
remaining there a few years (the precise
number he cannot recollect) (4) he removed to
Landon (Loudoun) County, Virginia and
continued there about two years, from Landon
(Loudoun) he removed to Hampshire Co., Va.,
where he lived about six years from thence
he removed to Wood Co.,
Va.
From this, it is apparent that a record of
his parentage, if such exists, should be found
in Frederick or Shenandoah Co. Va.
(Shenandoah was formed from the southern portion
of Frederick in 1772, first named Dunmore,
then name changed to Shenandoah in 1778);
however, a search of the marriage records and
wills in the Virginia State Library revealed
nothing about Richard. Nor was any other
information found that led to the positive
identification of his parents. Richard’s
name, as well as the names of several other Dotson
or Dodsons were found in tax and land records
of these two counties during the 1750-1800
time period, some of whom were undoubtedly
related to Richard. A summary and
discussion of this information is included
here in the hope that, with further research, it may
help lead to the identification or Richard’s
parentage.
The earliest record of Richard was found in
the personal property tax records of
Shenandoah County for 1784, 1785 and 1786;
other Dotson or Dodsons appearing with
him during these years were Thomas, Thomas
Jr., Samuel, William and Peter. A copy of
2
these personal property tax lists for Dotson
or Dodsons in Shenandoah County for the
years 1782-1793 are shown in tabular form
later in the chapter.
The following is a list of the Dotsons or
Dodsons living in Shenandoah County who,
by virtue of age or other circumstance, could
have been Richard’s father: (references are
included):
(1) John Dodson
(2) Peter Dodson
(3) Charles Dodson
(4) Samuel Dodson
(5) William Dodson
(6) David Dodson
(7) Thomas Dotson, Sr.
The pertinent available information
concerning each of them, with discussion, is
summarized below:
(1) John Dodson
1754: 11 Nov. John Dodson of Augusta Co.
granted 260 A. in said county; where
he lives on Mill Creek; adj. Mary Allen,
Joseph Donhem (Donovon) (Note: this land in
present day Shenandoah Co. formerly Frederick
and Augusta Counties.)4
1756: 30 Sept. John Dodson of Augusta Co.
granted 400 A. in said County including
where he lives west side of Stoney Creek.
(Surveyor Mr. Robt Rutherford)5
( For the
location of Stoney Creek see map at end of
chapter.)
1782-83: on Personal Property tax lists
Shenandoah Co.
1784: Will book B, p.107, rec. Aug 1784;
property left to wife Elizabeth, son Peter,
son Charles, daughter Elizabeth, and daughter
Ann; did not name Richard as heir.
In his book The Dodson (Dotson) Family of
North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia; A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants 6 , Rev. Lucas states
that
John was born (of Charles Dodson, Sr.) around
the early 1700’s in Richmond County
Virginia; married Elizabeth Goad about 1724
and died Shenandoah VA in 1784. Lucas
lists John’s children as; Martha Ann (m.
Callendar) b. 7 Nov 1725; Charles b. 28 Aug 1726,
Moses b. 12 Jan 1729; John, Jr. b. 12 Aug
1731 died young; Peter b. 22 May 1735;
Elizabeth (m. Kyle) b.d.? baptized Augusta
Co. Va. 1741.
As noted above he left his property to wife
Elizabeth, son Peter, son Charles, daughter
Elizabeth, and daughter Ann; but did not name
Richard as his heir. But John had at least
one other son (Moses) whom he left out of his
will for reasons unknown (maybe deceased).
Therefore one cannot absolutely eliminate
John as a possible father of Richard on the basis
of omission in his
will.
Pertinent information of John’s sons Peter
and Charles is summarized below. While
by virtue of their ages, John and his sons
Peter and Charles all could possibly have been
Richard’s father, none appears likely to have
been, since Richard was not included in any
of their wills.
CHAPTER I EARLY PIONEER DOTSONS
3
(2) Peter Dodson
1735: 22 May, born, son of John and Elizabeth
Dodson 7
1783-1793: on personal property tax lists
Shenandoah Co.
1800: will proved; did not name Richard as
heir
Lucas lists Peter Dodson’s children, named in
his will, as 8 : William b. late 1760’s
or
early 1770’s; Easter (Ester) b. ca 1770’s m.
Kyle; Joseph b. ca 1780’s; Jacob b. d. ?; Ruth
b. d. ?, m. Rodeheffer; Dorcas b.d. ?; and
Martha b.d. ?, m. Ludwick.
Lucas comments that Peter, born in 1735, had
minor children in 1800; may be an
indication that he was married twice and
could have had older children by an earlier
marriage who were not named in his will; or
that he simply married late in life. Any reader
interested in this family (John, or his sons
Peter and Charles) is referred to Rev. Lucas’
excellent book for much additional
information contained therein.
(3) Charles Dodson
b. 28 Aug 1726, d.1797 in Greene Co., TN; son
of John Dodson (above)9
, Richmond
Co. VA.; at age eleven, ordered by church
wardens bound out with brother Moses, reasons
unknown; was married to a Mary ———; living on
Staunton River* in 1751-52 when his
son John was born (John Dodson, Rev. War
pension claim S 2518); in 1779, Charles was
left 5 pds in his father John’s will and
debarred from holding or possessing any of his
father’s land forever.
Charles Dodson’s children were: Elizabeth m.
Ryan; John b. ca 1751/52 Staunton
River in VA (Rev. Pension Appl. S2518);
Jemima; Edmund b. ca 1750/60 (second son);
Martha m. Roberts; Moses b. ca. 1764 d. ca.
1842; Sarah m. Kyle; Charles; Rebecca m.
Mooney; and Catherine m. Hice (Hise). Note a
James Hice was mentioned as being
adjacent to a tract conveyed from an
Elizabeth Dotson widow of James Dotson, dec’d. in
a Washington (Greene) Co. Tenn. deed in 1848.
10 Most of the children of Charles
Dodson
used the surname spelling
“Dotson”.
Another mention of the name Staunton River is
made in Lucas’s chapter under his
John Dodson #36 (Lambeth-7, Chas-1)(Vol. 1,
p. 28) where in 1782 a John Dotson signed
a petition of inhabitants of Bedford Co., VA
residing on the south side of Staunton River,
seeking a new County Franklin to be created
from the southern part of Bedford and the
northern part of Henry
counties.
*Two rivers by this name have been located in
the state of Virginia:
(a) Portions of the Roanoke River are known
as the Staunton River. This major river
in the southwestern part of Virginia rises in
the vicinity of the city of Roanoke, flows
southeastward bordering the Virginia counties
of Pittsylvania, Bedford, Franklin, Campbell,
Charlotte and Halifax, through Mecklenburg
County and on into the state of North
Carolina; it empties into Albemarle Sound
near Elizabeth City, NC. This river is dammed
in several places.
(b) A small river in Madison County is also
called Staunton River. Rising on the
eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountain, it
empties into the Rapidan River near Graves
Mill and the Rapidan into the Rappahannock
near Frederiksburg. This Staunton River is
4 RICHARD DOTSON
(1752-1847)
shown on the US Geological Survey
topographical map, Madison VA quadrangle, at
coordinates of 38o26' N.-78 o 22’30"W.; it is
about 50 miles southeast of Shenandoah
County, separated by Page
County.
(4) Samuel Dodson
(Dotson)
1782-86: on personal property tax lists of
Shenandoah Co. - one white male over
21, plus livestock (see table
below)
In Wayland’s A History of Shenandoah Co. 2nd
ed. 1980 p. 220, a Samuel Dodson
is shown for the the year 1785 “list of Edwin
Young , east side of Massanutten (Mtn.),
Luray, 3 whites, 1 black.” (This area on the
south fork of the Shenandoah river is in present-day
Page County; Page was formed in 1831 from
parts of Shenandoah and Rockingham
counties). This Samuel Dodson is obviously
not the same Samuel Dotson enumerated in
the same year on the personal property tax
lists of Shenandoah County as shown below.
No other positive information is available
for identification of either of these Samuels.
A Samuel Dodson appeared in the deed books of
Spotsylvania Co. relative to the
estate of James Brock and wife Mary Beverley,
23 Dec 1762 noted by Lucas from Frank
D. Fuller Notes 11 ; however no connection was made to the
Samuel appearing on the
Shenandoah personal property tax lists
1782-86 above.
In the discussion of a Samuel Dodson (son of
Fortunatus), Rev. Lucas states that the
whereabouts of that Samuel after the period
1753 are not known; but could that Samuel (son
of Fortunatus) have been the Samuel Dodson
appearing on the personal property tax lists
of Shenandoah Co. for the years 1782-1786?
Samuel (son of Fortunatus) was the nephew
of John and Elizabeth Goad Dodson, discussed
above, who were residing in Shenandoah
County at that time (John died in
1784)12
(5) William Dotson
1748: a tax delinquent in Augusta
Co.13
1754: chain carrier, survey on fork of
Shanandoah (sic) R. Frederick Co.14
1755: French and Indian War service-
Frederick Co., 24 years of age.15
1781: March court - Shenandoah
Co.16
1783: August court - Shenandoah
Co.17
1782-1783: personal property tax list -
Shenandoah Co.
It is evident that this William Dotson b.
1731, is much too old to be the son of Peter
Dodson. A search was made of the Lucas book
index (Vol. II) for a William Dotson fitting
the description of the William b. 1731; the
result was unsuccessful in finding any likely
matches. However the following are possible,
should he have moved from Shenandoah
County subsequent to 1784: p.1306, William
Dodson, May 1791 will, Granville Co. NC,
wife Frances sons William and Charles,
daughter Holley; p. 1429 William Dotson
Pittsylvania Co tax list 1787 and Wm. Dodson
1784-1786, 1789-1799
CHAPTER I EARLY PIONEER DOTSONS
5
(6) David Dodson
(Dotson)
1794: on Shenandoah county personal property
tax list (1 white tithe)18
1798: his daughter Mary married Thos. Case
19 (Cave)20
No additional information. While possible,
unlikely to be Richard’s father.
Rev. Lucas 21 identifies a David Dodson, son of George and
Margaret Dagord Dodson,
born probably after 1740; on 16 Aug 1794 this
David and wife Elizabeth, sold 220 acres
in Pittsylvania Co. Lucas speculates that
then they may have gone for a while to Tennessee,
later Kentucky. But might they have gone
instead to Shenandoah Co. and appeared on the
personal property tax list there in 1794?
However, on 16 April 1798 a David Dodson sold
a tract of land in Pittsylvania Co. VA to a
Raleigh Dodson, Jr. 22
and a David Dodson
and
David Dodson, Jr. both appear on the
Pittsylvania county personal property tax lists as late
as 1799 23 - (See Thos. Dotson, Sr. below, another son
of George and Margaret Dagord
Dodson)
(7) Thomas Dotson,
Sr.
1750: Aug. 28; added to list of tithables,
Augusta Co. VA 24
1783-1790: personal property tax list-
Shenandoah Co. listed each year with Thomas
Dotson, Jr.
1791-1792: personal property tax list-
Shenandoah Co.-only one Thomas Dotson
listed; in 1792 levy-free (indicating
advancing age)
Rev. Lucas 25 shows a Thomas Dodson #70, b. 25 May 1735,
Richmond Co., VA
(North Farnham Parish Register) son of George
and Margaret Dagord Dodson. Neither
their place of residence after leaving
Richmond Co., VA, nor date of death have been
proven. This Thomas has not been further
identified; it is therefore possible that he may
be the Thos. Sr. shown above. There were many
confusing Thomas Dodsons; Corbari
shows a Thomas Dodson (relationship and
geographical location unknown) as having
departed this life Nov. 21, 1740 26
(7a) Thomas Dotson, Jr.
While not of an age suitable to be Richard’s
father, he may be a relative (cousin or
brother); he is presumably the son of Thomas,
Sr. above.
1748: birthyear from pension appl.1818 age
70
1783-1790: on personal property tax list with
Thos. Sr.
1788: Thomas Jr. married to Catherine Gunner
27
1790: Thos. Jr and Catherine his wife, two
deeds, Powells Fort Passage Creek,
Shenandoah Co.(see map at end of
chapter)
1795: deed in Shenandoah
Co.
1804: daughter Esther m. Andrew Barnside
28
1807: daughter Polly m. to H. Knicely
29
1810: census Shenandoah Co. (males; 1 <10,
2 10-16, 1 16-26, 1 >45; females;
1 10-16, 1 16-26, 1 >
45)
6 RICHARD DOTSON
(1752-1847)
1820: census Woodstock Shenandoah Co. (males;
1 >45; females:1 <10, 2 26-
45)
1820: Rev. War pensioner, Appl. No. S39459
granted pension on application
executed 25 May 1818, age 70, while living in
Shenandoah Co. VA, died 10 Apr 1835. 30
Two other Dodsons who served in the Rev. War
from Shenandoah Co. and who might
be a relative of Richard Dotson (most likely,
by virtue of age, a cousin or brother) are 31 :
(1) John Dodson Claim S2518, b. 1751-52 in
Va. near Staunton R.; afterwards father
(Charles) moved into County of Shenandoah;
entered service 1 July 1775; filed pension
application 29 Nov 1820 Hawkins Co.
Tenn.
(2)William Dodson S30994, b. Mar 29 1758
Shenandoah Co. Va, and while residing
there enlisted 1776; allowed pension on
application executed while resident of Nelson Co.
KY.
In conclusion to the discussion of this
chapter on pioneer Dotsons, it is apparent that
no real evidence has been found that links
Richard to any of the preceding six possible
Dotson or Dodsons; hopefully, however, some
of the information presented here may be
useful in further research toward this
end.
Notes: Chapter 1
1 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. II ( P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc., 1989), p.
1176-1177.
2 Bertha Dotson Sellers, The Dotson Family.
Section 1, The Ancestry of Richard Dotson
according to genealogical records.
(Unpublished 1974 [Source Hazel Seevers, Kansas City,
Kansas] typewritten copy placed with Ritchie
Co. Historical Society, Harrisville, WV), p. 1.
3 Barr Wilson, Richard Dotson 1752-1847
(Unpublished 1983; typewritten copies placed
with Ritchie County Historical Society,
Ritchie County Library and Doddridge County Library),
p. 1-3.
4 Gertrude E. Gray, compiler, Virginia
Northern Neck Land Grants, (Baltimore Maryland
;Genealogical Publishing Co.
1988)
5 Gray, Ibid.
6 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. I (P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc. 1989), p.
6-8.
7 Shirley Kirkland Guio Corbari, The
Guio-Dodson Family (Los Gatos CA: Printed by
Vasona Copy Center 1985; copy in Virginia
State Library, Richmond VA), p. 43.
8 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. I (P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc. 1989), p.
25-26.
9 Ibid., p. 23.
10 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. II ( P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc., 1989), p.
1344.
CHAPTER I EARLY PIONEER DOTSONS
7
11 Ibid., p. 1449.
12 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. I (P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc. 1989), p.
33.
13 Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the
Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia extracted
from...Court Records of Augusta County,
1745-1800, Vol. 2, 1912 (1980), p. 414.
14 Joyner, Northern Neck Warrants and Surveys
1747-1780 Vol. II (1985)
15 Bockstruck p. 15, 53.
16 Shenandoah Co. Order Book 1781-84, p.
14.
17 Shenandoah Co. Order Book 1781-84, p.
219.
18 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. II ( P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc., 1989), p.
1448.
19 Vogt, John and T. William Kethley, Jr.
(Comps.) Shenandoah County Marriage Bonds,
1772-1850 (Athens., GA, Iberian Publishing Co.
1984), p. 386.
20 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. II ( P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc., 1989 [citing First
Book of Marriages, Shenandoah County, VA, as given
by John Wayland's History of Shenandoah
County, Virginia, 1927]), p. 1447-1448.
21 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. I (P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc. 1989), p. 17,
51.
22 Ibid., p. 117.
23 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. II ( P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc., 1989), p.
1429-1432.
24 Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the
Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia extracted
from...Court Records of Augusta County,
1745-1800, Vol. 1, 1912 (1980), p. 41.
25 The Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. and Mrs.
Sherman Williams, The Dodson (Dotson)
Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond
County, Virginia: A History and Genealogy of
Their Descendants, Vol. I (P. O. Box 738
Easley, South Carolina 29641-0738: Southern
Historical Press, Inc. 1989), p.
17.
26 Corbari, p. 43.
27 Vogt, Shenandoah Co. Marriages, p.
102.
28 Vogt, Shenandoah Co. Marriages, p.
386.
29 Vogt, Shenandoah Co. Marriages, p.
386.
30 Pension Appl. Claim S39459 (National
Archives, read by author at San Bruno, Ca. 14
Dec. 1990).
31 John Dodson Claim S2518; William Dodson
Claim S30994 (National Archives, read by
author at San Bruno, Ca. 14 Dec.
1990).
Chapter II
Revolutionary War
Service
In present day Western
Pennsylvania
(1777-1779)
M
ost of what we know about Richard Dotson,
especially his military service in present
day western Pennsylvania, and
post-Revolutionary life until about 1800, is gleaned
from his application for a pension which he
filed in 1833. At the time he made application,
he was living with his son James in the Deep
Valley area of then Tyler County VA. A
transcript of his application, other pension
documents, and an account of life on the frontier
are presented below:
Richard Dotson’s application for a pension.
No. S. 5364...Va. No. 16219.
“State of Virginia
Tyler County to wit:
On this 10th day of June 1833, personally
appeared in open Court before Robert
Gorrell; William Bond; John D. Wells; &
James G. West, Justices of the Peace,
constituting the County Court of Tyler
County, now sitting. Richard Dotson, a resident of
said County and State of Virginia, aged 81
years, who being first duly sworn according to
law, doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the
act of Congress passed June 7th 1832, that he
was born in Shenandoah County (now
Frederick) (See editorial note below) State
of Virginia and continued to reside there until
he was about 20 years of age, he then removed
to Greene County State of Pennsylvania,
that in the year 1774 he served a tour of
duty under Lord Dunmore against the western
Indians, that he marched to Fort Charlotte
near the place where Chillicothe now stands, in
the State of Ohio, from whence he returned to
his place of residence in the State of
Pennsylvania where he continued to live until
after the close of the Revolutionary war, that
in the spring of the year 1777 he entered the
service of the United States as a volunteer
Indian Spy under Captain John Minor and
served six months of that year, that in the years
1778 & 79 he also served the United
States six months each year as an Indian Spy under
Captain John Minor entering the service in
the spring and leaving it in the fall, making in
all he served as an Indian Spy the term of
eighteen months or more that services consisted
in watching movements of the Indians
examining their trails and giving information of
their approach to the settlements that he
principally served in Greene and adjoining
Counties, that his headquarters were at
Jenkinses Fort in said County of Greene and Jarard
Fort about three miles from the former, that
the said Captain John Minor was the
commandant of these stations, that in the
summer of 1777 or 8 he and four of his
companions had a skirmish with about the same
number of Indians, that one of his party
(to wit) John Nichols was killed and one of
the Indians was also killed by Richard Hall. This
skirmish took place near Jarard Fort on Big
Whiteley and that he has no recollection of
having received a discharge. He further says
that after the close of the Revolution he
returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia after
remaining there a few years (the precise
10 RICHARD DOTSON
(1752-1847)
number he cannot recollect) he removed to
Landon (Loudoun) County, Virginia and
continued there about two years, from Landon
(Loudoun) he removed to Hampshire Co.,
Va., where he lived about six years from
thence he removed to Wood Co., Va., since which
time he has continued to reside alternately
in Wood and Tyler Counties until the present
time that he now lives in said County of
Tyler. He further says he has a record of his age
and that he was born on the 23rd day of
October 1752.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever
to a pension or annuity except the
present and declares that his name is not on
the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year
aforesaid.
his
RICHARD X DOTSON
mark
We, John Ripley, a clergyman, residing in the
County of Tyler, State of Virginia and
William Wells, residing in the same, hereby
certify that he was well acquainted with
Richard Dotson who has subscribed and sworn
to the foregoing declaration that we believe
him to be eighty one years of age, that he is
reputed and believed in the neighborhood where
he resides to have been a soldier of the
Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn
to and subscribed the day and year
aforesaid.
John Ripley
Wm. Wells.
And the Court do hereby declare their
opinion, after the investigation of the matter and
after putting the interrogations prescribed
by the war department, that the above named
applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and
served as he states and the Court further certifies
that it appears to them that John Ripley, who
has signed the preceding certificate is a
clergyman residing in the County of Tyler and
that William Wells who has also signed the
same, is a resident of the County of Tyler,
and is a creditable person, and that their statement
is entitled to credit.
I, David Hickman, Clerk of the County Court
of Tyler County, in the State of Virginia,
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains
the original proceedings of the said Court in
the matter of the application of Richard
Dotson for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and seal of office this 10th day of
June 1833.
D. HICKMAN
Clerk of the County Court of Tyler
County.”
(Note...Frederick County was formed in 1738.
Dunmore County was formed from
Frederick in 1772. In 1778 the name of
Dunmore County was changed to Shenandoah
County, Virginia; at the time of his birth 23
Oct 1752, he would have been born in Frederick
County, VA.)
Testimony of ANN REDDICK in support of
Richard Dotson’s Pension Application
on 7 May 1833: “..age 95 on the 23rd day of
last Sept...made oath that she lived during the
years 1777, 1778 and 9 in Greene County State
of Pa. during all which time she was well
acquainted with Richard Dotson and knows that
he served the United States as an Indian
Spy in the years 1777, 1778 and 9 and that
she believes he served six months in each of said
years and that deporant and said Dotson were
frequently inmates of Jenkins’s Fort at the
same time and further this deporant saith
not.”
10 RICHARD DOTSON
(1752-1847)
number he cannot recollect) he removed to
Landon (Loudoun) County, Virginia and
continued there about two years, from Landon
(Loudoun) he removed to Hampshire Co.,
Va., where he lived about six years from
thence he removed to Wood Co., Va., since which
time he has continued to reside alternately
in Wood and Tyler Counties until the present
time that he now lives in said County of
Tyler. He further says he has a record of his age
and that he was born on the 23rd day of
October 1752.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever
to a pension or annuity except the
present and declares that his name is not on
the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year
aforesaid.
his
RICHARD X DOTSON
mark
We, John Ripley, a clergyman, residing in the
County of Tyler, State of Virginia and
William Wells, residing in the same, hereby
certify that he was well acquainted with
Richard Dotson who has subscribed and sworn
to the foregoing declaration that we believe
him to be eighty one years of age, that he is
reputed and believed in the neighborhood where
he resides to have been a soldier of the
Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn
to and subscribed the day and year
aforesaid.
John Ripley
Wm. Wells.
And the Court do hereby declare their
opinion, after the investigation of the matter and
after putting the interrogations prescribed
by the war department, that the above named
applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and
served as he states and the Court further certifies
that it appears to them that John Ripley, who
has signed the preceding certificate is a
clergyman residing in the County of Tyler and
that William Wells who has also signed the
same, is a resident of the County of Tyler,
and is a creditable person, and that their statement