Richard DOTSON was born 1752 in Shenandoah County, VA. He died 1847 in Tyler Co., VA. Richard married Mary on 1775.
Richard Dotson was born in Shenandoah County Virginia on October 23, 1752, and lived there 20 years. He then went to Greene County, Pennsylvania, and in 1774 served a tour of duty under Lord Dunmore.
In 1774, Lord Dunmore was the British governor of Virginia. After the Peace of Paris of 1763, the British had undisputed claim to the area west of the Appalachian Mountains. The people of Virginia did not like the British presence in their state. Also, the British did not want the Virginians to settle on any land west of the Appalachians, but the Virginians did not agree. Many white people were continuing to settle on lands west of the Appalachian Mountains and the Indians were harassing them.
Lord Dunmore went to Pittsburgh in the spring of 1774 hoping to make peace with the Indians. Soon, it became clear that peace would not happen. He began recruiting men and soon had a force of about 1,000 soldiers. After a couple of weeks of drill, Dunmore led the troops to the mouth of the Little Kanawha River. While camped at the Little Kanawha River, Dunmore was to meet with his officers who already had about 1,000 men camped about six miles away from Dunmore. The Battle of Point Pleasant prevented them from meeting.
The Shawnee leader, Cornstalk, had a loosely organized group of approximately 500 Indians waiting to attack Dunmore's officers. In the early morning hours, the Indians crossed the Ohio River and attacked. The Battle of Point Pleasant lasted into the afternoon and was very intense. However, by the end of the day, the Indians were retreating to the north bank of the Ohio River in defeat.
After the Battle of Point Pleasant, Dunmore marched his men north to the Shawnee villages. At this point, he was able to negotiate for peace. As a result of Dunmore's War, the Indians agreed to give up all of their white prisoners, restore all captured horses and other property, and not to hunt south of the Ohio River. Also, they were to allow boats on the Ohio River and not harass them. This opened up present day West Virginia and Kentucky for settlement.
After Dunmore’s War, Richard Dotson returned to Pennsylvania where he stayed until after the close of the Revolutionary War. He served as an Indian Spy, which according to his statement, consisted in watching movements of the Indians examining their trails and giving information of their approach to the settlements. He principally served in Greene and adjoining counties and his headquarters were at Jenkinses Fort and Jarard Fort in Greene County. Captain John Minor was the commandant of these stations. 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 Whitely.
After the close of the Revolution he returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia. He remained there a few years then went to Loudoun County, Virginia and stayed there about two years. From Loudoun County he went to Hampshire County, Virginia, where he lived about six years. Then he went to Wood County, Virginia, where he resided alternately with Tyler County.In 1779, Richard was involved in an episode with Indians near what is now Fairmont, WV near Decker's Creek and some of his children were murdered. James Morgan, son of Col. Zackwell Morgan, dictated this article to Joseph H. Powell on James' eightieth birthday in 1850.
"The Indian Attack of the Smith Home"
Seventeen and seventy-nine was the year my father moved his family from the house where I was born to Decker’s Creek. I was nine then, being born in 1770. I went along with the years. Father sold his homestead land where Rivesville now is, in four parcels. I forget who the buyers were. I remember John and William Merrill got pieces. I think Bob Shearer got some. Father owned about 2500 acres there, joining Henry Batten at Longwell Spring Run.
Everybody asks me where Longwell Spring Run was. This name for that little dreen seems to be lost. It was the first dreen that emptied into the river below Pharaohs Run. At first father had all the land around there. Then he sold Mr. Duthett a parcel and Duthett didn't pay and he sold the same piece to Casper Bunner. He let uncle Dave (Morgan) have a thousand acres for moving here from Pennsylvania and uncle Dave took up a lot besides, in his own right after he moved in. Father let Mattie Hoult have about four hundred acres. The Merrils got their first land here from father and uncle Dave. There was some blood tie with the Merrills that began in Delaware. I've heard uncle Dave say that William Merrill married a Morgan cousin of ours. She's the woman that settled the hash for those Indians in Nelson County (Kentucky). I was to visit them once. They always called her 'Miff' and to save my life, I can't recall her given name. I'd ask other Morgans, But nearly all the old Morgans are gone, and the coming on Morgans don't remember nothing. The year we moved in late February or early March, onto the LeMaster land at Deckers Creek (Morgantown) was a bad year. Uncle Dave fought the Indians that year, April 13, I think it was. It was about a month later, those dirty boogers tried to get Steve and Sally. (Uncle Dave's Children)
Father and the Cochrans and the Evanses and others built our blockhouse on the first rise below Decker’s Creek, and that was our new home. Every body called it "Morgan's Fort", but it was just a big log house with loopholes in the walls to see and shoot from.
Just before we moved to Decker’s Creek, John Bozarth and family went down to Cheat River to visit Mrs. Bozarth's sister's family. named Smith. The Bozarths first owned the land where Fairmont is. They sold out to Tom Barns and moved to the head of the west fork river, but John's family still lived on there Fairmont land in the year I'm telling about, 1779. The Bad year for all of us around. George, John's boy, and I were good friends. Mrs. Bozarth was there at Smith's home when the Indians raided on Cheat. I heard uncle Dave say there was about thirty of them, broken in little bunches. Jacob Prickett had a brother settled in that country, and his boy Elias was at the Smiths' that day. He was about twenty years old I think.
The children were playing outside right after dinner, and yelled that the Indians were coming. Elias Prickett ran outside and was shot in the hip. He fell back into the door. The Indian ran inside. Dick (Richard) Dotson was in there, and he jumped the Indian and threw him down on the floor, yelling for something to kill him with. Mrs. Bozarth picked up an ax and chopped open the Indians head. Another Indian ran in yelling and shot Dick Dotson. It's been in the papers and in books, that Dotson was killed, but he wasn't. It's been in the papers and in books that the Bozarths lived on Dunkard Creek but they didn't. Just like about Uncle Dave's fight with the Indians here, a pack of lies has been told and printed about that trouble there on Cheat.
Mrs. Bozarth hit the Indian that shot Dotson, in the head and knocked him down and chopped his belly open and his entrails went dragging after him as he crawled out of the cabin. One of the Indians that was helping his friends murder the children in the yard, ran to help the hurt one and Mrs. Bozarth axed him, splitting his head open to the chin.
Elias Prickett became conscious and got a gun and ran to the door and shot at the Indians who were then running for the woods. If he did any damage, it wasn't known. I have read stories that say that the people stayed shut up in the house with the dead Indians and Dick Dotson for several days but this isn't true. The house was relieved within the hour, I've heard Uncle Dave and Jacob Prickett say, and John Ice was with those who relieved it, and helped bury the dead children of the Smith's, Dotson's and Bozarths, six in all.
Hardesty's History of Doddridge County, Central District says, "The first settler was Richard Dotson, who entered 600 acres of land, and in 1802 built his cabin near where Thomas Scott now resides. His earliest neighbors were James Scott, Nathan Davis, the Arnolds, Lottridges, Altermans, Ruddecks and Fergusons. The first white child born in the district was Ruth Dotson, a daughter of Richard and Millie Dotson."
I.S. Dotson, age 75, said on April 16, 1931, "My great grandfather (Richard Dotson) had a friend living near Sutton. His name was Mr. Sutton and the town was Sutton, West Virginia, and was named for him. Grandfather went to Sutton to hunt on his tract of land. I do not know the length of the stay -- but while there, he killed 63 bears. Mr. Sutton kept the bear meat for his share. Granddad brought home the bear hides for his share. "Old Dobbins", the horse, pulled the sled from Sutton to Toll Gate. Grand dad and Old Dobbins took the hides to Parkersburg, W.Va, and sold them to a Flat Boat man, and he took them to New Orleans, Louisiana and they were put on the world market."
Richard Dotson died in 1847 and is buried in the Arnold Creek Cemetery in Doddridge County, West Virginia.
Source: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/e/n/Betty-D-Renick/FILE/0026page.html
Notes for Richard Dotson:
10/23/1752 Richard was born in Shenandoah (now Frederick Co,) VA and lived there 20 years by his own statement. The best information regarding the whereabouts of Richard in the early years of his life is found in his Rev War pension application.
Application for Revolutionary War Pension by Richard Dotson
National Archives Number S 5364
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) 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 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 number he cannot recollect) he removed to Landon (Loudoun) County, Virginia and continued there about two years, from Landon (Loudon) 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 Mark X Richard Dotson
Notes: John Ripley, a clergyman and William Wells certified that they were well acquainted with Richard Dotson and were of the opinion that he was a soldier.
Ann Reddick said in support of Richard's application that she was 95 and that she lived in 1777, 1778 and 9 in Greene County, PA during which time she was well acquainted with Richard Dotson and that he served as an Indian Spy. She also said that she and Dotson were frequent inmates of Jenkin's Fort at the same time.
A note in "The Tenmile Country and Its Pioneer Families" says a letter dated Jun 10, 1774 refers to an Indian massacre led by Logan near the site of a fort just lately built on Dunkard Creek and identifies it as Garard's Fort.
The Bertha Sellers Dotson information, Barr Wilson and the Franks Family history say that Richard married a Sarah Jeanne Hollyday about 1772. No documentation of this marriage has been found, nor has she been documented as parent to any children for whom we have record. However, there was a Holliday's Fort in area of PA where Richard relocated in 1772. When Richard's son William, born about 1776, died, his parents were listed as Richard and Mary. Probably around 1797, Richard married Amelia "Millie" Miller. However, Zachariah b. 1798, a son of Richard and Amelia, is shown as a half-brother to Richard Jr., born 1795 suggesting a wife between Mary, mother to William born in 1776 and Zachariah born in 1798. A fourth wife, Naomi Villers Gregg has been documented.
More about Richard's Whereabouts:
1772 Left Shenandoah Co to go to what is now Greene Co, PA
1774 served in "Lord Dunmore's war" against the western Indians and marched to Ft. Charlotte (Chillicothe, OH). Lord Dunmore's troops were raised in Frederick, Dunmore (now Shenandoah) and adjacent counties. Gov. Dunmore's troops were to go the Northwest route over the Braddock trail, by way of Fort Pitt, and thence down the Ohio River to meet up with General Lewis at the mouth of the Kanawha River.
In what is now Greene Co, PA, at that time considered to be part of Virginia, Richard served as Indian spy from 1774-1779 under Capt Minor on the VA & PA frontiers. Capt John Minor was commandant of Ft. Jenkins and Fort Garard on the Big Whitely, an eastward flowing tributary of the Monogahela River. (Both Henry Franks--dgtr married Richard's son, William -- and Richard Dotson fought under Capt., later Col. John Minor who is called the "father of Greene Co, PA". Capt John Minor's Rev War pension file is Nat'l Archives S 2840 and was for service as a captain under Col Zackquell Morgan in April 1777.). James Morgan, born around 1770, was the son of Zack Morgan, founder of Morgantown, WV. James Morgan was acquainted with Richard Dotson and reported the episode with the Indians shown below.
1776-1782 Richard probably lived on Big Whitely River in what is now Greene Co, PA. Greene Co was created from Washington Co, PA in 1796. Henry Franks (father to Richard's son's wife) states he (Henry Franks) lived there in his Rev War pension application, and Richard Dotson was recruited from that area in 1782
From: The Tenmile Country and Its Pioneer Families by Howard L. Leckey:
One of the first men to make a permanent settlement in what is now Greene County was Colonel John Minor. His family says he was on Big Whiteley Creek as early as 1765, and there are no records to dispute this claim. From the first he seems to have been a leader in the settlement and defense of the frontier. Few references are made to him in which he is not honored by some title such as Colonel, Judge, Squire, or Justice John Minor. Colonel John Minor died December 5, 1833, and his estate is in File 752 in Greene County, Pennsylvania. Pension file of Colonel John Minor is in National Archives S2840, and was for service as a captain under Colonel Zack Morgan in April 1777, along with other services mentioned. It gives his birthplace as Winchester Virginia.
(Draper Mss., 3-NN-128-30) While serving as a Captain in 1777 John Minor commanded a Co of men listed in Col Zach Morgan's regiment of Monongalia Co, VA. He later became a Col in his own right. Was active in the suppression of Tories.
In Richard's Rev War pension application he said he principally served in Greene and adjoining Counties, that his headquarters were at Jenkins Fort in Greene County and Jarard (Gerard) Fort about three miles from the former, that the said Captain John Minor was the commandant of these stations.
From: The Tenmile Country and Its Pioneer Families by Howard L. Leckey:
Aaron Jenkins had bought other tracts in the vicinity of Big Whiteley, including the one at Pierceville where he maintained a fort during the revolution.
From The History of Berkeley County, Virginia: . . The tract of land known as "Garard's Fort" was warranted in the name of Jonah Garard, on October 28, 1785, but patented later by Peter Myers.
In 1779, Richard was involved in an episode with Indians near what is now Fairmont, WV near Decker's Creek and some of his children were murdered. This article was dictated to Joseph H. Powell by James Morgan, son of Col. Zackwell Morgan, on James' eightieth birthday in 1850.
"The Indian Attack of the Smith Home"
Seventeen and seventy-nine was the year my father moved his family from the house where I was born to Deckers Creek. I was nine then, being born in 1770. I went along with the years. Father sold his homestead land where Rivesville now is, in four parcels. I forget who the buyers were. I remember John and William Merrill got pieces. I think Bob Shearer got some. Father owned about 2500 acres there, joining Henry Batten at Longwell Spring Run.
Everybody asks me where Longwell Spring Run was. This name for that little dreen seems to be lost. It was the first dreen that emptied into the river below Pharaohs Run. At first father had all the land around there. Then he sold Mr. Duthett a parcel and Duthett didn't pay and he sold the same piece to Casper Bunner. He let uncle Dave (Morgan) have a thousand acres for moving here from Pennsylvania and uncle Dave took up a lot besides, in his own right after he moved in. Father let Mattie Hoult have about four hundred acres. The Merrils got their first land here from father and uncle Dave. There was some blood tie with the Merrills that began in Delaware. I've heard uncle Dave say that William Merrill married a Morgan cousin of ours. She's the woman that settled the hash for those Indians in Nelson County (Kentucky). I was to visit them once. They always called her 'Miff' and to save my life, I can't recall her given name. I'd ask other Morgans, But nearly all the old Morgans are gone, and the coming on Morgans don't remember nothing. The year we moved in late February or early March, onto the LeMaster land at Deckers Creek (Morgantown) was a bad year. Uncle Dave fought the Indians that year, April 13, I think it was. It was about a month later, those dirty boogers tried to get Steve and Sally. (Uncle Dave's Children)
Father and the Cochrans and the Evanses and others built our blockhouse on the first rise below Deckers Creek, and that was our new home. Every body called it "Morgan's Fort", but it was just a big log house with loopholes in the walls to see and shoot from.
Just before we moved to Deckers Creek, John Bozarth and family went down to Cheat River to visit Mrs. Bozarth's sister's family. named Smith. The Bozarths first owned the land where Fairmont is. They sold out to Tom Barns and moved to the head of the west fork river, but John's family still lived on there Fairmont land in the year I'm telling about, 1779. The Bad year for all of us around. George, John's boy, and I were good friends. Mrs. Bozarth was there at Smith's home when the Indians raided on Cheat. I heard uncle Dave say there was about thirty of them, broken in little bunches. Jacob Prickett had a brother settled in that country, and his boy Elias was at the Smiths' that day. He was about twenty years old I think.
The children were playing outside right after dinner, and yelled that the Indians were coming. Elias Prickett ran outside and was shot in the hip. He fell back into the door. The Indian ran inside. Dick (Richard) Dotson was in there, and he jumped the Indian and threw him down on the floor, yelling for something to kill him with. Mrs. Bozarth picked up an ax and chopped open the Indians head. Another Indian ran in yelling and shot Dick Dotson. It's been in the papers and in books, that Dotson was killed, but he wasn't. It's been in the papers and in books that the Bozarths lived on Duckard Creek but they didn't. Just like about Uncle Dave's fight with the Indians here, a pack of lies has been told and printed about that trouble there on Cheat.
Mrs. Bozarth hit the Indian that shot Dotson, in the head and knocked him down and chopped his belly open and his entrails went dragging after him as he crawled out of the cabin. One of the Indians that was helping his friends murder the children in the yard, ran to help the hurt one and Mrs. Bozarth axed him, splitting his head open to the chin.
Elias Prickett became conscious and got a gun and ran to the door and shot at the Indians who were then running for the woods. If he did any damage, it wasn't known. I have read stories that say that the people stayed shut up in the house with the dead Indians and Dick Dotson for several days but this isn't true. The house was relieved within the hour, I've heard Uncle Dave and Jacob Prickett say, and John Ice was with those who relieved it, and helped bury the dead children of the Smith's, Dotson's and Bozarths, six in all.
(From Minnie Kendall Lowther's History of Ritchie County): Valentine Bozarth and his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Hall Bozarth, came from Harrison county and went to Iowa, here their brief history ends. The Bozarths were brave Indian fighters, and their thrilling adventures with the red men are recorded on the pages of "Border Warfare".
(From Linda Fluharty, a Prickett descendant) Jacob Prickett was born about 1722 served with General George Washington in Braddock's 1758 campaign against the Indians in the Monongalia Region The Jacob Pricketts (father and son), with David Morgan, son of Col. Morgan Morgan, among the first settlers of WV, , settled near present-day Fairmont, just before the American Revolution. When in 1774 the Indians began to menace them), these families built Fort Prickett.
From Penna Archives, Series VI, Vol 2 pp 18-19 & pg 271: 1782 1st Battalion, Washington County, Recruited in Whiteley and Greene Twnships (now Greene Co) a few from Dunkard:
John Guthrey Captain; Eleazer (may be Alexander) Clegg, Lieutenant; Richard Dotson, Sergeant; Gideon Long, Ensign, John Roberts, Sergeant; Mathew Hanon/Hennen, Sergeant; Some privates were: Peter Yoho;Isaac Bozarth;Henry Yoho; John Sayer; etc. Note says: These men also served tours with Capt John Guthery; Samuel Swindler, Cecil Davis, John Minor and John Shipman. Richard states in his Rev War pension application that he served under Capt. John Minor. (Also ref "The Tenmile Country and Its Pioneer Families" by Howard L. Leckey page 38: PA Militia Year 1782)
Source unknown: (recorded in Bertha Sellers manuscript) "Grandfather Richard served in Revolutionary War. The war was nearing the end. Grandfather and some other soldiers were in a fort. His horse began to wander off, and he left in pursuit of the horse and unexpectedly spotted a small number of Indians. He fired and killed one Indian. He ran back to the fort for the other soldiers, and they joined in at once and killed two more of the Indians."
1/4/1784 Hugh Johnson (Capt Jno. Guthrey's Class Roll) 2nd Sgt Richard Dotson; Others were Isaac Bozarth, Henry & Peter Yoho and Jonothan Seryer
After Rev War moved back to and lived in Shenandoah Co, VA for a few years. In tax records in Shenandoah Co for 1784-86. Other Dotsons or Dodsons appearing were Thomas, Thomas Jr. Samuel, William and Peter.
He moved to Loudoun for two years probably around 1790. In 1792 a Jesse Dodson sold 260 acres in Hampshire County where Richard moved around 1792. Richard is on personal property tax lists for Hampshire 1795,1797, 1798, 1799
(From Hampshire County Site): FREDERICK / HAMPSHIRE COUNTIES, VIRGINIA Hampshire County was formed in 1753, as Old Frederick County was broken down into smaller, more manageable geographic units. In earlier days, the area was a hunting ground for the Native Americans who lived there. The Welsh frontiersman Morgan Morgan, and the German, Joist Hite are among the first known European settlers to the area. Part of the county was included in a land grant given to Thomas Lord Farifax, and later surveyed by George Washington. Today Frederick County is in Virginia, and since 1862, Hampshire County is in West Virginia.
About 1801 Richard came to Toll Gate, VA area (now Doddridge Co). 2 sons William and Emanuel were about 25 & 26 and are showing as heads of households. We know Indians killed some of the children of Richard and Mary Dotson. Some have said Indians killed Mary also, but we have no record of that. It is believed he married Amelia Miller before coming to Doddridge County.
1801purchased 250 acres on Hughes River
1802 Built cabin and was first settler in Central District of Tyler (then Wood) County
Hardesty's History of Doddridge Co., Central District Vol 2, p. 13 "The first settler was Richard Dotson, who entered 600 acres of land, and in 1802 built his cabin near where Thomas Scott now resides. His earliest neighbors were James Scott, Nathan Davis, the Arnolds, Lottridges,altermans, Ruddecks and Fergusons. The first white child born in the district was Ruth Dotson, a dughter of Richard and Millie Dotson."
June 06, 1803- Richard & Amelia-600 acres in Clay District Ritchie Co. Low gap between Buck Run & Yeager Run following Buck Run to right hand fork. Believe he gave Emmanuel and William a portion of this land. Until WWII owned by Richard Dotson's descendants.
From Barr Wilson write-up: On 7 September 1801, Joseph Spencer sold Richard Dotson, 250 acres of land on waters of Hughes river. Part of Lot No. 21. This land is now owned by the Carnegie Natural Gas Company and Homer Dotson, Richard Dotson did not stay here long but moved to Middle Island Creek, sometime after 1810. He was one of the appraisers, of the estate of George Gregg Junior who resided at the "Jug". and died in 1823, On 6 June 1803, Richard Dotson sold James Marsh 250 acres of land. Part of Lot No. 21 , Richard Dotson signed this dead with his mark. It was also signed by Amelia Dotson. When James Marsh bought this land, he must have built a cabin, This the cabin that is pictured in the History of Ritchie County. The Marshes moved this cabin, about 1840, to the North Fork of Hughes river. The site where the cabin stood is now covered by the waters of the Pennsboro reservoir.
Around 1803, James Marsh was another very early settler on this river in the Tollgate vicinity. Near the beginning of the nineteenth century, he came from Baltimore, and purchased (of Richard Dotson) the farm that is now owned by J. M. Wilson, near one-half mile east of Tollgate, and took up his residence here, where he died in 1810. (Minnie Kendall Lowther History of Ritchie Co).
23 Aug 1804 Wood County Grants No. 53, p. 317. 300a. On a drain of Hughes River adjoining Isaac Pryon's survey.
1808 Religious discourse at home of Richard by a "traveling Hebrew" (Hardesty's History)
August 15, 1809 Hampshire County Virginia Land Deeds; Book 16, Page 233.
Richard Dotson and James & Nancy Scott (Richard's daughter) sold to Henry Barnhouse 90 acres on New Creek adjoining tract sold to them June 3, 1805 for $90.00.
1 Aug 1817 Wood County Grants No. 66, p. 451 200a. (See Triplett, Hedgman & Dotson, Richard)
15 June 1821 Wood County Grants No. 70, p. 168. 100a. Beginning and extending corner to Land, claimed by George Richards, senior, a west corner extending in the head of a drain of Long run.
Written by I.S. Dotson, age 75, on 4/16/1931(recorded in Bertha Sellers manuscript)
"My great grandfather (Richard Dotson) had a friend living near Sutton. His name was Mr. Sutton and the town was Sutton, W.Va, and was named for him. Grandfather went to Sutton to hunt on his tract of land. I do not know the length of the stay -- but while there, he killed 63 bears. Mr. Sutton kept the bear meat for his share. Grand dad brought home the bear hides for his share. "Old Dobbins", the horse, pulled the sled from Sutton to Toll Gate. Grand dad and Old Dobbins took the hides to Parkersburg, W.Va, and sold them to a Flat Boat man, and he took them to New Orleans, Louisiana and they were put on the world market." (Notes re: Sutton from Braxton Co Website ) John D. Sutton, who had visited the site of Sutton in 1798 returned to the Elk country in 1809, exchanging his home in Alexandria, Virginia, for the new wilderness cabin. On his previous visit he had examined 7,000 acres lying on Granny's Creek and the Elk River which his father John Sutton, a London merchant, had purchased out of the John Allison survey. The beauty of the area appealed to him and finally brought him back to the Elk to found the town that now bears his name.In 1810, John D. Sutton moved to the present site of Sutton, which, at the time, was known as Newville.The first meeting of the county court took place on April 11, 1836 at the home of John D. Sutton. Sutton, the county seat, had been chartered as a town by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on January 27, 1826. Originally located in Nicholas County, it had been known as Newville and later as Suttonville. The town's name was changed to Sutton on March 1, 1837 and it was incorporated on February 20, 1860. A few years later his father came from Alexandria and lived with his son until his death in 1825. The founder of the town died 14 years later at Sutton.
July 18, 1833 Receiving $60/year pension Rev War Indian spy (Rev War pension records).Area where the family lived was first Wood, then Ritchie in 1843, then Doddridge in 1845.
On June 1, 1840 Richard Dotson was age 88 and living with James Dotson (Census).
April 17, 1847 Last Rev War pension payment made. $30 for 6 months pension from 4th day of September 1846 to 4th day of March 1847. So, it is assumed he died after 4/14/1847 and before September 1847. He is buried in the Arnold Creek Cemetery.
(From Carla Underwood): To find the gravesite: Exit at the Greenwood Exit off of Route 50. Go down a hill into the community of Greenwood. At the bottom of the hill, turn right onto a road that turns back toward the Interstate. This is Long Run Road. Follow it for approximately 2 or 2 1/2 miles. On the right side of the road there is a creek. Across the creek and up on the hill, you will see the cemetery. It is behind a farm. I think it is the farm of Bill Robinson. It is called Arnold Creek Cemetery, but there is no sign anywhere. The church is about another mile or so further on the left. Just past the church is where Long Run Road meets the Deep Valley community.
Neither Richard Dotson's ancestors nor documentation on his first two wives has been located. It has been reported in several places that Richard descends from Abraham Dodson and Elizabeth Dameron, with family names of Smoot, Minor, Hollyday and Washington intermarrying with Richard or his ancestors. Several researchers believe this information may have come from someone selling fraudulent genealogies.
In 1987, Gladys Pearl Cyphers Wilson of Fairmont WV contributed a version of Richard's ancestry to the authors of "The Dodson (Dotson) Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia". She also donated all her genalogical records to the Genealogical Library in Fairmont WV. Walter Dotson examined some of her documents in October 1999. Mrs. Wilson reported that Samuel Dotson b abt 1675 married Sarah Smoot, sister of William Smoot. She says they came on the ship Assurance to America from England. She also claimed Abraham Dotson b 1/13/1690 in England was his son and that Abraham m. Elizabeth Dameron b. 4/18/1692. Their son Thomas Dotson b. 11/4/1731 m. Frances Minor and they had two sons, Thomas and Richard. She also stated "According to a Monongalia history, Richard Dotson had a family by his first wife, all of whom, except William who was away visiting, were killed by Indians. The first family of children were Peter, Sarah and John R killed by the Indians and William b 1777 Green Co., PA who married Mary Franks." However, when examining her records, Walt Dotson could find no source documents.
Two researchers who gathered a tremendous amount of accurate Dotson lineage, Barr Wilson and Bertha Dotson Sellers both published the above information. In 1992 Barr Wilson explained that hewas unable to document the information and that he also believed it originated from a person selling fraudulent genealogy. Apparently Bertha Sellers received this information from a Hazel Seevers (another Dotson descendant) who had intended to publish her findings but, instead, turned them over to Bertha Sellers.
According to Jim Dotson, co-author with Barr Wilson of "Richard Dotson 1752-1847 and his Descendants" (1992),known Dodson/Dotson males living in Frederick/Shenandoah Co at time of Richard's birth who could be his father are John, Peter, Charles, Samuel, William, David and Thomas Sr. (Dodson would probably have been last name for all). There are "clues" that suggest Richard's ancestors may have been descendants of Charles Sr. Dodson of Farnham Parish, Richmond Co, VA; -or- of Thomas Dodson m. Katherine Savill of NJ and later MD -or- of Thomas and son Michael Sr. Dodson of PA.
None of the above theories on Richard's ancestry has been documented to date.
Source: Renick
Mary was born 1755. She married Richard DOTSON on 1775.
They had the following children:
M i William DOTSON was born 1776 and died 1865.
Joseph CHEUVRONT was born 1757 in Strasbourg, France. He married Elizabeth ELSWORTH.
Joseph Cheuvront was born February 1, 1757 in Strasbourg, France. Baptismal certificate for Joseph Cheuvront reads: Republic of France, Archives of the town of Strasbourg, Registration of Baptism. Catholic Parish, St Laurent Cathedral, 1757, Book N. 70, page 307 "Today, the second day of February in the year one thousand seven hundred fifty seven, by me the Rector, signed below, at the Cathedral Church of Argentine was baptized Joseph, son of Francis Chevron and Nicola Febvre, a married pair, who have lived in this parish two months. The birth was yesterday. The godfather was Joseph Brutan living in the parish of St. Louis and the godmother, Regina Pelliceir, all who have written below
In February 1777, at Germany Valley in Augusta Co, Virginia, he married the Elsworths’ daughter, Elizabeth. Sometime in 1778 he went with the Elsworths to Rockingham County, Virginia, now the North Fork District Pendleton County, West Virginia. He learned farming in the Germany Valley, where the Hinkles had settled some years previously
Source: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/e/n/Betty-D-Renick/FILE/0026page.html
Elizabeth ELSWORTH married Joseph CHEUVRONT.
They had the following children:
M i Aaron CHEUVRONT was born 1782.
Joseph HYLBERT was born 1776 in Germany.
Notes for Joseph Hylbert:
Family tradition says he came to United States from Germany to Pennsylvania in1798. Joseph's wife's name is unknown.
Found a record that on October 1, 1754 a Johannes Hilbert came on the Ship Phoenix with Captain John Spurrier. Ship sailed "from Rotterdam. last from Cowes. Inhabitants from Franconia, the Palatinate, and Zwesbrucken." (From "Thirty Thousand Names of Immigrants" by Prof I Daniel Rupp, originally published in 1876.
There are records of Hilberts in New York and PA in 1700's. James Conrad Hilbert was born in 1787 in NY and was the son of a John C Hilbert. There is also a record of a John Hilbert who was a Hessian deserter who was given a VA land grant. We have no records that these persons were related to our ancestors.
I was doing some research on this family last Friday at the Berks Co Gen Soc in Laureldale, PA. They have an extensive collection of family group sheets that address elements of this family. In addition, I found a very substantial presence of the Hilbert family, including Johannes, in the volumes of Berks Co. church records. I found a large number of Hilberts in the records of Christ Church on Bieber's Creek. (See "Berks County Church Records of the 18th Century, " Family Line Publications, 1993, various volumes.) Unfortunately, I did not have the time to check them all out before the library closed. I am still trying to untangle my notes on this family, but I thought I would share this with you immediately. I am in search of the origins of Catherine Hilbert, who married Jacob Unger of Adams County in about 1828. They lived in Washington Co., OH. I think Catherine may have been a descendant of Johannes Hilbert, through her father John, who may have been John Balthasar/Baltzer Hilbert, or, conceivably one of his sons. I look forward to sharing.
chrishll@erols.com
Source: Renick
He had the following children:
M i John William HYLBERT was born 12 Oct 1792 and died 1830.
Robert GWINN was born 1725 in Wales. He died in Calf Pasture, Augusta County, VA. Robert married Jean KINCAID on 1739 in Wales.
Robert Gwinn, born in Wales, settled in Augusta County, Virginia before 1744. In 1746 he was appointed constable at the head of the Great Calfpasture River (near present—day Staunton) in Augusta County, Virginia. (Source: Early Augusta Pioneers, by G. W. Cleek, Staunton, Virginia, 1952.
Source:http://www.gwinnreunion.org/book/part2.html
In the early 17OO’s, Augusta County, Virginia extended into what is now southern West Virginia almost as far as the Ohio River, and this area, called West Augusta, was still the wild, and for the most part, unsettled frontier. The scattered settlements were often attacked by Indians, and settlers formed companies of militia, with the approval of the colonial government of Virginia, to defend themselves. The family of Robert Gwinn was heavily involved in this defense, as were the other settlers at the head of the Calfpasture. Robert Gwinn served in the early Colonial Wars (against the Indians) in 1756 in Captain William Preston’s Company of Rangers. David Gwinn, son of Robert, accompanied Captain Charles Lewis on a rescue mission to the Muskingum River in Ohio to restore Isabella Kincaid, daughter of William Kincaid, to her family. Isabella had been a captive of the Indians for some time, and when the rescue party found her, she wore Indian dress and was hardly recognizable. David Gwinn, so the story goes, was able to identify her because her little toe was missing. It had accidentally been cut off, before her capture, by her brother when chopping wood. Later, David Gwinn served as lieutenant and captain in the Revolutionary War. The Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution placed a memorial marker at his grave, located in the cemetery at Clover Creek Church, near the site of old Fort George in Highland County, Virginia.
Source: http://www.gwinnreunion.org/book/
Jean KINCAID was born 1725 in AlbemarleCounty, VA. She married Robert GWINN on 1739 in Wales.
They had the following children:
M i Capt. David GWINN was born 1742 and died 1822. M ii James GWINN was born 1744 and died 1804. M iii Samuel GWINN Sr. was born 1745 and died 1839. M iv Robert GWINN Jr. was born 1746 and died 1818. M v Simon GWINN was born 1748. F vi Agnes GWINN was born 1750 and died 1795. M vii First Lt. Joseph GWINN was born 1753 and died 1817. F viii Nell GWINN. M ix Thomas GWINN was born 1755.
First Lt. Joseph GWINN [Parents] was born 1753 in Highland, VA. He died 1817. Joseph married Mary Jane KINCAID.
Mary Jane KINCAID married First Lt. Joseph GWINN.
William LOCKRIDGE married Agnes GWINN.
Agnes GWINN [Parents] was born 1750. She died 1795. Agnes married William LOCKRIDGE.
Thomas GWINN [Parents] was born 1755. He married Elizabeth LOCKRIDGE on 1800.
Elizabeth LOCKRIDGE married Thomas GWINN on 1800.
dau. of Sam’1. Lockridge
Capt. David GWINN [Parents] was born 1742 in NC. He died 1822 in Clover Creek, Highland, VA. David married Viola CRAWFORD on 1790.
Other marriages:CARLISLE, Jane
Viola CRAWFORD married Capt. David GWINN on 1790.
They had the following children:
F i Isabella GWINN was born 1796. F ii Margaret GWINN "Peggy" was born 1795. She died 1847. F iii Rachel Violet GWINN was born 1802 and died 1847. F iv Susan Henderson GWINN was born 1804. She died 1853. M v David Stephenson GWINN was born 1809. He died 1879.
Capt. David GWINN [Parents] was born 1742 in NC. He died 1822 in Clover Creek, Highland, VA. David married Jane CARLISLE on 1769.
Other marriages:CRAWFORD, Viola
Jane CARLISLE married Capt. David GWINN on 1769.
They had the following children:
F i Agnes GWINN was born 1771. M ii John W. GWINN was born 1772.
John W GWINN was born in 1772 in , VA. He was baptised into the LDS church. He was endowed. He was sealed to parents. Parents: David GWINN Capt. and Jane CARLISLE.
He was married to Margaret BRADSHAW on 12 JAN 1809 in , Bath, VA. He was sealed to spouse on 3 AUG 1972. Children were: David GWINN, John Wesley GWINN, Jane GWINN, Elizabeth A GWINN, Nancy M C GWINN, Luella GWINN.
He was married to Lydia GUM in 1839 in , Greenbrier, WV(VA). Children were: James K P GWINN, Caleb GWINN, Eleanor GWINN.M iii James GWINN was born 1774. He died 1848. F iv Mary GWINN "Polly" was born 1776 in VA. F v Elizabeth GWINN was born 1778 in VA. F vi Jane GWINN was born 1790. She died 1856. F vii Sarah GWINN was born 1782. F viii Nancy GWINN was born 1784. M ix Robert GWINN was born 1785 in Bath, VA.
Robert GWINN Jr. [Parents] was born 1746. He died 1818 in KY. Robert married Sally LOCKRIDGE.
Sally LOCKRIDGE married Robert GWINN Jr..
dau. of Sam’l. Lockridge