3GGrandson of Charles Dodson from N. Farnham Parish, VA, married twice, ancestor to many, many Dotson Researchers in and around AR/MO/OK. ∼William Abraham "Bart" parents were:
Lambeth Dodson/Dotson III 1751–1814
Hannah Witt 1759–1850

Some believe he was born in NC; however others believe he was born and raised in Granger Co, TN.

William & known siblings:
Charles Dodson 1740–1803
Esau Dodson 1754–1832
Richard Dodson 1757–1829
Jane Dodson 1775–1850
Elizabeth "Betsy" Dodson 1776–1860
Reuben Dodson 1777–1804
John Dodson 1778–1855
William Abraham "Bart" Dotson 1783–1861
Jefferson Dodson 1785–
James Dodson
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William was the father of 16 children: 11 by his first wife & 5 by his second.
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He married Elizabeth "Nancy" A. Raynor in NC about 1797. They had 11 children:
Stephen Dotson 1797–1882
Archibald "Arch" Dotson 1802–1874
George Jefferson Dotson 1811–1880
Doctor "Dock/Docky" Floyd Dotson SR 1813–1904
Edmond Dotson 1817–1887
Allen Dotson 1818–1865
Jennie Dotson 1822–
Noah Dotson 1827–1860
Eli Dotson 1829–
Robert Dotson 1839–1903
Thomas Dotson
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In 1800, William was listed in the census of Rockingham Co, NC. In 1803, he witnessed the deed of a land sale by Ambrose & Sally White of Stokes County, North Carolina.

William & Nancy were living in Rockingham County on November 11, 1805, when they sold land they owned in Henry Co, VA to John Dodson of Henry County.

After the birth of their first two children they moved to Granger Co, TN, where some of their children grew to adulthood & were married. From there they moved to McMinn, Co, TN, where William became well established in the community and served as Justice of the Peace.

He was a bondsman for some marriages in Grainger County: in 1809 for the marriage of George Lovel and Rebecca Nickings; in 1810 for John Lane and Elizabeth Lovel; and in 1818 for Brown B. Rookard and Nancy Norris.

By 1830, William was living in McMinn Co. He was also a Justice of the Peace while living in McMinn County. The marriage record for for Mosey Casey and Elizabeth Coe on January 17, 1834 shows him signing as Justice of the Peace.

Some of his sons (George, John, Edmond, and Allen) were married while living here. There may have been a double wedding on August 28, 1829 when George and John were married. George married Sarah Smith and John married Elizabeth Fields. Edmond married Susannah Casey on February 14, 1840, and later that year, on October 15th, Allen married Martha Arnwine. Some of William's children lived in Roane and Rhea counties of Tennessee.

By 1837 their sons, George Jefferson and Doctor Floyd, had moved to Madison County, AR. They were impressed with the opportunities of this new wilderness and no doubt influenced him to join them.

Nancy died in McMinn Co, about 1839.

By 1840 William was living in Madison Co near his sons.

William's second marriage was to Clarissa Cook in Madison Co, AR about 1845. She was much younger than him. Their children were:
William Hugh Dotson
Nancy Dotson
Bloomington E. Dotson
Glasco Robert Dotson
David Crockett Dotson

William & Clarissa's first child, William Hugh, was born in 1847. Madison County court records show them selling land by 1846.

In 1849, he made a claim to land in Township 16, Range 24, NW NW, Section 9.
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On Nov. 9, 1850,
William & Clarissa Dotson, ages 67 & 30, lived in Bowen, Madison Co, AR. William, a farmer, owned land valued at $1300.
Household Members
William Dotson 67 (born in NC)
Clarissa Dotson 30 (NC)

Isabella Dotson 12 (TN - daughter of William & Nancy)
William Dotson 4 (AR - son of William & Clarissa)
Bloomington S Dotson 2 (AR - son of William & Clarissa)

Nancy Cook 65 (NC - Clarissa's mother)
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William acquired large land holdings. One of his great-grandsons said "he owned land for miles up and down the valley in which he lived, nine miles from Huntsville." Over the years records show that he purchased several land patents, which totaled 600 acres.

On August 31, 1860,
William & Clara C. Dotson lived in Wharton Creek, Madison Co, AR. Their post office was in Huntsville. Their real estate & personal wealth was valued at $7000 & $4000.
Household Members
William Dotson 77 (born in NC)
Clara C Dotson 50 (NC)
Children - all born in AR
Wm H Dotson 13
B E Dotson 12
Nancy Dotson 10
G R Dotson 8
D C Dotson 6

Clarissa was 50, although 10 years before her age was shown as 30 and seemed to vary over the years.
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William died in Huntsville on January 2, 1861, just before the start of the Civil War. William had made a will but failed to name an executor. This caused a problem with his estate which had to be resolved by the Madison County Probate Court. They found the will to be valid and appointed Clarissa Dotson and David Gilliland as administrators. In August 1862 Clarissa appeared before the court again, to resign her position as administrator. At this time she was appointed "Guardian of the minor heirs of the estate."
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A narrative, contributed by one of his great-grandchildren, has provided a considerable amount of colorful information about family life on William’s farm in Madison Co, AR. It includes the traumatic story of how Clarissa & her son were tortured during the Civil War. As with any account taken from memory, there are some errors as far as dates and family relationships are concerned. This book, A History of the Harwoods and Dotsons, by James B. Harwood, published on November 25, 1902, Fort Smith Arkansas, follows:

In it one of Fountain Dotson's grandchildren gives this account of William and his family:

"WILLIAM ABRAHAM DOTSON, familiarly known as "BART" Dotson was born and raised in Grainger County, Tennessee. He was born in 1780 and came to Madison County, Arkansas, prior to the Civil War, together with two brothers, Noah and Jeff Dotson, who later went to Texas and were not heard of after the war.

GRANDFATHER 'BART,' as we called him, at the beginning of the war had accumulated quite a fortune in land, slaves and money. Always had large sums of money in his house-all gold and silver. I have seen in his house at one time two bags of silver that it took two of the strongest Negro men to move one of them and gold that would fill a half-bushel measure.

He owned land for miles up and down the valley in which he lived, nine miles from Huntsville, the county site. He had much money loaned to the business men of Huntsville when the war came on, which was later returned to his estate. Emancipation had not taken place at the time of his death, which was in January, 1862.

The old slaves, as I remember them were called "Jurd," "London," "Thene" (Bethena), we called her "Mamatena." Then there was "Sam," "Sneed", "Mary," "Em," "Alse," and "Dick." Directly after grandfather's death, Jurd, London and Thene were "put on the block" and Thene was bought by a Mr. Smith, who at once started South with her. My father, hearing of it, followed a day's journey and persuaded Smith to sell her back to him. After much persuasion, they agreed on a price of $175, which my father paid him in gold and silver and brought Mamatena back home. She had nursed my mother and her father in their infancy and was rejoiced to return to our house. She remained with us after her freedom until the war was ended, when she and her daughter, Emeline, took up residence near by where she died a few years after the war at the age of 110. Emeline is still there. All others of the slaves scattered out, no telling where. Some, I know, went to Missouri. At Springfield a few years ago I ran across two of their descendants wearing the old names of "Arch" and "Noah" Dotson.

It is indeed safe to say that never after their freedom did they fare as well as they did before. Before the war they had no cares whatever. Food and raiment abundantly supplied them. They had always had half a day to themselves every Saturday, sometimes all the day. Every year they were allowed 'truck patches' in which to raise anything they wanted to sell for 'pin money.' This was the custom among all slave owners of my knowing.

Around their cabins at night was spent some of the happiest hours of my life in partaking of their 'Johnny cakes' and popcorn, listening to their songs and music and watching them pat and dance. I never knew of but two of them being whipped. Mary was whipped once to break her from the habit of stealing. Sam stole out my grandfather's favorite horse one night and rode him to town. To keep from being missed he ran the horse probably all the way there and back-nine miles. Next day the horse was nearly dead. Sam was soon 'caught up with,' and when asked why he did it he said he wanted 'a plug of tobakker.' The boy was tied up to a young apple tree in the yard and Jurd was ordered to 'lay on' so many lashes. Mary had been tied to the same tree. Uncle Jurd didn't 'lay on' to harm much in either case. The scare was worse than the lash and Mary screamed like she was dying.

A great many funny things happened among the darkies. One of the best jokes was on Sneed. That day cooking stoves were a thing of the future, the old fashioned fire-place with 'dog irons,' and 'racks' and 'dinner pots' were the common thing in the fire-place.

Grandmother had ordered a kettle of hominy to be made. They boiled it in lye. Sneed was passing the cook-house and spied the cooking hominy. Lifting up the ladle full he thought it done enough to eat and proceeded to fill his hat. Looking around he saw grandmother coming. Forgetting that the hominy was hot and thinking to hide it, he slapped his hat back on his head and ran away. A day or two later all the 'wool' had 'slipped from his noggin' and it was many a day before he heard the last of it.

The Dotsons, as well as my father, were Democrats and also opposed to secession, but their sympathies was with the South. On a certain 'muster day' in 1861, Uncle John Dotson in controversy with one Benjamin Pigman, who was a rabid secessionist, either had to take an insult or play the part of a coward. He quickly shot at Pigman but missed his mark and shot Hugh Roger through the thigh. Friends interfered and the difficulty was stopped. He and Uncle Abe were both quite young and to stop further trouble on account of the shooting and to review the old scenes of their childhood immediately turned their faces toward the old home in Tennessee where they joined the Confederate forces and were afterwards killed in the trenches at Vicksburg.

Uncle Jim (James L.) went out with the first Confederate soldiers from Huntsville and fought under General Sterling Price at the battle of Pea Ridge in Hindman's Division. After the battle of Pea Ridge and in camp, 20 miles below Fort Smith, he was taken severely sick. His wife (Isabelle) and grandmother (Clarissa) made their way to him and managed to get him home, where he lay at death's door for many weeks. When able to get out again the army had gone far South. The country was then flooded with Northern soldiers, "Federals" we called them, and from his part of the country there was no way of escape. Many who had undertaken to get away were killed in the attempt. He quietly submitted to the condition of things and made the best of it he could, ever afterwards surrounded by "blue coats" and their followers.

Bloom Dotson, at the age of sixteen, while guarding mail from Van Buren to Fort Smith, was fired upon from ambush and killed. Grandmother understood that he was buried by the roadside and made long and diligent search for the grave, but in vain. It is supposed that his remains are among the 'unknown dead' in the Federal cemetery here where the Blue and the Grey are resting under the shadow of the same wall.

My grandfather, before his death, had appointed his friend, Davy Gilliland, executor of his estate, and when the war came up, Gilliland had the money left in his possession. After the Northern forces came in and times grew dangerous, he was afraid to keep the money with him, so he took it home to grandmother, hauling it in a two-axle cart. It was only a short time after he carried it to her, until the money was demanded of him. There was nothing for him to do but tell the facts in the case, as they understood that he had been or was executor of the estate and demanded the papers relative thereto.

With papers in their possession, they proceeded to the home of my grandmother. They demanded the money of her, but she refused to give it up. She at first told them that she knew nothing about it; did not have it. They confronted her with the papers from Gilliland, showing the amount, dollar for dollar. Still she refused to give it up. Then taking her and her son, Glasco, who was then at home, some distance from the house to the edge of the timber, where there was a sorghum mill, they took ropes and hung grandmother to the beam of the mill, the boy to a dogwood tree nearby, until life was almost extinct. When they were let down, and upon recovery were given an opportunity to tell where their money was hid. Upon their refusal to tell they were again drawn up, let down and drawn up a third time, and a third time taken down. Upon recovery the third time the boy exclaimed; "Mother if I had any money I would give it to them," but she still held out and refused to tell where it was.

As a last resort, still leaving the rope around grandmother's neck, they mounted their horses. One of them, winding the rope around the horn of his saddle, started back to the house. When close to a creek between the mill and the house the horse was made to go in a trot, thus throwing grandmother to the ground. In that position they dragged her through the creek. Taking her up on the other side, more dead than alive, she agreed to give it up. Having the papers in their possession, she knew it was of no use to try to give up only part of the money, a fact which they made very emphatic.

She had it hidden in seven different places and in as many different kinds of vessels. A portion of it was in a 'dinner pot' and two other portions were in 'fat gourds,' another in a cedar 'piggin.' People now-a-days would hardly know what kind of vessels these were, but anyone who lived before the war was familiar with them. The gourds were grown for the purpose and were used for putting away lard-would hold from three to five gallons. The 'piggin' was a cedar pail with one stave on the side larger than all the rest and curved at the top to make the handle. These were hidden in the fence corners of a turnip patch not far from the house and were filled with silver. The gold, one portion, was in a half-gallon tin cup, another in a quart cup. These were placed under the floor and on the sill of the back porch to the dwelling house. A broad hearthstone at the fire-place was raised, a hole dug, and the balance, wrapped in a newspaper, was buried there. They got it all and thus went the bulk of their fortune.

William Abraham Dotson and his wife, Clarissa, although I called them grandfather and grandmother, repeating after my mother, were really my great-grandfather and great- grandmother. Fontaine Dotson, my grandfather, was born in Grainger County, Tennessee, but lived and died in Rhea County. Just before the Civil War he had made three trips to Arkansas with a view of locating near his father. Starting on his last trip, he told his friends he would move to Arkansan if he lived, and on that trip he contracted for a large body of land near Kingston, on King's River, in the same county, twelve miles from his father.

I remember quite well when he returned to Tennessee from the last trip, of his alighting from his carriage when he got home and of meeting him at the gate. Remember that he wore a high, black silk hat, commonly known as the 'gum' hat, and had a shawl on his arm. I remember well the crimson flush of his cheeks and that he complained of a severe headache. He called for a bed and immediately laid down and never again got up. That was on Monday morning. On Wednesday my grandmother was also taken ill. On Thursday he died; and on Friday she died and they were buried on Saturday. Such were the ravages of typhoid fever prevalent in that day.

He died possessed of considerable estate, much of which was divided among his children a short time after his death by his uncle Allen Dotson, whom he had appointed executor. Later G. W. Wallace was appointed executor for the purpose of winding up the estate and when the Civil War came on, and after the heirs had all come to Arkansas, several thousand dollars were in the hands at Wallace, as at this time is shown by the records in the court house at Washington, the county site of Rhea County."
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Clarissa lived 35 after William died, dying in June 1897. They are buried in the lower Wharton Creek Cemetery in Madison Co. They share one headstone. William's inscription is on the east side and Clarissa's on the west.
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Researched and compiled by Virginia Brown