Individual Details

Married Elizabeth Bates 22 Oct 1789, Halifax Co VA. She is said to be the daughter of Fleming Bates and granddaughter of John Bates of Halifax Co. [I believe she was NOT the daughter of Fleming Bates, see next.]

Disclaimer. Elizabeth Bates can be found in online databases as the daughter of at least three Bates couples: John Bates & wife Chloe - his will of 1777 named a presumably unmarried daughter as Elizabeth; he also had a son Fleming. James Bates who married a Hix, her given name seen several ways. And Fleming Bates, no wife ever named. I have not seen the document, but it is cited in various places that the marriage record was "signed by Fleming Bates", as well as by both Elizabeth and Presley Dodson - I assume that Fleming was the bondsman, a task often accepted by the father or a brother of the bride, and I do not believe an actual relationship was stated. A Fleming Bates "Jr" is said to have been one of the witnesses to the will of John - since those who are benefit from a will are not supposed to be recipients, it would seem there were at least two Bates of that name living in Halifax. A Fleming Bates was certainly a contemporary of Elizabeth - he was a minister, married a Milner, and removed to South Carolina. In depth study of the records of the Bates in Halifax Co would be necessary to attempt to untangle this problem. Without seeing the actual records, it does seem that the most reasonable parentage was John Bates & Chloe Mayes.


Pittsylvania Co VA DB 12
p.209 17 Oct 1800 Presley Dodson of Halifax to William Dodson of Pttsy. 150£. North side of Tobies Crk, 200a. Begin on Tobies Crk with Charles Walls line, to Beverley Barksdale line, lands of John Caldwell dec'd to Tobies Creek, down the crk to the beginning. Being the land that Elisha Dodson dec'd gave to sd Presley Dodson. Signed: Presley Dodson
Wit: Achilles Whitlock, Wm Barksdale, Fleming Bates, Champness Terry 20 Oct 1800 proved by three witnesses
p.214 17 Oct 1800 Henry Cook of Halifax to Presley Dodson of Halifax. 150£ Land in the counties of Pittsylvania & Halifax on waters of upper Double Crk. 209 1/2a Signed: Henry Cook. Wit: Fleming Bates, Achilles Whitlock, William Dodson, Wm Barksdale, Champness Terry. 20 Oct 1800 proved by witnesses

Pittsylvania DB 13
p.98 22 May 1802 Henry Cook of Halifax to Achilles Whitlock . 177#'s, 2sh. Tract on upper double Crrek, 99 and ¼ acres. Begin at corner pine, metes & bounds. Signed: Henry Cook. Wit: Wm Barksdale, Samuel Walker, Bird Moore, Bartlett Cates, Presley Dodson, John Dismukes, Archer Walters, Jas. Richarson, Wm Walters, Robert Carter, Benjamin Marable, Stepn Edwards, Fleming Bates. 20 Sep 1802 Ack. By Henry Cook


Pittsylvania Co VA DB 15
p.33 7 Jan 1806 Presley Dodson & Elizabeth his wife of Halifax to John Everett of Caswell NC. 140£ tract in Pittsylvania & Halifax on waters of Wolf HillCreek, 119 12 acres. Begin Achilles Whitlock's line, Mary Durrett's line, Polley Richardson's line, Devereaux Hightower's line, Bristol's line. Signed: Presley Dodson
Wit: William Newbill, Epp.Everett, William Richardson, James M??? Jr.
17 Feb 1806 proved by two of wit. 21 Apr - the third wit proved & ordered recorded
p.237 Robert Walters & Benjamin Watkins, Gent. Justices. Presley Dodson sale of 7 Jan 1806. Elizabeth his wife cannot travel. 19 May 1806.
6 Dec 1806. Robert Walters & Benja Watkins obtained Elizabeth Dodson's dower release.


Presley sold land in Pittsylvania on 20 Oct 1800 to his brother William. In 1806 Presley and Elizabeth Bates Dodson sold to John Everett (probably a relative] of Caswell Co NC land on Wolf Hill Creek in Pittsylvania Co. He was involved in a court case from 1804-1809 accusing William Newbill of trespassing. Eventually Devereaux Hightower & John Echols would be called upon to settle the affair. Presley paid taxes in Pittsylvania up to 1809. He next appeared in the minutes of County Line Baptist Church in Oglethorpe Co GA where he is noted as being an "tranccent" member of this church on 3 Oct 1807. 2 Jan 1808, Presley and Elizabeth presented their letter for membership in this church. They applied for dismissal on 1 Dec 1810, perhaps to move to Union Church. In May of 1821 as Rev. Presley Dotson he helped organize the 1st Baptist Church of Wetumpka, AL. [This is the town where my husband and I now live. Certainly was a surprise to find this connection.] Elizabeth probably died in AL in 1823/1824, because Presley returned to Alabama to marry Anne Davis. Presley and Anne then moved to Maury Co Tennessee where she had sisters living.

Presley Married (2) Ann C. Davis 24 Nov 1824 in Pittsylvania Co VA. Ann was the daughter of Asa Davis.

1830 Census. Maury Co, TN
Presley Dodson: 1m under 5, 1m 15-20, 1m 60-70. 1f under 5, 1f age 70-80

Presley married (3) Ann Harper, Anne Davis having died prior to 1830. There are land purchases in Maury Co TN between 1828-1834 and in Autauga Co AL in 1836-37. He died in Maury Co TN.

Tennessee Grant #12294. Entry No. 613, dated 8 Jul 1831, made in the land office of Maury County to Presley Dodson. 13 and 1/4 acres surveyed 1 Nov 1831, on the waters of Snow Creek. Beginning at a bush near Bluff Spring on the Old Military line, the NW corner of the tract where said Dodson lives. Mentions lines of John Randolph, Eli Dodson. 20 Jan 1834.

US General Land Office patent - Autauga Co, AL #33540
28 July 1838
Grant to Presley Dodson, the East 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 6, Township 38, Range 14, in lands subject to sale at Cahaba. 77.50 acres.
This grant apparently arrived posthumously, but his heirs would have needed it to sell as directed in his will.


Children of Presley DODSON and Elizabeth BATES are:
i.Fleming DODSON was born 1790 in Halifax County,Virginia, and died 7 MAY 1861 in Autuaga County,Alabama.
ii.Jerome DODSON was born Abt 1792 in Halifax County,Virginia, and died 11 MAR 1838 in Dickson County, Tennesse. He married Margaret TATE 4 AUG 1826.
iii.Coleman DODSON was born Abt 1795 in Virgina, and died 1846 in Autauga County,Alabama.
iv.Elizabeth Alford DODSON was born 1808 in Halifax County,Virginia, and died 15 MAR 1878 in Madison County,Mississippi. She married Ephraim WALLACE 3 FEB 1825 in Autauga County, Alabama.

Children of Presley DODSON and Ann DAVIS are:
i.Catherine DODSON was born Bet. 1824-1829.
ii.Elisha DODSON was born Bet. 1824-1829.

Children of Presley DODSON and Ann HARPER are:
i.Mary Ann DODSON.
ii.George W. DODSON was born Abt 1832.
iii.Andrew Jackson DODSON was born 1833 in Tennessee.

Will dated 29 Dec 1837, recorded Bk Y, p.139, Maury Co TN. All debts to be paid out of money coming from Coleman Dodson and sale of wagon & horses. Land in Maury Co on Snow Creek to be sold. All estate in Maury Co to be divided equally between Jerome, Catherine, and Elisha Dodson. Jackson, son, land in Autauga Co AL to be sold to the highest bidder and Coleman Dodson to have 1/4 [Coleman can pay executors $350 and the land in AL will be his]. Executors: Presley Dodson of Williamson Co [son of his sister Margaret], Beverly Dodson, Raleigh Dodson [grandsons of Margaret, sons of David by Fortunatus Dodson].
Signed: Presley Dodson
Witness: Amos Caldwell, R. Dodson
An entry in the court records of Autauga Co AL on 7 Feb 1838, states that Presley Dodson of Maury Co, TN had died.

Was his will recorded in two counties, or is one of these an error:
Presley DODSON whose will, dated 29 Deb 1837, recorded ?Williamson Co, TN, Bk Y, pps. 139/140, was witnessed by Amos CALDWELL, among others, and offered for probate in Williamson Co, TN in Feb 1838, proved by the oaths of Amos CALDWELL and R. DODSON, witnesses. Letters test. were issued to Raleigh DODSON, Beverly DODSON and Presley DODSON, executors, $4000 bond with Amos and John H. CALDWELL security. Amos CALDWELL was appointed guardian of Presley's minor heirs, Elisha W. and Andrew J. in Aug 1838.

Birth	Abt 1762	Hamilton Parish, Fauquier County, Virginia
Marriage	22 Oct 1789	Halifax County, Virginia - Elizabeth Bates
Marriage	24 Nov 1824	Pittsylvania County, Virginia - Ann C. Davis
Marriage	15 Oct 1831	Williamson County, Tennessee - Ann Harper
Death	1837	Maury County, Tennessee

Spouse

Elizabeth Bates (1761 - )

Spouse

Ann C. Davis ( - 1830)

Spouse

Ann Harper ( - )

Father	ELISHA DODSON (1727 - 1791)
Mother	SARAH Everett (1729 - )
Sibling	ELEANOR Dodson (1749 - 1816)
Sibling	Margaret "Peggy" Dodson (1750 - )
Sibling	Lydia Dodson (1752 - )
Sibling	Ruth Dodson (1754 - 1828)
Sibling	Jemima Dodson (1757 - )
Sibling	Sarah Dodson (1758 - )
Sibling	Tabitha Dodson (1759 - )
Sibling	Elisha Dodson Jr. (1761 - 1846)
Sibling	William Everett Dodson ( - 1821)