Dodson, Thomas

* Name: Thomas Dodson
* Given Name: Thomas
* Surname: Dodson
* NSFX: Sr
* Title: Sr
* Sex: M
* Birth: 15 May 1681 in Jamestown, Virginia
* Death: 21 Nov 1740 in North Farnham Richmond County Virginia
* Burial: Nov 1740 North Farnham Richmond County Virginia
* Change Date: 30 Aug 2002 at 19:41
* Note:


Charles'' second son, Thomas Dodson, inherited a plantation "in a
neck formerly called the Rich Neck with a hundred and fifty
acres of land". Thomas would have been 24 years old at the time,
about three years married to Mary Durham. Mary Durham was the
daughter and probably a granddaughter of other Richmond County
tobacco planters. Her complicated and confusing ancestry is
discussed in the Hunt, Durham and Smoot section. According to
Cobari, the Thomas Dodsons had nine children, all born in
Richmond County:
George (Oct 31, 1702-1770); Margaret Dagord
David (abt 1704-abt 1740); Amy
Thomas Jr. (abt 1707-October 21, 1783) Elizabeth Rose, Ellenor
Sloan
Greenham (abt 1709) Elinore Hightower
Alice (abt 1711); William Creel
Mary (Oct 5, 1715)
Abraham (April 4, 1723-1768); Barbara Russell?
Joshua (May 25, 1725-1793); Ruth
Elisha (Feb 22, 1727 );Sarah Everett
Mary Durham Dodson''s father died in 1715 and left her five
thousand pounds of tobacco; fifteen hundred pounds to be paid by
my son Thomas Durham within nine months after the decease of my
wife and five hundred of the rest of the said tobacco to be paid
by my son John Durham at the decease of my wife. Thomas Durham
also made provision that if either of his sons produced no
heirs, land and tobacco were to be paid to his "grandson Thomas
Dodson and his heirs". Thomas and Mary Durham Dodson farmed
tobacco and inherited land from both sides of their family. In
1723, Mary''s brother Thomas Durham and his wife Mary sold or
assigned them property in Richmond County, 100 acres for the
"payment of one year from date of deed of rent of one ears of
Indian Corn on the feast Day of the birth of our Lord God".
Raising tobacco is labor -intensive work and at some point Thomas
Dodson felt the need to purchase slaves to help on the farm.
His will, marked and sealed on February 17, 1739, made provision
for numerous slaves, including women and boys. The other
disbursements of Thomas Dodson''s possessions was interesting.
Son Greenham was named the executor and he, George and Elisha
all received tracts of land. Abraham and Joshua, who would have
been teenagers though older than Elisha, each received a Negro
woman and a Negro boy plus one feather bed and furniture. Son
David must have proceeded Thomas Dodson in death, for his will
gives "my granddaughter, the daughter of David Dodson, 20
shillings". At her husband''s death, Mary Durham Dodson inherited
the plantation they lived on, all the Negroes belonging there
and all moveable estate for the length of her life. Three and a
half years later on September 29, 1743, Mary wed Robert
Galbreath. There are references in The Dodson Family of North
Farnsham Parish to a lawsuit brought by executor Greenham Dodson
the next year. At the chancery court in 1745 it was decided that
the complainant (Greenham) take possession of the estate for the
use of his mother, Mary Galbreath, during her coverture
according to the intention of the Testators Will, the said Robert
Galbreath in open court refusing to give security.
It''s not clear exactly what was happening here, though the
Oxford English Dictionary defines coverture as "the condition or
position of a woman during her married life, when she is by law
under the authority and protection of her husband". This would
suggest Galbreath perhaps wasn''t taking very good care of Mary
Durham Dodson Galbreath, who would have been 58 years old at the
time. Greenham thus took over the running of the Dodson estate.
We don''t know when Mary died.