Third Generation


19. Greenham DODSON1,42 died before 25 August 1777. He was born in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia.26

In 1739, Greenham received from the will of his father a tract of land originally belonging to Charles Dodson Sr. It had been bequeathed to Lambeth, then fell to Thomas who gave it to Greenham. Greenham & Elinor Dodson sold it to Jeremiah Greenham in 1746. [Richmond DB 10, p.373] That same year they purchased land on Hurricane Creek in Raleigh Parish, Amelia County where they lived for about 17 years. According to a descendant they may have then moved to Halifax County but no other records have been found. A Greenham Dodson did sign the loyalty oath in Pittsylvania Co in 1777. One daughter, Judith, had her birth recorded, 6 Jan 1741, in North Farnham Parish. Son George is probably "George Dodson the Preacher".

This Note: Greenham's will said proved 25 Aug 1777; found in WorldConnect database is in direct conflict with the Dodson book who states that no record of his death has been found. There was no information re the location of the Will. I have not found this will.

Judith is the only child whose birth was recorded at North Farnum.

Rev. Elias Dodson's notes, written about 1860, state that the sons of Greenham were Thomas, Hightower, Rolly [Rawley or Rawleigh], William, George the Preacher.

Research from Ancestry Tree:
Greenham recieved by will of his father in 1739, a tract of land described thusly: "the whole tract of land I bought of Lambarth Dodson". This land, it turns out, was a tract bequeathed to Lambert by Charles Dodson, Sr. in 1705 and described as "my new dwelling plantation with 100 acres of land..." In 1746, Green Dodson and wife, Elinor, of North Farnham Parish, Richmond Co., sold this tract to Jeremiah Greenham, "all that tract of land whereon the sd Greenham and Elinor now lives." The deed gives a thorough history of the land [Richmond deed 10-373].
Greenham was one of the executors of the estate of his father, Thomas Dodson, Sr. He filed a suit in chancery court, Richmond Co., which is mentioned in the minutes for 3 July 1744 [Richmond Order Bk 11-406]: "Greenham Dodson, one of the executors of Thomas Dodson, dec'd in behalf of himself and the other children of sd Dodson" against Robert Galbreath. The defendant was given until next court to put in his answer. At the court of 7 May 1745 the case was heard and the court decreed 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 Testator's will, the sd Robert Galbreath in open court refusing to give security [Richmond OB 11-458].
In the same year that he sold his land (1746), Greenham and Elinor purchased from Hugh Williams and wife, Elizabeth, 444 acres in the Raleigh Parish of Amelia Co., VA on the north side of Hurricane Swamp (Creek). John and William Hightower were witnesses. They evidently lived in Amelia Co. for about seventeen years. In 1754, Hightower and Elinor of Nottaway Parish, Amelia Co., leased 29 acres of this tract to Petey Farguson "beginning at the mouth of the first branch out of Great Hurrican Creek below Farguson's Mill". In 1755, they leased for the term of 14 years, 50 acres of the tract to James Robinson "beginning at Cold Water Branch of Harrican Creek....adjoining Edward Echols and John Morgan". Greenham was sued twice for debt while living in Amelia Co.
In 1763, Greenham and Elinor Dodson of Amelia Co., sold the entire tract of 444 acres to John Hightower, Jr. (Hurricane Creek, a branch of Nottoway River, appears to have been in the area of Amelia Co. that was later created into Nottoway or Dinwiddie Co.) It was reported by a descendant, but we do not have the records, that Greenham and Elinor moved to Halifax Co., NC where they bought land which they sold in 1772. After this, Greenham and Elinor disappeared from records except that he is possibly the Greenham Dodson who signed a loyalty oath in Pittsylvania Co. in 1777. No record of their date and place of death has been found.
The birth of one child, Judith, was recorded in North Farnham Parish Register in 1741. The names of the other children come from the Rev. Elias Dodson manuscript. Quite possibly there were others about whom the Rev. Elias did not know, and he erroneously included among the list of their children "Rolly" Dodson who married Margaret Dodson (daughter of Elisha and widow of Fortune Dodson). Rolly (Raleigh) was actually the son of Raleigh Dodson, Sr. who died in Hawkins Co., TN.
The known children of Greenham and Elinor Dodson were:
Judith Dodson
Hightower Dodson
Thomas Dodson
George Dodson
William Dodson
Eleanor Dodson (Taylor) (2)

Greenham DODSON and Eleanor HIGHTOWER were married by 1740.26 Eleanor HIGHTOWER1, daughter of John HIGHTOWER and Mary [HIGHTOWER], was born on 10 January 1722 in Richmond County, Virginia.43

Greenham DODSON and Eleanor HIGHTOWER had the following children:

59

i.

Judith DODSON was born on 6 January 1741 in Richmond County, Virginia.13