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      Charles G. Dodson was born ca. 1817 (probably in the area of Culpeper County that is now Rappahannock County, Virginia).  I believe that the "G." stands for "Granison," "Granderson," or Grandison."  The names of his parents remain unknown at this time.

        On May 13, 1839, he made a marriage bond in Rappahannock Co., to marry "Sarah Lake, dau. of Nancy Lake, decd."  Jonas Atkins served as the bondsman.  On the same day, Charles G. Dodson and Sarah Lake were married in Rappahannock County by the Rev. William Covington.  Sarah Lake was born ca. 1813.

        I was unable to locate and records to indicate that Charles G. Dodson ever owned land.  I suspect that he was a "tenant farmer," hired hand, or something else of that nature because they tended to move between Rappahannock County and Page County (as their children’s birth records show).

Their children were:

Vienne/Vienna/Viann/Ann
        b. ca. 1840, location unknown
        d. before 1880
        m. Isaac/James Clendenin Dec. 27, 1858, Mason Co., VA (WV).
                Children:
                        Laura Catherine/Ann, 9/30/1859
                        Ida, 2/1861
                        Isabel/Rebecca, ca. 1863
                        Ada Florence, 4/10/1866
                        Mary C., ca. 1868
                        Harriett V., 2/24/1871
                        Ellen, ca. 1873

Virginia Frances
        b. Oct. 31, 1841, Rappahannock Co., VA
        d. Feb. 1920,
        m.Gideon S. Clendenin, son of John & Sarah Clendenin, Feb. 12, 1863, Mason Co.

       Children:
        Eva
        Sarah/Bell, 1/29/1863
        Van Warden, 1/29/1865
        Olivia/Ollie, 4/1866
        John, 1869
        Andrew M., 7/12/1870
        Arabelle/Erella, 5/12/1872
        Randolph/Adolph, 9/11/1874
        Mary, 3/2/1877
        Gideon, 3/4/1880
        Otha H., 5/1884

Caroline
        b. May 6, 1843, Page Co., VA
        m. 1st Samuel Edwards, Aug. 4, 1864, Mason Co., WV.
             (Son of Samuel & Sarah C. Lewis Edwards.  Samuel died 7/8/1874)
        m. 2nd Isaac Wade
                Children:
                        Lewis A.                8/6/1865
                        Sarah Frances           8/5/1866
                        John T.                 ca. 1868
                        James R.                3/4/1869
                        Mary B.                 ca. 1874

4.      Mary Eveline
        b. Mar. 26, 1845, Page Co., VA
        d. May 14, 1901, Mason Co, WV
        m.George W. Fisher, Aug. 29, 1867, Mason Co., WV.
           (George was born 1844, Mason Co., WV, son of George Washington
        Fisher & Lavinia Hart.  George died June 30, 1913, Mason Co.,WV.)
        Children:
                Sarah L.                ca. 1868
                Clarinda A.             11/1869
                Lylla                   6/1881
                Charles                 9/1884
                Ora B.                  9/1884

5.      Thomas M.
        b. Sept. 20, 1848, Page Co., VA
        d. Feb. 12, 1904, Mason Co., WV
        m.Ruhamma Missouri Edwards, Oct. 3, 1872, Mason Co., WV.
          (Ruhamma was the dau. of Lewis & Christina Catherine Gibbs Edwards)
        Children:
        James T.                8/22/1873       Mason Co., WV   d. 8/22/1873
        William N.              8/22/1873               "       d. 2//17/1876
        John Granison           11/1/1874               "       d. 7/5/1955
        Christina Elmira        3/1877                  "       d. 9/3/1954
        Lewis Park              2/26/1879               "       d. 6/4/1955
        Ollie Arbella           7/25/1881               "       d. 1966
        William Thomas          3/22/1884               "       d. 12/9/1952
        Sarah Frances           10/1/1888               "       d. 1966
        Clara Frances           10/1/1888               "       d. ?
        un-named twin           4/5/1892                "       d. 4/5/1892
        Oras Harrison           4/5/1892                "       d. ?

6.      Clarissa/Clara "sis"
        b. May 23, 1850, Page Co., VA
        d. 1915, Mason Co., WV
        m. Phyletus/Philetus Edwards, Sept. 22, 1870, Mason Co., WV.
         (Philetus was b. 4/27/1848, Mason Co., WV, the son of Albert &
                 Evaline Edwards)
        Children:
        Lora A./Laura B.        12/15/1871              WV
        Minnie E.               ca. 1874                WV
        Martha F.               ca. 1876                WV
        Charles Thomas "Turk"   5/4/1878        "Ten Mile," Mason Co. WV
        Benjamin T.             9/8/1888                WV

7.      Charles A.
        b. May 16, 1852, Rappahannock Co., VA
        d. Feb. 11, 1938, Columbus, Franklin Co., OH
        m.Sarah C./Sharlotte/Laura Fisher, Apr.16, 1874, Mason Co., WV.
                (Sarah was born 4/11/1852 in WV)
                Children:
                Amanda L.       1875
                Bertha A.       5/23/1877       Clifton, Mason Co., WV
                Charles M.      4/1/1879                "       d. 11/3/1954
                V. B.           7/1881          Mason Co., WV
                William B.      10/15/1883              "
                Jonathan Thomas 12/2/1885               "       d. 12/4/1885
                Cora F.         2/19/1887       WV              d. 1/30/1968
                Nellie G.       10/19/1892      Middleport, OH
                Pearl D.        6/9/1894                "       d. 1/16/1909

        Sometime between 1850 and 1860, Charles G. and Sarah Dodson moved from Rappahannock/Page Co., VA, to Mason Co., WV.  Family legend has it that they lost a child along the way.  No record of another child has been located, and this legend remains unconfirmed by this researcher to date (April 2000).

MILITARY SERVICE:

        Description:  6’1 ½", fair complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair.
        Occupation:  farmer

        Charles G. Dodson enlisted into the service on Aug. 15, 1862, at Point Pleasant, WV.  On October 9, 1862, he was mustered into Co. C., 13th WVI, also at Pt. Pleasant.  The company’s muster roll indicates that he was "present" in the company until Jan./Feb., 1864, when he was
reported to be "absent sick at his home in Mason Co., W. Va."  According to my research, the regiment would have been in camp at Barboursville, WV, at that time.  Coincidentally, it was also Feb. 1864 when Charles’daughter, Virginia Frances, was married to Gideon S. Clendenin in Mason Co.

        On July 24, 1864, while retreating from Kernstown, VA, Charles Dodson lost his "gun and accoutrements."  On August 26, 1864, while skirmishing at Halltown, WV, Dodson was wounded.  He was first treated at the field hospital at Sandy Hook, MD, and later transported to the U.S. Military Hospital in Frederick, MD.  On August 29, 1864, Dr. R.M. Mansfield treated him for a gunshot wound to the hip and a slight graze wound on his wrist.  Dr. Mansfield noted that he was in "…apparent good health generally…appetite good and says he feels well…."  On the morning of August 31, 1864, Charles suddenly died.  After performing a post mortem, Dr. Mansfield noted: "This is an obscure case there being no cause of death found."  Dodson was 46 years old.  He was first buried on the grounds of the military hospital in Frederick, and later reinterred in Antietam National Cemetery at Sharpsburg, MD.  His wife, Sarah was left with 4 children still living at home.  Sarah later received a pension of $8 per month, with an additional $2/mo. for the youngest child, Charles A. She died on April 20, 1891, and is buried in the  cemetery of the old Mission Ridge Church (no longer standing in that location) in Robinson District, Mason Co., WV.

To see muster information on Charles G. Dodson, visit the Antietam National Cemetery Database at the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War hompage.

(Submitted by Kim Brownlee)