The Greer Way West, the web page of the Nathaniel Hunt Greer Family Organization — This page was last updated on November 26, 2008.

Letter from Joel W Dodson to James & Matilda Lane

Begun 28 MAR 1873 & Finished 4 APR 1873

Scroll down to see information updated and highlighted in yellow since the 1st posting (October 19, 2008).

Before it was discarded and lost, this document was procured in 2007 by Mr Ron Carlisle from a Matthew Simeon Greer descendant who cared little for genealogy or family history. We are deeply indebted to Ron Carlisle for saving this document and sharing it with us.

To view an image of page 1 of this letter, click here.
To view an image of page 2 of this letter, click here.
To view an image of page 3 of this letter, click here.
To view an image of page 4 of this letter, click here.

[Transcription by William N Greer who added the footnotes that follow]

[page 1]

Tallapoosa County Ala March 28^th 73
Beloved Bro & Sister, James & Matilda Lane
and family & friends —

After a long delay I once more take my pen to write to you. My self & family are in about as good health as is usual for old people, I suppose not like young people — we learned from a letter you wrote to F C. Dodson, that he had written to you of the death of our son's John, Adoniram & Elijah we have strong hope that they have gone to a far better world than this. we mourn not as those who have no hope. They all left families in whose welfar we feel deeply interested. John's widow is in Shelby County with his father, she has 2 boys & 3 girls. Adoniram' widow is married & living in Chambers county. Dock left 3 boys, his oldest now 19 years old is living with us. Ann has had 4 children since she married, the 2^nd time — all fine hearty children. Elijah's widow married moved to Arkansas; there Elijah oldest child died. he left 2. One boy & one girl — we have lately heard. She is in Smith County Texas. how she is doing we know not, she married, rather a slack word. I think — I hope they may yet do well. — As the living children are scattered about, I will begin with them on the next page. her oldest Dickson child died.

[page 2]

Mr. Graves & Martha are living near to us they have 8 children, 3 boys & 5 girls their oldest (a daughter) is married. She married a Mr Robinson, a Bro to Johns & James' wives — they are doing very well, Martha has had some sickness this winter past, but is now doing well — their children all well & hearty as usual As to Franklin, you know from him as much as we could write, I hope he may get on well in Texas and think it would likely be to his interest to go to your County he writes us that his health is much better than it ever was, if he should ever come to your country, advise & counsel him as you would your own son, he will take it kindly — Elisabeth married a Mr Thomas W Phillips she had one son & Phillips died. Since she has married a Mr. Meadows & has two girls they are living some ten or twelve miles from us. doing reasonably well for poor folks. James W. who should have been mentioned before Frank is living in Shelby County. His wife has 5 living children 2 dead he is a very study & orderly man and a good worker, and if he gets a start will do well, speaks of going to Texas if he ever gets able. his address in "Columbianna Shelby County Ala" — write to him — he was 22 months a prisoner at Camp Douglas

[page 3]

We have just received a letter from B F Willson that informed us that himself & family were nearly all sick though not seriously. he says his address is High Shoals, Randolph County Ala — He wrote that he had just returned from a visit to Father Willson, whose health is very good, though blind & he will spend some time at Ben's this spring is probably there now. William is living with his pa at the same place. Caroline and her daughter Sally are also there. Sally has been ~~slossing~~ shlossing around for a year or two, & finally has come to her mother to be waited on a spell — this has created a muss in the family & Ben says there is less satisfaction in that family than in any he ever saw. I and Elviry went last summer & brought Father Willson to our house, he staid some five or six weeks, had several meetings in the vicinity round was very zealous & debated to religious exercises. when he took a notion to go home I took him in a wagon & carried him home. he enjoyed himself very well. Elisabeth & Sally Fincher are near us he was to see them once or twice, they are the only one's of the Coffman family left in Ala. they are doing well have lots of children — E. has 5 boys 1 girl, Sally 6 — 4 girls & 2 boys — John Coffman & most of his family are in Boone County Ark. Mountain Spring P. O None have died. All married

[page 4]

when in Georgia we staid a night at Fornbys saw his wife, a fine woman doubtless. also saw sister Lucindas childrens, made us feel sad to see the children of so good a mother left to chance as you may say. Today April 4th I am planting corn, have been plowing hard for two or three days, and am quiet wearied but thought I would write a few lines at noon. I am writing on my knee without glasses. I have not taught school any in ten years, the war made so many school teachers that I had to quit to make a living. My Brothers & Sisters are nearly all dead. Joshua, Elijah Jefferson & Green are dead; Laban in Ark, William in Texas, George in Georgia, Sister Sally in Covington County Ala all my other sisters dead. Joshuas widow in Opelika I seldom hear from any of them — have not heard from Jasper County in several years.
Some two years ago I wrote you a long letter and directed it to Maredian Bosque County Texas in some three or four months it was returned and I then did not know where to direct to, so I wrote no more till now. April 8th, At the proper place I neglected to say the Docks married a Mr George Dickson of Chambers County. Elijah's widow married a Mr John J Norris of Tallapoosa County. since I began this letter I have understood that it probable he is yet in Arkansas I have filled my sheet and written, but little and nothing interesting I fear

[marginal note] Elviry says howdy to you all for her

1) Home site in Tallapoosa County: Upon its completion in 1926, Martin Lake became (at the time) the largest man-made reservoir in the world. Unfortunately, the impounding of the Tallapoosa River inundated many riverine homesites — possibly including that belonging to the author of this letter. The 1860 census lists his farm served by the Fishpond post office which still existed in 1870 when his farm was served by the Island Home post office. Thus, his farm was likely situated between these two points — but closer to Island Home. By 1880 he had stopped farming and had relocated to Shelby Co where he ended his days as a teacher.
2) Bro & Sister: The author of this letter was unrelated by blood to either James or Matilda Lane. He used the terms brother and sister out of respect. The author's wife was the sister of Matilda. Therefore, he was the brother-in-law of Matilda and unrelated to James Lane, her husband.
3) James Addison Lane: (4 OCT 1814 – 14 MAR 1883) He was the patriarch of the Lane migration to Texas.
4) Matilda Susan Wilson: (4 AUG 1819 – 21 NOV 1888) She was the fifth known child of Rev James Riley Willson and Margaret (Peggy) Green.
5) Franklin Clark Dodson: (6 FEB 1840 – 24 NOV 1924) He was the sixth known child of Joel Warnock Dodson (the author of this letter) and Elvira Donna Willson. It may seem odd that Frank's father used the initials "F C" to refer to his own son, but no other "F C Dodson" has been found.
6) John Green Dodson: (1 NOV 1829 – JUL 1871) He was the eldest known child of Joel Warnock Dodson and Elvira Donna Willson. The cause of his death is undetermined.
7) Adoniram Judson Dodson: (9 AUG 1832 – MAY 1862) He was the second known child of Joel Warnock Dodson and Elvira Donna Willson. The cause of his death is undetermined. He was possibly named after Adoniram Judson, the famous American Baptist missionary who spent almost 40 years in Burma (now Myanmar).
8) Elijah Rowden Dodson: (23 FEB 1829 – 5 AUG 1862) He was the fifth known child of Joel Warnock Dodson and Elvira Donna Willson. He died in one of the many Richmond, VA, hospitals that treated Civil War wounded — so he was probably a casualty of one of battles near Richmond during the spring and summer of 1862. He was a private in Co H of the 14th Alabama Infantry Regiment which sustained heavy losses at the Battle of Williamsburg on 5 MAY and was almost annihilated in the Battles of Glendale (Frazier's Farm) on 30 JUN and Malvern Hill on 1 JUL. He was buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond City, VA.
9) Mary Ellen Robinson: (about 1839 – after JUN 1880). See notes 6, 11 and 12.
10) The Robinsons in Shelby County: They lived in the Yellow Leaf area of Shelby Co, AL.
11) Milus J Robinson: (17 FEB 1810 – 1891) The author of the letter wrote "his" father but should have written "her" father (John Green Dodson's father-in-law). Of the six known children of Milus J Robinson and Nancy Downs Martin, three married Dodsons or their children. Their firstborn, Mary Ellen Robinson, wed John Green Dodson on 9 JAN 1860 in Shelby Co, AL — see notes 6 and 9. Their second child, Eliza Delany Robinson, wed James Wilson Dodson on 13 OCT 1859 in Tallapoosa Co, AL — see note 24. Their fifth child, Henry D Robinson, wed Margaret E Graves in 1872 in Tallapoosa Co, AL — see note 20.
12) John Green Dodson's children: In birth order, the children born to John Green Dodson and Mary Ellen Robinson were Benjamin A Dodson, Elijah C Dodson, Virginia Beulah Dodson, Talulah Dodson and Maggie E Dodson.
13) Alice Ann Ford: (about 1838 – after MAR 1873)
14) Dock: This appears to have been a nickname for Adoniram — but no record has been found that confirms his having been a doctor — if that was intended.
15) "Dock" Dodson's boys: In birth order, the children of Adoniram Judson Dodson and Alice Ann Ford were Heillman W Dodson, James J Dodson and Willie F Dodson.
16) Ann's kids by her 2nd marriage: On 27 AUG 1866, Dock's widow Ann wed George C Dickson of Chambers Co, AL. In birth order, the 1880 census lists their children as David Elliott Dickson, Erah E Dickson, Emit J Dickson and Elisha Z Dickson. The last two children seemingly were born after the date of this letter — in which case Ann and George may have had other children that did not survive until the time of the 1880 census.
17) Elizabeth H Harden: (about 1838 – after MAR 1873) Elizabeth first wed William B Hamilton in 1856 in Tallapoosa Co, AL. They had one child, James Hamilton, and then William Hamilton vanished — died, divorced or ran off. In 1858 Elizabeth wed Elijah Rowden Dodson in Tallapoosa Co. They had a son Joel and a daughter Exilla who perhaps was born after Elijah had already died in Richmond — see note 8. Also, the reference a couple of lines later in the letter to "her oldest Dickson child" implies that Elizabeth's third husband was a man by that surname, but this is unconfirmed and is apparently confused with Ann Ford's second husband.
18) Joel Dodson: (about 1859 – before JUN 1870) He was the firstborn of Elijah Dodson and Elizabeth Harden. He is not on the 1870 census of Monroe Co, AR, that lists his mother, sister, step-brother (Hamilton) and step-father (Norris) — thus supporting the letter's claim that he had died. The cause of his death is unknown.
19) Exilla (Exa) Dodson: (about 1862 – after 1875) She was the second and last child of Elijah Dodson and Elizabeth Harden. On 27 FEB 1875 in Monroe Co, AR, she married William Everett (both of Holly Grove). (Their marriage license states that Exa was 13 at the time!)
20) Martha Caroline Dodson: (28 AUG 1834 – 14 NOV 1914) Mattie was the third child of Joel Dodson and Elvira Donna Wilson. Before 1854 she wed a teacher named Charles Mackie (Mack) Graves and they lived in Tallapoosa Co. Their 8 children mentioned in the letter were (in birth order): Margaret E Graves, Joel R Graves, James J Graves, Ida O Graves, Ann Eliza Graves, Fannie A Graves, Adella J Graves and John W Graves.
21) Franklin in Texas: In the 1870s he moved to Hill Co, TX (east of the Brazos river and the Lane home) where he taught for a time. He eventually settled on a farm between Rio Vista and Cleburne in Johnson Co, TX — about 15 miles north of James and Matilda's Bosque Co farm. He and his wife Louisa (16 AUG 1845 – 21 SEP 1937) remained there for the rest of their lives and are buried in the Rio Vista cemetery.
22) Elizabeth Virginia Dodson: (25 APR 1844 – 28 SEP 1916) Lizzie was the seventh and last known child of Joel Warnock Dodson and Elvira Donna Willson. She wed Thomas (Tom) W Phillips in 1865. Their son Thomas W Phillips, Jr was born about a year later. The nature and exact date of Tom senior's death is undetermined, but he apparently died before 1868. See note 23.
23) William Henry Meadows: (17 JAN 1843 – 1 DEC 1928) He became Lizzie's second husband on 26 APR 1868. The two girls mentioned in the letter were:

(31 MAY 1870 – 3 NOV 1947)
(4 OCT 1872 – 11 JAN 1966)
Mary Ann Meadows
Elvira Matilda Meadows

Additional children born later to William and Lizzie were:

(27 APR 1875 – 30 JAN 1961)
(4 MAY 1878 – 17 JUN 1949)
(22 OCT 1871 – 18 NOV 1932)
(19 MAR 1884 – 16 AUG 1946)

Adoniram Judson Meadows
William Henry Meadows, Jr
Ammon Meadows
Mattie Lizzie Meadows
24) James Wilson Dodson: (14 FEB 1837 – 26 JUL 1918) He was the fourth known child of Joel Warnock Dodson and Elvira Donna Willson. He "should have been mentioned before Frank" because he preceded Frank in birth order.
25) Eliza Delany Robinson: (29 OCT 1840 – 30 OCT 1928) She wed James on 13 OCT 1859. Their five living children cited in the letter were:

(25 JUL 1860 – 19 JUL 1956)
(25 NOV 1861 – 1945)
(30 MAR 1866 – 1949)
(11 MAY 1869 – 29 JUL 1941)
(25 MAR 1871 – 1954)

Wafer Jay Dodson
James Thomas Dodson
John Henry Dodson
Nancy (Nannie) Elvira Dodson
Oscar Downs Dodson
Their two dead children cited in the letter include Oscar's twin Deabon J Dodson (25 MAR 1871 – OCT 1871) and another child as yet unknown. Subsequently, James and Eliza also had:

(7 FEB 1874 – 16 JUL 1969)
(7 FEB 1875 – 1912)
(17 JAN 1877 – 2 MAR 1915)
(8 APR 1881 – after 1930)
(10 DEC 1882 – 26 FEB 1993)

Juliett Eliza Dodson
Martha E Dodson
Ora (Orrie) Jane Dodson
Franklin Miles Dodson
Margaret Ophelia Dodson
26) Camp Douglas: James served in Co E, 44th Alabama Regiment from FEB 1861 until captured near the end of the war. He lived in Shelby Co, AL, for the rest of his life and never did move to Texas. Camp Douglas was located on the south side of Chicago (on land provided by the estate of Stephen A Douglas). During the war, it held over 18,000 prisoners — one-third of whom died there due to overcrowding, unhealthy conditions, poor medical treatment, inadequate food and pure brutality. James was fortunate to have survived and this is likely why his father mentioned it in the letter.
27) Benjamin Franklin Willson: (22 JUL 1824 – 1887) Ben was the seventh known child of Rev James Riley Willson and Margaret (Peggy) Green. He was the only known brother of Matilda Susan Willson and Elvira Donna Willson who lived to adulthood. On 23 JAN 1845 he wed Sara Wise in Troup Co, GA. In birth order their known children were Emily Willson, Sarah J Willson, Margarett Willson, Mary L Willson, Prudence R Willson, Robert Willson, James L Willson, Catherine E Willson, Jonah Willson, Benjamin Franklin Willson Jr, John R Willson and Judsen G Willson.
28) Reverend James Riley Willson: (25 NOV 1784 – 7 JUL 1881) The long-lived patriarch of the Willsons in GA survived two wives by which he had two families, the first yielding eight children and the second producing four. His obituary in the LaGrange Reporter affirmed that "Few better men ever lived on this earth."
29) William Cameron Willson: (4 MAR 1831 – after 1870) He and his twin John Dodson Willson were the firstborn to rev James Riley Willson and his second wife Sarah Cameron.
30) Sarah Caroline Willson: (28 DEC 1821 – after 1873) She was the sixth known child of Rev James Riley Willson and Margaret (Peggy) Green. In Troup Co, GA, on 28 MAY 1846, she wed Charles T Harrist. Their first child born about 1847 was James A Harrist. Charles allegedly died in 1852 from unknown causes, but this is unconfirmed.
31) Sally: (early 1850s – aft MAR 1873) This letter suggests that after the 1850 census Caroline and Charles Harrist had another child named Sally — but Sally's father is unconfirmed and could have been a second husband of Caroline, if one existed.
32) Elvira Donna Willson: (19 JUN 1810 – 30 NOV 1894) Elviry was the second known child of Rev James Riley Willson and Margaret (Peggy) Green. On 24 DEC 1828 she wed Joel Warnock Dodson (the author of this letter) in Jasper Co, GA. In birth order their children were John Green Dodson, Adoniram Judson Dodson, Martha Caroline Dodson, James Wilson Dodson, Elijah Rowden Dodson, Franklin Clark Dodson and Elizabeth Virginia Dodson.
33) Elizabeth Coffman: (about 1829 – after 1880) She was the eldest known child of John Coffman and Orry Willson, the eldest child of Rev James Riley Willson and Margaret (Peggy) Green. See note 35.
34) Sarah A M Coffman: (1834 – 1914) Sally was the fifth known child of John Coffman and Orry Willson, the eldest child of Rev James Riley Willson and Margaret (Peggy) Green. See note 36.
35) Elizabeth's children: Elizabeth Coffman wed James M Fincher on 17 JAN 1854. In birth order, their children were John, William M, Leroy, Susan, James, Mary, Minnie, Frank (Bailey), Ella and Mary. The duplication of names in the list is due to inconsistencies in the census record. Three or four of the girls had apparently died by the date of this letter. The only girl alive when the letter was written appears to have been Mary, but this is uncertain.
36) Sally's children: On 10 NOV 1857 Sally Coffman wed Moses Craig Fincher (10 MAR 1826 – 11 JAN 1886). Their children were:

(30 MAY 1859 – 16 APR 1888)
(22 OCT 1860 – 25 OCT 1938)
(24 FEB 1862 – 2 AUG 1923)
(MAY 1865 – 12 JUL 1913)
(28 FEB 1867 – 10 MAY 1921)
(11 SEP 1870 – 26 AUG 1943)
(26 MAY 1873 – 9 JUL 1962)
(29 JUL 1876 – 1921)
(25 JUL 1878 – 10 JUL 1909)
Orry Fincher
George Green Fincher
Mary Fincher
Myra Fincher
Ella Eugenia Fincher
Albert Moses Fincher
Docia Fincher
John Craig Fincher
Margaret (Maggie) Fincher
37) John Coffman: (26 AUG 1806 – 1881) By the time of the 1880 census, he and Orry (Willson) Coffman had returned to Tallapoosa Co, AL, where they were living with their daughter Sally and her husband Moses Craig Fincher.
38) Formby family: The families of Coffman, Formby and Willson had long associations in Troup Co, GA, where as early as 3 JUL 1836 James Wilson, Minister of the Gospel, joined George Formby and Phereby Coffman in matrimony.
39) Lucinda Jane Cameron Willson: (8 JAN 1834 – about 1871) She was the fourth and final child born to James Riley Willson and his second wife Sarah Cameron. In Troup Co, on 3 DEC 1857, she wed John Acles Formby and they farmed near Long Cane. In birth order, they had the following children: John Acles Formby Jr, Mattie B Formby, John M Formby, Sampson C Formby and Minnie Formby. Lucinda died of an unknown cause sometime after the census of 19 JUL 1870 but well before the date of this letter — by which time John Formby had taken a second wife named Rebecca.
40) Teaching school: Before JUN 1880, Joel and Elvira Dodson had moved to Yellow Leaf, Shelby Co, AL, where he had resumed teaching according to the census on that date.
41) Joel Dodson's siblings: Joel was apparently the firstborn child of Elijah Dodson and Leah Rowden. His sister Sally has not been identified, but his other known siblings in birth order were Joshua Adams Dodson, Laban Madison Dodson, William H Crawford Dodson, George W Dodson, Elijah Jefferson Dodson, Adaline Dodson, James Green Dodson and Helen (Ellen) K Dodson.
42) Mary A Thames?: (about 1818 – after MAR 1873) This identification is speculative. She wed Joshua Adams Dodson before 1833. They both are listed in the census taken in Opelika, Lee Co, AL, on 13 JUN 1870 — so Joshua died around 1871/72.
43) Jasper Co, GA: Joel and Elvira Dodson moved their family from Jasper Co, GA (where all their children were born) to Tallapoosa Co, AL, in the 1840s.
44) Undelivered letter: The letter should have been delivered. James and Matilda Lane had been living in the vicinity of Meridian for many years.
45) Docks: The author of this letter meant to write that Dock's widow, Alice Ann Ford, wed George C Dickson. See note 16.
46) John J Norris: (about 1840 – aft JUN 1870) He became Elizabeth Harden's third husband, probably about 1866/67 — but no marriage record has been found. On 27 FEB 1875 Exilla Dodson married in Monroe Co, AR — thus, since she had been a member of their household it appears the Norris family was still there at the time. However, at some point in the 1870s a tragedy appears to have struck the family. Perhaps either violence or disease took the lives of John and Elizabeth Norris because they do not appear on the 1880 census. Their two daughters, however, appear in the Monroe Co, AR, census of JUN 1880. Addie Norris, aged 12, appears as a servant in the home of W R and Lizzie Hughen in the community of Duncan where the Norris family had been living since before 1870. Emily Norris, aged 10, is recorded as adopted into the family of G W and S E Casper of Pine Ridge not far away. Although Exilla and William Everett wed in 1875, they also are not found in the 1880 census.