Lucy Dodson (bef. 1846)

Born before 1846 in Virginia, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Lucinda Dodson is a part of US Black heritage.

Lucy (or possibly later calling herself Lucinda) was part of a group of enslaved people named in the 1846 will of her owner Elisha Dodson Jr. Lucy's age was not described in the will.^[1]

Lucy (Lucinda) was bequeathed with all the others named in the following quotation. Elisha Dodson Jr wrote: "Item 16th It is my will & I hereby bequeath to be divided at my death the following negroes namely Randolph Richard Sandy Lucy John Aggy Sena Rachel Caroline & Bird with the increase of the females after making Nancy Dodson Nancy Annie F. (Dodson) Roddin (abt.1827-aft. 1900) equal with Sally A. Olive & Susan L. (Waller) Bolton (1813-1869) alloting to her one negro worth four hundred dollars the remainder I bequeath to be divided equally among all my grand children namely Sally A. Oliver, Susan L. (Waller) Bolton (1813-1869), Nancy Annie F. (Dodson) Roddin (abt.1827-aft. 1900), Elisha Dodson Waller (abt.1817-aft.1865), John P Waller & William J. Waller during their lives & at their death I give the respective portions so allotted with the increase of the females to the heirs of their bodies forever."

On October 13, 1853, Lucy's name was mentioned, along with Richard Dodson (bef.1846-), in a court order directing that she and Richard Dodson (bef.1846-) be sold at public auction at the Halifax Virginia court house. She was considered as disputed property in a lawsuit between William Roddin and his wife, Elisha Dodson Jr's granddaughter Nancy Annie F. (Dodson) Roddin (abt.1827-aft.1900)), and his other grandchild Elisha Dodson Waller (abt.1817-aft.1865).^[2]

Here is the Chancery Court record that records the sale of slaves Richard Dodson (bef.1846-) & Lucy. While the record does not name the slaves it does give the date of the court order which was October, 1853, and it names Christopher H. Davis as the commissioner appointed to sell the slaves. Richard and Lucy are the only slaves appearing in the court record for October 1853 with Christopher H. Davis whose sale was ordered by the court.^[3] The dollar amount each heir received added together will reveal the amount received for the sale of the two slaves. There is no mention in the court records as to who the purchasers were for any of the slaves.

See Research Notes below for hypotheses about what happened to Lucy (Lucinda) after 1853.

Slave Owners

Lucy (Lucinda) was owned by Elisha Dodson Jr and then bequeathed to one of one of Elisha Dodson Jr's six grandchildren, named above. They were: Sally A. Oliver, Susan L. (Waller) Bolton (1813-1869), Nancy Annie F. (Dodson) Roddin (abt.1827-aft. 1900), Elisha Dodson Waller (abt.1817-aft.1865), John P Waller & William J. Waller.

Research Notes

There were many people enslaved by Elisha Dodson Jr who ended up being enslaved later than 1846 by other members of his extended family. The following surnames were searched for alternate last names, and who had birth years before 1846, for Lucy (Lucinda) Dodson: Oliver, Boulton and Waller. The search focused on locations near Virginia (especially those contiguous to southern Virginia), like North Carolina, or within a reasonable distance to Halifax.

For 1870, a search was conducted for a formerly enslaved Black woman named Lucy (Lucinda) Dodson who was living in the southern Virginia area. They include a 65-year-old woman who was living in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Her husband was Alexander. (See here for a profile of a formerly enslaved man named Sandy Dodson (bef.1846-) who could have been her husband.) This woman would have been born in about 1805 and thus would have been about 41 years old in 1846 at the time of being named in Elisha Dodson Jr's will.^[4]

There was another Lucy Dodson living in Halifax County, Virginia in 1870. This Lucy Dodson, aged 40, was married to (or the daughter of) a man named Jesse Dodson. (This profile could be the same Jesse Dodson (abt.1810-aft.1870).) This Lucy would have been born in 1830 and thus a 16-year-old girl in 1846.^[5]

Research was conducted to find women who were named Lucy (Lucinda) Waller, Oliver or Boulton. Several Lucy Wallers were found but none who appropriately fit the parameters of the woman who would have been enslaved by Elisha Dodson Jr.

A 33-year-old Lucy Oliver was found, living in Mecklenburg County Virginia.^[6] She would have been born in about 1837 and thus would have been a 9-year-old girl in 1846 at the time of being named in Elisha Dodson Jr's will.

There were no 1870 records found for a Lucy Boulton or Lucy Roddin.

More research needs to be undertaken to discern who was the woman named Lucy (Lucinda) Dodson and who was enslaved by Elisha Dodson Jr.

Acknowledgements

Carol Wilder's help has been instrumental in uncovering details about this enslaved person. Her deep research experience, her keen eagle eye for deeply sourced information, and her enthusiasm for the work of connecting the ancestors of slaves is very much appreciated!

Sources

1. ↑ Halifax County, Virginia Will Book No. 21 (1845-1847) pages 272 to 277; Will books, 1753-1903; general indexes, 1752-1949: "Will books, 1753-1903; general indexes, 1752-1949"
   Catalog: Will books, 1753-1903; general indexes, 1752-1949 Will books, v. 21-22 1845-1850
   Film number: 007645126 > image 145 of 661
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-99P6-LVGW (accessed 29 August 2023)
2. ↑ Halifax County, Virginia, Chancery Order Book Vol. 2 1846-1856 Page 481. Chancery order books, 1831-1908: "Chancery order books, 1831-1908"
   Catalog: Chancery order books, 1831-1908 Chancery order bks., v. 2-3 1846-1866
   Film number: 008151816 > image 260 of 663
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSKJ-WSGB-J (accessed 23 October 2023)
3. ↑ Halifax County, Virginia Chancery Order Book Vol. 2 1846-1856 Court Thursday 12th October, 1854 Page 551 . Chancery order books, 1831-1908: "Chancery order books, 1831-1908"
   Catalog: Chancery order books, 1831-1908 Chancery order bks., v. 2-3 1846-1866
   Film number: 008151816 > image 295 of 663
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSKJ-WSGR-X (accessed 23 October 2023)
4. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870"
   citing Page: 12; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 7; Digital film/folder number: 004268794_001_M9CF-PW2; FHL microfilm: 000553162; Image number: 246; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01495-9
   FamilySearch Record: MFGP-C7G (accessed 21 October 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-679Q-MPC
   Lucinda Dodson (65) in Chase City, Mecklenburg, Virginia, United States. Born in Virginia.
5. ↑ 1870 Census: "1870 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1870; Census Place: Birch Creek, Halifax, Virginia; Roll: M593_1650; Page: 459B
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7163 #39192956 (accessed 21 October 2023)
   Jese Dodson (60), Farm Laborer, in Birch Creek, Halifax, Virginia. Born in Virginia.
6. ↑ 1870 Census: "1870 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1870; Census Place: Boydton, Mecklenburg, Virginia; Roll: M593_1663; Page: 206A
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7163 #37488674 (accessed 21 October 2023)
   Lucy Oliver (33), Keeping House, in Boydton, Mecklenburg, Virginia. Born in Virginia.