Constantine M. Dodson (1811 - aft. 1880)

Born 19 Jan 1811 in Georgia

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth S. (Moore) Dodson — married 9 Dec 1829 in Fayette Co., Georgia

Husband of Naomi (Sprights) Dodson — married 23 Dec 1867 in Fayette Co., Georgia

Died after 1880 after age 68 in Georgia

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Biography

Constantine M. Dodson was born 19th January, 1811, in Georgia. Constantine is the son of Daniel Dodson and Sarah Peters.

Constantine married Elizabeth S. Moore on the 9th of December, 1829, in Fayette Co., Georgia. Elijah Dodson, Justice of the Peace performed the marriage ceremony.^[1]

Constantine appears in the 1840 Federal census in Fayette County, Georgia, Cpt. Moselys District. Constantine appears in the census with the initials "CM". Following is the household of Constantine: 2 males ages under 5; 1 male age 5 to 9; 1 male age 20 to 29; 1 female age 5 to 9; and 1 female age 20 to 29.^[2]

Constantine appears in the 1850 Federal census in Fayette County, Georgia, District 29. Constantine appears in the census with the initials "CM". Following is the household of Constantine: C.M., age 39; Elizabeth S., age 29; Susan C., age 17; George W., age 12; Hamilton C, age 10; Elizabeth M., age 7; Sarah J., age 5; Nancy C., age 3; John M., age 2; and infant daughter, no name, age one month.^[3]

Constantine appears in the 1860 Federal census in Clayton County, Georgia, Northern District. Constantine appears in the census with the initials "CM". Following is the household of Constantine: CM, age 50 - male; ES, age 47 - female; GW, age 24 - male; ME, age 17 - female; SJ, age 16 - female; NC, age 14 - female; JM, age 12 - male; MA, age 10 - female; ME, age 8 - female; and MN, age 6 - female.^[4]

Constantine filed a claim with the United States Southern Claims Commission for monetary reparations for losses he suffered during the Civil War. Constantine supported the Union and was not a Confederate sympothizer. The affidavits of Constantine's friends tell of Constantine's support for the Union. Constantine's written statement, and the affidavits of his witness provide an insight to some of what Constantine and his family went through in watching their livestock, crops and fencing being taken by the armies of both the Union and Confederacy. Because of the length, the following is only a portion of Constantine's written statement to the Claims Commission: " . . . I resided from April 1, 1861 until the spring of 1862 in Clayton Co., GA. I then moved to where I have since lived in then Fayette now Campbell County, GA . . . property contains two hundred acres of which about seventy acres were in cultivation & the balance was in woods. . . my occupation was that of a farmer all through the war . . .I was arrested in 1863 by Andrew J. Abercrombie a rebel conscript officer & a squad of men & sent under guard to Macon GA; I was charged with furnishing fire arms to deserters from the rebel army; I was kept under arrest two days & and half & released in Macon . . . I had two sons who were in the rebel service George W. Dodson & Hamilton C. Dodson. George W. is dead & Hamilton C. is now living in Campbell County, GA. . . . I left Atlanta in November 1864 & went twelve miles north of Indianapolis Indiana I went at Government expense. I went for the purpose of securing my own safety & to get out of the confederacy I remained in Indiana until the war closed. I was cutting wood for the railroad which ran from Indianapolis to Chicago. I got home in August 1865. . . I held the office of Justice of the Peace before the war but did not there after . . . Sworn and Subscribed this January 24, 1873.

The findings of the Claims Commission reads as follows: " The Clm't was a farmer & lived on his farm of 200 acres. He voted for the Union & exerted his influence ags't secession. He was arrested by the rebel authorities the charge of furnishing rebel deserters with fire arms, taken to Macon & kept 2 days & released. He fed & aided deserters & layouts - was threatened, but not arrested. Nov. 1864 under Gen'l Sherman's proclamation he went north to Indiana at Govt expense & staid there till the close of the war. Had 2 sons in rebel army, one of whom says his father advised him to join & then desert & he did. S'd deserted at Cumberland Gap & joined Union services . . . Thomas Flynn, Isaac Cook & John W. Cook testify to his loyalty, to his aiding & feeding deserters & helping Union men to keep from conscrip officers . . . We find him loyal . . ." The Claims Commission allowed a payment for $415.00 for the following items that Constantine filed on his claim form: 2 mules; 1 cow; 1 lot of hogs; 1 small steer; 1 calf; 75 chickens; 100 bushels of peas, 50 bushels of potatoes, 15,000 fence split rails; and a lot of syrup cane.^[5]

Constantine's wife Elizabeth died sometime after the 1860 census. Constantine re-married his second wife the widow Naomi Sprights Hammer, on the 23rd of December, 1867.

Constantine was appointed postmaster of the post office at Red Oak, GA in Fayette County., GA on the 3rd of March, 1868.

Constantine appears in the 1870 Federal census, in Fayette County, GA. Following is the household of Constantine: Constantine M., age 60; Naomi, age 39; Mandy, age 15; Emma, age 13; and William, age 12.^[6]

Constantine appears in the 1880 Federal census, in Campbell County, Georgia. Following is the household of Constantine: Constantine M., age 69; and naomi, age 49.^[7]

Constantine died sometime after the 1880 census and before the 1900 census.

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage recorded: Fayette County, Georgia, Marriage Book A - 1823-1832, page 98.
2. ↑ 1840 Federal Census, Fayette County, Georgia, Capt Moselys District. National Archives and Record Administration microfilm M704 Roll 41, page 226.
3. ↑ 1850 Federal Census, Fayette County, Georgia, District 29. National Archives and Record Administration microfilm M432 Roll 69, page 21B.
4. ↑ 1860 Federal Census, Clayton County, Georgia, Northern District. National Archives and Record Administration microfilm M653 Roll 117, page 120.
5. ↑ Claim No. 9675, Constantine M. Dodson. U.S., Southern Clainms Commission Allowed Claims, 1871-1880. On-line database, Ancestry.com. Also at: Southern Claims commission Approved Claims 1871-1880, Georgia, National Archives and Record Administration microfilm M1658.
6. ↑ 1870 Federal Census, Fayette County, Georgia. National Archives and Record Administration microfilm M593 Roll 149, page 98B.
7. ↑ 1880 Federal Census, Campbell County, Georgia, District 499. National Archives and Record Administration microfilm T9 Roll 137, page 529D.