Alice Dodson (bef. 1769)

Born before 1769 in Fauquier, Virginia [uncertain]

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Biography

Alice Dodson is a part of US Black heritage.

Alice Dodson was born into slavery before 1769, when her name appeared in the will of her enslaver, Abraham Dodson. She was given to Abraham's wife and children.^[1]

She was called "my negro girl," but her age was not recorded. Given that she was called a girl, it can be supposed that she was younger than, say, 16 years old prior to being mentioned in 1769. But there are no facts to verify this hypothesis. It is estimated but not verified that she was born in Fauquier County, Virginia.

She was mentioned in Greenham Dodson's 1776 will, and then again in the March 22, 1784 inventory of Greenham Dodson's estate. She was still called a "negro girl" at that time, and valued at 100 pounds.

Slave Owners

Alice was owned by at least four different members of the Dodson family.

• She was owned by Abraham Dodson. Abraham's 1769 will specified that Alice stay in the household of ...
• her enslaver's widow Barbara, and that once Barbara died, that she be transferred to ...
• Abraham's son Enoch Dodson. Researchers observed that Enoch moved to Abbeville, South Carolina sometime betwen 1782 and 1785. It is unclear if Alice eventually did get transferred to Enoch, was transferred to another family member, or died. Alice was not mentioned in the 1816 will or 1816-1822 estate documents of Enoch Dodson.^[2]
• Alice also appeared to have been enslaved by Greenham Dodson sometime between 1769 and 1776, when Greenham directed that Alice "along with [her] increase" be transferred to Enoch Dodson after Greenham's death. This transfer must have occured sometime between his 1776 will and the death of his mother Barbara. Alice was named in Greenham's 1784 inventory as being a girl valued at 100 pounds ... ^[3] Greenham is said to have died in the Revolutionary War in 1777.

Sources

1. ↑ Wills and inventories, 1699-1879; general index to wills, 1699-1950: "Wills and inventories, 1699-1879; general index to wills, 1699-1950"
   Catalog: Wills and inventories, 1699-1879; general index to wills, 1699-1950
   Film number: 007646141 > image 211 of 687
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9PF-H2L2 (accessed 4 August 2023)
2. ↑ Probate: "South Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980"
   Miscellaneous Estate Papers (Abbeville County, South Carolina), 1782-1958; Author: South Carolina. Probate Court (Abbeville County); Probate Place: Abbeville, South Carolina
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9080 #1139202 (accessed 7 August 2023)
   Enoch Dodson probate in 1816 in Abbeville, South Carolina, USA.
3. ↑ Probate: "Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900"
   Will Books, 1759-1912, 1966-1967; Index, 1759-1924; Author: Virginia. County Court (Fauquier County); Probate Place: Fauquier, Virginia
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62347 #417939 (accessed 8 August 2023)
   Greenham Dodson probate on 25 Aug 1777 in Fauquier, Virginia, USA.