WHO IS THE FATHER OF JAMES T. DICKERSON?

In 2003 Pat Long posted on this Floyd County web site an article entitled “On the Trail of the Dickersons of Virginia and Indiana”. The author of the article was Marilyn Dickerson. You can google this title and get the article. At the time I was working on other areas of genealogy but planned to get back to this article. Now 12 years later I have addressed the statement in the article that I questioned at the time as being incorrect but now think it is correct. This statement referred to the names of the family members of Griffith Dickerson and his wife Rebecca Thompson. This family moved from Montgomery/Floyd County Virginia to Hendricks County Indiana about 1825 Their children were listed as James T., born in 1802, Elijah, 1804, Mary in 1806, and Griffith, Jr. in 1811, Reed, 1816, Matthew, John, and Sarah were born in the next 7 years.  The name JAMES T. DICKERSON as a child of Griffith and Rebecca Thompson Dickerson is the statement I question because the prevailing theory is that James T. Dickerson who married first Permelia Reed, daughter of Andrew Reed in 1825 and second Rhoda Ellen Booth, daughter of George Booth is the son of Griffith Dickerson and Mary Huff. This Griffith married to Mary Huff was the son of Obediah Dickerson and Patience Terry.  The only proof I can find is the marriage Bond that is signed by Griffith Dickerson, Andrew Reed and James Dickerson. The bond is as follows:

Know all men by these presents, That we James Dickerson, Griffeth Dickerson and Andrew Reed are held and firmly bound unto his Excellency James Pleasant Governor or Chief Magistrate of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the just and full sum of one hundred and fifty dollars; to which payment well and truly to be made to the said Governor and his successors, for the use of the said Commonwealth, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents: Sealed with our seals and dated this 7th day of September 1825.

         The Condition of the above obligation is such, That if there be no lawful cause to obstruct a marriage intended to be had and solemnized between the above bound James Dickerson and Pamelia Reed then the above obligation to be void, else to remain in full force and virtue.

Executed in Presence of                                 James Dickerson seal

R. D. Montague                                               Griffith Dickerson seal

Andrew Reed      seal

Montgomery County - Sc.

Andrew Reed this day appeared before me Rice? D. Montague DP

Clerk of said County and made oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that the within named Pamelia Reed is above the age of twenty-one years, and resident of the said County. Given under my hand this 7 day of Sept 1825

                                                        R. D. Montague DP

A COPY Teste:

John B. Myers, Jr (his signature)

(end of document)

I finally decided to pursue the possibility that James T. Dickerson was the son of Griffith Dickerson and Rebecca Thompson who moved to Hendricks County, Indiana about 1825. I found that Hendricks County Griffith died intestate in November 1845 but there were legal papers because his son Griffith was claiming ownership of his father Griffith’s property. In his legal claim he listed the names of his other siblings. These papers are available on line. Hendricks County Indiana should be complimented on the amount of information they have made available and their timely response to all my inquiries.

Transcription of Image 53 – of Hendricks County Court Order Book5A 1846 – 1847

In Chancery #17

Griffith Dickerson

            Vs

James Dickerson, Sr., Reed Dickerson, Ruel Dodson, Mary Dodson, Matthew Dickerson, John Dickerson, John Dickerson, Rebecca Thompson, Lewis Nausler, Sarah Nausler, Green Canada, Martha Jane Canada, Polly Ellen Dickerson, James Alexander Dickerson, Nancy Spencer Dickerson, William Scholly Dickerson, and Elijah Dickerson.

Comes now the complainant by Harvey and Gregg his solicitors and make and file proof of notice to the defendant James Dickerson a nonresident, by publication by in these words (insert) whereupon the defendants are thrice severally called, and come not, but herein make default, and thereupon the Complainant produced and shows to the court here, a subpoena issued to the sheriff of Hendricks in these words and figures (insert) and the sheriff returns therein in these words (insert). Also a subpoena to the sheriff of the County of Boone in these words and figures following to wit (Insert) It appears to the satisfaction of the court, that the defendants have each been duly notified of the pending of this suit, the residents by summons more than thirty days before the first day of this present term of this Court and the non resident defendant by publication more than sixty days before the first day of this term’ one resident; on consideration whereof it is ordered, adjudged and decreed that the complainant said bill as to the adult defendants to wit; the said James Dickerson, Read Dickerson, Ruel Dodson, Mary Dodson, Matthew Dickerson, John Dickerson, Rebecca Dickerson, Lewis Nausler, and Sarah Nausler to be taken as confessed and take as true, and on  motion of the complainant Simon L. Hadley is appointed a guardian ad litem for the infant defendants, towit, the said Green Richardson Canada, Martha Jane Canada, Polly Ellen Dickerson, Nancy Spencer Dickerson, William Schooly Dickerson, and Elijah Dickerson, and the said guardian now makes and files the answer of said infants in these words and figures to wit; (insert) and this cause is continued with leave for the complainant  to take depositions  to be read as evidence in this cause.

(Ended of the document)

This is only one of the several documents available listing the children of Griffith Dickerson who moved to Hendricks County Indiana.  I don’t think I will be able to post all the documents I have, but if you e-mail me I will share. The important issue here is that in all the documents James is listed as a member of the family of Griffith Dickerson and Rebecca Thompson.

I have searched for other James Dickersons in the area in the same time period and have found that he is the only James Dickerson.

Therefore, I propose that James T. Dickerson is the child of Griffith Dickerson and his wife Rebecca Thompson who moved to Hendricks County Indiana. I would really like to hear from anyone who can help prove or disprove this. One more note I am sure there are other Griffith Dickerson/Dickenson errors. So far I have 26 Griffith Dickersons in my database.