At least two people have asked me about this William Dodson, so I have typed up the info that is given in the 2-Vol. Dodson book that tells about William Dodson and his donating of land for the town square or county seat of Somerset, Pulaski Co., KY. All of this comes from the book by Mrs. Sherman Williams and Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. on the Dodson family. It is a lengthy work entailing 2 volumes and over 2,000 pages. I've copied all the info. on William Dodson, who was a brother of my ancestor, Aggatha (Dodson) Hanks who married Moses Hanks. Also there is reference to a Reubin Hill. The best I can determine, this is Reubin Hill (1761-1833) who married Joyce Hanks, the oldest daughter of Moses and Aggatha (Dodson) Hanks. William is listed as #173 in the book. He appears to have been a medical doctor and quite an entrepreneur of land. He was never married. Upon William's death, his father, Thomas "2nd Fork" Dodson, became "heir-at-law" of William's estate, and transferred much of the land to the brothers of sisters of William Dodson. Only one or two paragraphs really deals with the town square at Somerset, but I went ahead and included the entire record on William Dodson from the book. I also have a newspaper article, "Who Really Owns the Town Square?" that talks about William donating property for the town square. Sincerely, Glenn Gohr ggohr01@mail.orion.org __________________________ "173. William Dodson - William was born in Virginia at an unknown date. According to a document recorded in Halifax Co., VA Will Bk 9 (1811-1814), p. 142, William died 22 Dec 1809, probably in Kentucky, but the location has not been precisely determined. William Dodson was not married. His real and personal property was scattered over several states, and the settlement of his estate provides us with the names of his brothers and sisters who were his eventual heirs. Samuel Dodson, brother of William, qualified as administrator of the estate on 22 Jan 1810. The account of sales shows: - property sold in Franklin Co., TN to: Jesse Dodson, Alexander Hittson, Wm. Winsor, Ambrose Barker, Jacob Vanzant, Wm. Quesenbury, John Athens and Wm. Bean. - property sold in Halifax Co., VA to: Lemuel Moore, Alexander Hittson and Samuel Dodson. - property sold in Cumberland Co., KY, to Jesse Dodson, James Wilson, Col. Samuel Wilson, Larkin Turner, Wm. Wyatt, Roger Simerton, Maj. Hulet and James Gee. Most of the property was drugs, medicines, surgical items and medical books, indicating that William might have been a physician. The account current was recorded in 1814. Payments were as follows: - to Jacob Vanzant for William Dodson's board - tax on land (location not stated) - to William Dodson and James Dodson's accounts. Also mentioned were Asa Dodson, Thomas Dodson, Jesse Dodson, Stokely Slayden, Moses Dodson and Bunnion Dodson. [Jacob Vanzant, who was paid for boarding William Dodson, was one of the first settlerls (1812) of Franklin Co., TN, coming there from Rutherford Co., NC according to history.] On March 23, 1811, Hawkins Co., TN [deed 6-475], Thomas (x) Dodson made a deed of gift to his son, William Dodson, to whom he became "heir-at-law" at the son's death. He named his children as William Johnson, James Johnson, Stephen Johnson, Jesse Dodson and Samuel Dodson to whom he relinquished his claim on the estate and allotted to each of them $100. The remainder of the estate was to be divided equally between William, James and Stephen Johnson, Rhodar Hittson, James Dodson, Jesse and Samuel Dodson, and additionally to Samuel Dodson, one lot in the town of Pulaski for his special services [apparently as administrator of the estate]. Lot #25 was obviously in the town of Somerset, Pulaski Co.,. KY. William Dodson received a grant from Kentucky to 200 acres on Sinking Creek, Pulaski Co. on 25 July 1799. In Feb 1801, William Dodson of Grainger Co., TN gave power of attorney to Reubin Hill of Pulaski Co., KY to transact business regarding a tract of land in Pulaski Co., [Pulaski deed 1-40/42]. Also in Feb 1801, William gave bond (with Reubin Hill and Moses Hanks, securities) to the Justices of Pulaski Co. for the conveyance of 40 acres for the site of the county seat [Pulaski deed 1-55A/55B]. In March 1802, he delivered the actual deed, excepting two lots, #25 and #26 [Pulaski deed 1-66/69]. In June 1804, William Dodson of Hardin Co., KY sold 12 1/2 acres to William Fox on the waters of adjoining two acres William had given his bond to make a title to the Sinking Creek Church [Pulaski deed 1-162/165]. In Grainger Co., TN deed, William Dodson was described as "late of Hardin Co., KY," Jan 1806 [B-56], when he sold a tract in Grainger Co. to Stephen Johnson. The deed was proved by the witnesses Joseph Stubblefield and James Johnson in Nov 1806, indicating that William Dodson was probably not living in Grainger Co. at this time. In May 1807, William Dodson of Cumberland Co., KY sold the two acres to the United Baptist Church of Sinking Creek, adjoining the town of Somerset [Pulaski deed 2-33]. William Dodson possessed certain lands in Hawkins and Grainger Co.'s, TN by virtue of perhaps state grants as no deeds of purchase have been found. In Dec 1797, William Dodson sold to William Johnson, both of Hawkins Co., 150 acres on the south side of Holston River [Hawkins deed 2-362]. In Jan 1798, William Dodson of Hawkins Co., TN sold Thomas Cunningham 112 acres on Camp Branch, Grainger Co. [Grainger deed 2-65]. On Nov 26 1800, William Dodson of Grainger Co. sold 80 acres to the heirs of Reuben Webster [Grainger deed A-196] and on 10 Jan 1806, William Dodson "late of Harden Co., KY" sold to Stephen Johnson four acres on an island in Holston River, Grainger Co. [Grainger deed B-56]. William Dodson was certainly an entrepreneur. It is possible that he died in Franklin Co., TN." (Source: Williams, Mrs. Sherman, compiler and editor. THE DODSON (DOTSON) FAMILY OF NORTH FARNHAM PARISH, RICHMOND COUNTY, VIRGINIA: A HISTORY AND GENEALOGY OF THEIR DESCENDANTS. Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr., publisher. Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1988. 2 Vols. pp. 36-38.)