Biographical Sketches of Dodson and Dotson Pioneer Families

Hiram Sayre Dotson 1823 - 1899

From: Hardesty's History of Ritchie County (WV)1883:

HIRAM S DOTSON was born and raised on the farm he now owns and carried on in Clay District, Ritchie County, and to which he has added three hundred acres cleared and improved by himself. His birth was on the 21st of Sept. 1823, Emanuel D and Hannah Dotson his parents. He has been twice married and the father of fifteen children. Susan his first wife was the mother of : Mansfield H., born Aug. 14, 1844; lives in Baltimore, MD; Spencer B., Dec 7, 1846, and Perry E., June 15, 1848, live in Ritchie County; Amos A., Nov 9, 1850, lives in Wirt County; William F., May 7, 1852 and Alpheus R., May 22, 1854, lives in Ritchie County; Mary E., Oct 4, 1856 and Alice Jane Nov. 19, 1858, live in Dodd. County., this state; Granville, March 6, 1860 and Sarah J., Nov 9, 1862, live in Ritchie County.; Susan Jane July 3, 1864, lives in Dodd. (Doddridge) County. The mother of these children died July 12, 1864 in the faith of the Christian, having been, with her husband, in the membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1856. In Ritchie County in 1865, Hiram S Dotson was joined in wedlock with Melvina, daughter of Thomas and Anna Pool. She was born in Harrison County, June 13, 1835, and the children with her union with Mr. Dotson are: John W., born August 23, 1866; Daniel V., March 30, 1867; Thomas, Jan. 3, 1869; Anna B., Feb. 4, 1871. Mr. Dotson served two years in the Federal army, enlisting in Aug. 1862, in the 14th West Virginia Infantry, and received discharge for disability. Mansfield D., Spencer and Perry, the three older sons, were all Federal soldiers. The post office address of Hiram S Dotson is Toll Gate, Ritchie County, West Virginia.

From: History of Ritchie County by Minnie K. Lowther, 1911: 

Hiram S. Dotson, the one son that remained here, was born on Cabin Run, in 1822, and spent his entire life within the bounds of his native County, where his ashes lie. He was first married to Miss Susan Markwell, who died while he was serving as a Union soldier in 1863, leaving eleven children; and his second wife was Miss Melvina Poole, who was the mother of his other five children. On October 26, 1863, he was honorably discharged from the army service because his orphan children demanded his presence at home. The children of the first union were Mansfield S., Spence B., Perry E., Amos A., Wm. F., Alpheus R., Charles G., Mrs. Alice J Ash, Mrs. Sarah G. Kyger, and Mrs. Susan Smith -- one name is missing. Those of the second marriage were: J.W., David V., Thomas J., Mrs. Annabella Nutter, and Mary, who became the wife of Henry Miller."