Person:Gervase Dodson (1)

Watchers
Gervase Dodson
b.Abt 1621
  • HGervase DodsonAbt 1621 - 1661
  • WIsabell _____Abt 1626 - 1696
m. Bef Jan 1660/61
Facts and Events
Name Gervase Dodson
Alt Name Gervasse, Gervace or Gervis Dodson
Alt Name Jarvise, Jervas, Jervice, Jer. (or similar variations) Dodson
Gender Male
Birth? Abt 1621
Military[1] 1640/1650 Ireland and EnglandSoldier for the King and Parliament
Emigration[1] 1649 Virginia, United States
Other[2] 28 Jan 1652 Northumberland, Virginia, United Statessworn in as County Surveyor
Other[5][7] Jun 1660 Northumberland, Virginia, United StatesConviction for unauthorized religious activity
Marriage Bef Jan 1660/61 likely Northumberland, Virginiato Isabell _____
Death? 1661 Northumberland, Virginia, United States
Questionable information identified by WeRelate automation
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Contents

Surveys

Survey of lands for the Wiccocomico and Chicacoan 1655-1656.

See Native Northumberlanders, Bulletin of the Northumberland County Historical Society, Vol 35, 1998. "It is worth noting that the land on which the Cuttatawomens had previously lived was patented by Edwin Conaway and Gervase Dodson, who had done the surveys for the Northumberland Indians"

Land Patents

Source: Crozier. Virginia County Records and Library of Virginia[2]

Date County Deed Book, Page Grantor Grantee Acres Description
1 Feb 1650 NorthumberlandNo. 2, p. 275[3] Crown Gervace Dodson 1600 Patent easterly upon Potomac River. Southerly on the mouth of upper Machotigs River. For the transport of 32 people including himself.
14 May 1653 NorthumberlandNo. 3, p. 80[4] Crown Gerverse Dodson 1300 Patent south upon the Western branch of Potomac, east upon the land of John Jenkin. Trans of 26 persons.
13 Oct 1653 WestmorelandNo. 3, p. 14[5] Crown Gervase Dodson 1300 Patent in Upper Machotick Neck adjoining Christopher Boyce, Mrs. Towneshend. etc.
4 Jun 1655 LancasterNo. 3, p. 343 Crown Jer. Dodson 600 Patent bounding northeastly upon a branch of Corocoman River, and on the land of one Hawker, including the head of the said branch
4 Jun 1655 NorthumberlandNo. 3, p. 346 Crown Gervace Dodson 1000 Patent on the north side of great Wicocomoco River. Bounding southerly by west on the head of the said river opposite to the land of Captn. Richd. Bud.
3 Mar 1656 LancasterNo. 4, p. 119[6] Crown Gervace Dodson 600 Patent on the south side of a creek issuing out of Fleets Bay called Corotoman Creek being the next creek Northerly to Hoddyways Creek.
3 Mar 1656 LancasterNo. 4, p. 120[7] Crown Edwin Conaway and Gervace Dodson 1000
16 Sep 1657 WestmorelandNo. 4, p. 294[8] Crown Gervase Dodson 5200 Patent at and near the head of upper Matchotick River, adjoining land called Turners Land at Chotank Creek &c.
27 Aug 1658 Not identifiedLand Office Patents No. 4, 1655-1664, p. 285[9]Crown Gervase Dodson2000Patent on Petomack Freshes above Capt. Brents. 1500 acres part thereof butt.g N.Easterly upon the land of Mrs. Benbage or Capt. Streater, S: Easterly upon Petomack River &c. the residue upon the land of Henry Vincent, &c. Note: At the foot of the record of the patent, there is a memo; by which it apps. that the patt. was assigned by M. Henry Corbin and by him made over to his daughter Alices Corbyn, Octr. 19. 1660.
29 Nov 1658 NorthumberlandLand Office Patents No. 4, 1655-1664, p. 339[[10]] Crown Gervase Dodson and Col. John Trussell1000 Patent on the south east side of Chickacone River. Bounding N. westerly on the lands of Jacob Contancean and Colo. Mattron, decd
29 Nov 1659 WestmorelandNo. 4, p. 337[11] Crown Gervase Dodson 600 Patent bounding northeasterly upon Matchotick River, southeasterly upon land of Mr. Barnett northwesterly upon land of Capt. Thos. Davis. Note: Renewed Jany. 28th 1662 in the name of Andw. Pettygrow who married the widow of said Dodson.

Property Transactions

For a partial listing of real estate transactions involving Gervase Dodson, see article Gervase Dodson Land Transactions[12]

Transports

Land Patents were provided to individuals transporting people to the Virginia colony. Generally a Patent for 50 acres per person transported from England was provided to a person proving transport. Patents required that the Grantee develop the tract, otherwise it would revert to the Crown. Source: See Property references above.

Date County Deed Book, Page Grantee No. Persons Transported
1 Feb 1650 Northumberland, No. 2, p. 275 Gervace Dodson 32 William NUTT, his wife [Elizabeth NUTT], Richard NUTT, Thomas PHILIPS, John MOSBY[?], Humb LAMBERT, Amy LOYD, Henry BUTTLER, Robert STEERES, William BANTON, John HOGINES, Richard MATHEWS, Richard LUCAS, James COFFIN, Lawrence DAVIS, Bridgett KIRKE, Xtof[Christopher] GRIGGS, Ann STAMNER, John HUTTEY, Marg. JORNDAINE, John GRIMES, Samuel DUKES, Peter LOYD, Anne LOYD, John GRIMES, Samuel DUKES, Hector LOYD, Amy LEYES, George WOOLARD, Ann WOOLARD, Sam WOOLARD, Gervase DODSON
14 May 1653 Northumberland No. 3, p. 80 Gerverse Dodson 26 Anne GEORGE, Thomas BACON, Alex BLACKHAN, Kath. WALBECK, Kath. LEE, Mary HARMAN, Cicily WHITE, Walter STUART, Andrew HARE, Mary HARDY, Jno REDCHESTER, Ruth NEALE, Richard STUBLE, Susan JONES, Thomas CATCHNETT, Honor DUREING, Susan KEENE
29 Nov 1658 Northumberland, Land Office Patents No. 4, 1655-1664, p. 339 (Reel 4) Gervase Dodson and Col. John Trussell 20 Tho WILLIAMS, Henry JONES, Wm ASHWELL, Jno LAYTON, Nath. Coggin, Mary GREENE, Tho HOLLIS, Peter NEALE, Ann MERRIMAN, James ASHWELL, Barholomew HOW, Tho MERRIMAN, Peter CROSSE, Wm CHESLEY, Mary GOYSE[?], Charles SMART, David PERSAN, Tho HALL, Sarah ASHWELL, Mary HORTON.

Law Suits (Maryland) - The matter of one brown cow and Ann Hammond

Gervase Dodson had promised John Hammond six cows in return for an unspecified favor. The records show receipt of one cow by Hammond but don't show that this debt was fully paid. Gervase Dodson is then sued by Ann Hammond for nonpayment of the debt and Walter Pakes (or Peakes) secured the debt on behalf of Dodson.

See Jarvise Dodson Maryland Colonial Document, Liber 5 17244 (1658) pg 151, 213, 233, 310, 346.[[13]]

Association with Quakers

Gervase Dodson was found guilty and punished for his association with religious dissenters, likely a Quaker group. Isabell Dodson was connected to this group through her first husband, Thomas Salisbury, a Quaker.

"During Dodson's residence in Wicomico Parish, a small group of Quaker dissenters met for worship, 'contrary to law.' In June of 1660, Dodson and several other dissenters were publicly whipped, each receiving twenty lashes. Later that year Dodson entered a document into the records that asked for a pardon from King Charles II...One cannot determine from this...document whether he actually became and remained a Quaker after the whipping. He died a few months later, leaving his Wicomico land to his wife, Isabel." [[14]]

Others condemned included David Cuffin, Robert Lamden, John Smith and Thomas Shiele. In addition to the whipping, the owner of the house was fined and a book, "Perkins & His Works"[15] was confiscated. See William Perkins[16]

Gervase Dodson died without issue (despite numerous reports to the contrary)

Gervase Dodson's will gives all property to his wife Isabell. This will is a fragment and difficult to read but there are no children listed.

A later effort to escheat one of the Land Patents of Gervase Dodson proves that he died without heirs (or more precisely, that in 1703 there were no surviving heirs. Note that about 1663 his widow Isabell married Andrew Pettigrew).

In 1704 when Capt. William Jones of Northumberland County suggested to the Proprietors’ office of Lancaster that a certain tract of land, granted to Gervas Dodson in 1657, should escheat to the Proprietors, for want of heirs or other legal disposition, Edward Humston II, who had been in possession of 200 acres of this tract for several years, having inherited it from his father, entered a counter claim that he should be preferred to the escheat. He was successful, his claim being sustained by the Proprietors, and his ownership was confirmed, as the following deed shows: Margaret, Lady Culpeper, Thomas, Lord Fairfax and Catherine his wife, Proprietors of the Northern Neck, etc. Capt. Wm. Jones of Northumberland county suggested to our office on February 1 last (1703) that 5200 acres lying in Stafford formerly granted to Gervas Dodson Sept. 16, 1657 which did escheat to us (the Proprietors) for want of heirs, or the making of any legal disposition thereof and Andrew Pedigrew having intermarried with Isabella, wido of the said Dodson, repatented said 5200 acres in his own name, he together with his said wife Isabella,k made sale thereto to Robert Howson of Stafford who also sold most of it in parcels to sundry persons—and whereas Edward Humston of said County comes and setts forth that he is in possession of two hundred acres of ye aforesaid land conveyed and made over by said Robert Howson unto Edward Humston his father—and ye said Edward Humston ye father, Descends and comes unto him ye said Edward ye son—Therefore ye said Edward moves to be preferred to ye escheat of ye 200 acres of land and we do for a consideration of ye composition paid unto us grant unto ye said Edward Humston all right, title, etc., to 200 acres belonging to ye said escheat, the said land lying on ye North side of Upper Machitoque Dam Etc. Our Office at Lancaster, Dec. 4, 1704.

Katherine Dodson (b. 1649-1659 d. 1680; may have married Henry Bogges) is often listed as the daughter of Gervase and Isabell Dodson. The later efforts to escheat Gervase Dodson's Land Patents indicate that Dodson had no heirs. No children are identified in Gervase Dodson's will. No contrary evidence has been found.

Alice Dodson "There are records of a wife Isabell and records that he had a daughter, Alice, who married a Henry Corbin/Corbyn, but there is no indication that he had any sons to carry on his name." notes Betty Dotson Renick [17] This is a misreading of the assignment made by Henry Corbin in October 1660 to his daughter Alice Corbyn. The assignment referred to the 27 Aug 1658 Land Patent to Gervase Dodson (see above) that had likely been sold by Dodson to Corbin. The notion that Alice was a daughter of Gervase Dodson seems to be derived from construing this assignment as being from Henry Corbyn to his wife, Alice (Dodson) Corbyn, daughter of Gervase; however, it is more reasonable that the transfer was between generations. It is unlikely that a transfer of property would have been made from father to son-in-law and then to daughter (heir)/wife. Corroboration that Alice was not Gervase Dodson's daughter is in the later efforts to escheat Gervase Dodson's Land Patents. No children are identified in Gervase Dodson's will. No other evidence indicating that Alice was an heir has been found.

Disambiguation

Gervase Dodson, Nottingham, England. Married Margaret Cadwallider in Southwell, Nottinghamshire 26 Nov 1610, married Francis Standish, widow, in Peculiar of Southwell, Nottinghamshire 26 Sep 1635. Vicar 1625-1650, St. Mary, Attenborough, Nottingham, England. Details as noted by Susan Johnson in 2006 [18]. This is not the military professional who emigrated to the Virginia Colony. Note: Gervase or Jarvis is not an unusual name in 17th century England [19] and Dodson is not an uncommon name in the Midlands and in southern England during the same period.

"Gervis Dodson, Eldr. & Christen Hare married 19 April 1619, St. Peters Parish, Nottingham, England" [[20]] W.P.W. Phillimore and James Ward(eds.) Nottingham parish registers.London, 1900, p. 21. Christen Hare is often incorrectly noted as the wife of Gervase Dodson of Virginia.

References
  1. 1.0 1.1 Jett, Carolyn H. Gervase Dodson Claims Pardon of King Charles II,Bulletin of the Northumberland County Historical Society
    Vol 22: p 45, 1985.

    Transcription of the affidavit by Gervase Dodson indicating his military service and his emigration to Virginia after the death of Charles I (30 Jan 1649)[[1]]
    "From the record requesting pardon [Northumberland County Record Book, 1658-66, p. 49], we learn that Gervase Dodson had "beene a soldier several yeares in Ireland & England for the King & Parliament, till the death of the late King Charles the First, when I left all & came into this Country..."

  2. Northumberland County Record Book
    p 29 left, 21 July 1653.
  3.   Crozier, William Armstrong (ed.), and The Genealogical Association. Virginia County Records. (Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey: The Genealogical Association)
    Volume VI.
  4.   Perkins, William. The works of that famous and worthie minister of Christ in the Universitie of Cambridge, M. W. Perkins gathered into one volume and newly corrected according to his owne copies Printed by Iohn Legat, Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge
    1603.

    This or one of its subsequent editions was the book found at the Quaker meeting.

  5. Northumberland County Order Book, 1652-65
    126, Jun 1660.

    Sentencing of Gervase Dodson for meeting contrary to the law of religion.

  6.   Northumberland County Record Book, 1658-66
    49, 15 Nov 1660.

    Dodson Claims the King's Pardon

  7. Jett, Carolyn H. Seventeenth-Century Residents of Wicomico District, Part Two,Bulletin of the Northumberland County Historical Society
    Vol 32: p. 101, 1995.

    Description of Gervase Dodson and reference to his arrest and conviction as a religious dissenter.

  8.   Davis, Virginia Lee Hutcheson. Oaths of Allegiance, 1652, Northumberland County, Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History and Genealogy
    Vol 3, No 4: p 243-244, Feb/Mar 1995.

    Transcription and review of the Northumberland Oaths of Allegiance to the Commonwealth of England without King or House of Lords, 11 Apr 1652. Northumberland County Deeds and Orders, 1650-1652, p. 60.