Person:John Dotson (2)

Greatest man who ever lived according to granddaughter, Zada Davis, who was raised by her grandparents, John & Rhoda, after her father died. The family observed that John and Rhoda never spoke a harsh word to each other. At John's funeral, Rhoda said, "He was always so kind to me."

OCCUPATION: According to Zada, John S. owned lots of land, which he farmed and logged. Some of his property came from land grants from his service in the Civil War. He had a sawmill and grist mill on Levisa Creek and a general store. Grandson Frank Dotson of Home Creek explained how his grandfather conducted his logging operation . John Sherman "used beech-rail tramroads to haul his timber from hollows being logged. Mules or oxen would pull the log wagons down the tramroads to Paw Paw, where a splash dam was constructed. This structure was a dam which would back up the water so a large pond would form. Into this pond the timber would be dumped. A trigger log would then be pulled to knock down the dam, releasing the water and logs with a tremendous force, literally shooting them down Knox Creek to the Tug River. From there , he would raft the logs to the market at Catlettsburg.

For all his wealth, John Sherman Dotson didn't look like a timber baron. Stories are numerous about him going to a bank in Pikeville with over $25,000 in his old saddlebags. The bags were so stuffed with money that he couldn't get them through the teller's window. Another story is that old man Dotson, with his beard growed out and wearing his old flopped down hat went into a Catlettsburg bank and sat waiting patiently for service while more well dressed customers came and went. After a period of time, a clerk asked if he needed help. The mountaineer pulled up his saddlebags and drew out $85,000 for deposit. From then on, it was "Mister Dotson, if you please."(from Bountiful and Beautiful, a History of Buchanan County, 1980.)

MILITARY SERVICE: Sherman enlisted in the Union Army, 19 Jun 1863. He saw combat in the Civil War, was wounded and hospitalized in Louisa, KY. At the time, Rhoda Dotson was a teenaged girl who had never been more than a few miles from home. She walked from Feds Creek in Pike County to Louisa, KY, to take care of John while he was recuperating from the wounds he suffered. He was honorably discharged from service 15 Sep 1865 in Louisville, KY. They later married and raised eight children.

CENSUS, 1910, Buchanan Co., VA: John S. Dotson, husband, age 65; Rhoda Dotson, wife, age 63; Mary Dotson daughter, age 27.

(Research): Born 1 May 1844 in Johnson Co, TN, Enlisted in the Union Army 19 June 1863 (Age 18) in Pike County, Kentucky for 3 Years John S. Dotson's service in the Union Army. Below are extracts from those records during the Civil War.

01/01/1863 Pvt. Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Present Enlisted 02/16/1863 Pvt. Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Company Muster-in Roll 01/19/1863 Pike County, Kentucky Pvt. 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Company Descriptive Book 02/01/1863 Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Absent Without Leave 03/02/1863Camp White, KY Pvt Deserted 04/01/1863 Louisa, Kentucky Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry List of Deserters 04/01/1863 Louisa, Kentucky Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Deserted 04/10/1863 Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Special Muster 05/01/1863 Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Present 06/06/1863 Louisa, Kentucky Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Regained from Desertion 07/01/1863 Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Forfeit two months Pay 09/01/1863 Pvt. Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Present 01/01/1864Pvt Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Present 05/01/1864 Pvt Detached Service 09/15/1865 Louisville, KY Cpl Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry Discharged

Serving at Peach Orchard, Kentucky 16 Feb 1863, Honorably discharged on 15 Sep. 1865 in Louisville, KY. Information From Military Service Record Co H 39th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry. Wounded in Battle for Saltsville, Va. (See Below)

                 Saltville

                 Other Names: None

                 Location: Smyth County

                 Campaign: Burbridge's Raid into Southwest Virginia
                 (September-October 1864)

                 Date(s): October 2, 1864

                 Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. Stephen Burbridge [US]; Brig. Gen.
                 Alfred E. Jackson [CS]

                 Forces Engaged: Divisions  (11,000 total)

                 Estimated Casualties: 458 total

                 Description: Union cavalry and infantry raiders led by Brig. Gen.
                 Stephen Burbridge attempted to destroy the salt works near Saltsville. He was delayed at Clinch Mountain and Laurel Gap by a makeshift Confederate force, enabling Brig. Gen. Alfred E. Jackson to concentrate troops near Saltsville to meet him.  On the morning of October 1, the Federals attacked but made little headway.  Confederate reinforcements continued to arrive during the day.  After day long fighting, Burbridge retired without accomplishing his objective. Afterwards, Confederate soldiers were said to have murdered, captured, and wounded black soldiers.

                 Result(s): Confederate victory 39th Regiment Infantry

Organized at Peach Orchard, Ky., November 18, 1862, and mustered in February 16, 1863. Attached to District of Eastern Kentucky, Dept. of Ohio, to June 1863. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. of Ohio, to August 1863. District of Eastern Kentucky, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, to April 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Kentucky, 5th Division, 23rd Army Corps, to July 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, District of Kentucky, to December 1864. Louisa (Ky.) District and Dept. of Kentucky, to September 1865.

SERVICE. Action near Piketon, KY November 5, 1862.Wireman's Shoals, Big Sandy River, December 4. Skirmishes in Floyd County December 4 and near Prestonsburg December 4-5. Near Prestonsburg December 31 Near Louisa, KY, March 25-26, 1863. Piketon April 13 and 15. Beaver Creek, Floyd County, June 27. Mouth of Coal Run, Pike County, July 2. Expedition from Beaver Creek into Southwest Virginia July 3-11. Pond Creek July 6. Clark's Neck and Carter County August 27. Marrowbone Creek September 22. Terman's Ferry January 9, 1864. Laurel Creek, W. Va., February 12. Operations in Eastern Kentucky March 28-April 16. Forks of Beaver March 31. Brushy Creek April 7. Paintsville April 13. Half Mountain, Magoffin County, April 14. Saylersville April 16. Expedition from Louisa to Rock house Creek May 9-13 (Co. "B"). Pond Creek, Pike County, May 16. Pike County May 18. Operations against Morgan May 31-June 20. Mt. Sterling June 9. Cynthiana June 12. Burbridge's Expedition into Southwest Virginia September 20-October 17. Saltsville October 2. Stoneman's Expedition Into Southwest Virginia December 10-29. Bristol, TN., December 13. Arlington, VA, December 15. Near Marion, VA, December 17-18. Saltville, VA, December 20-21. Capture and destruction of salt works. Duty in the Sandy Valley and in Eastern Kentucky guarding and protecting the country until September 1865. Mustered out September 15, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 24 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 194 Enlisted men by disease. Total 234.

A good portion of his property came from a land grant for service in the Civil War. (Needs Verified)

He was a farmer, sawmill owner and sold mineral rights to the land that he owned to Kentland Company of Cincinnati.

After he moved from below Poe Town, John Sherman lived just as you cross the creek going up Hunts Fork Just about where Russell and Betty Dotson's house stands today. (Notes from conversation with Edna and Hazel on 6 August 1999 and the recollections of Ida Dotson Paige in ltr dtd 14 July 1999)

John S, Dotson, Age 65 Husband Rhoda Dotson Age 63 Wife Mary Dotson Age 27 Daughter Listed in 1910 Census for Buchanan County, VA

BURIAL: Hackney Burial Ground, Below Grundy, Buchanan, VA

Source: Howard "Bud" Dotson

Greatest man who ever lived according to granddaughter, Zada Davis, who was raised by her grandparents, John & Rhoda, after her father died. The family observed that John and Rhoda never spoke a harsh word to each other. At John's funeral, Rhoda said, "He was always so kind to me."

OCCUPATION: According to Zada, John S. owned lots of land, which he farmed and logged. Some of his property came from land grants from his service in the Civil War. He had a sawmill and grist mill on Levisa Creek and a general store. Grandson Frank Dotson of Home Creek explained how his grandfather conducted his logging operation . John Sherman "used beech-rail tramroads to haul his timber from hollows being logged. Mules or oxen would pull the log wagons down the tramroads to Paw Paw, where a splash dam was constructed. This structure was a dam which would back up the water so a large pond would form. Into this pond the timber would be dumped. A trigger log would then be pulled to knock down the dam, releasing the water and logs with a tremendous force, literally shooting them down Knox Creek to the Tug River. From there , he would raft the logs to the market at Catlettsburg.

For all his wealth, John Sherman Dotson didn't look like a timber baron. Stories are numerous about him going to a bank in Pikeville with over $25,000 in his old saddlebags. The bags were so stuffed with money that he couldn't get them through the teller's window. Another story is that old man Dotson, with his beard growed out and wearing his old flopped down hat went into a Catlettsburg bank and sat waiting patiently for service while more well dressed customers came and went. After a period of time, a clerk asked if he needed help. The mountaineer pulled up his saddlebags and drew out $85,000 for deposit. From then on, it was "Mister Dotson, if you please."(from Bountiful and Beautiful, a History of Buchanan County, 1980.)

MILITARY SERVICE: Sherman enlisted in the Union Army, 19 Jun 1863. He saw combat in the Civil War, was wounded and hospitalized in Louisa, KY. At the time, Rhoda Dotson was a teenaged girl who had never been more than a few miles from home. She walked from Feds Creek in Pike County to Louisa, KY, to take care of John while he was recuperating from the wounds he suffered. He was honorably discharged from service 15 Sep 1865 in Louisville, KY. They later married and raised eight children.

CENSUS, 1910, Buchanan Co., VA: John S. Dotson, husband, age 65; Rhoda Dotson, wife, age 63; Mary Dotson daughter, age 27.

1.   1890 Kentucky Veterans Census Index Microfile 511 M123-2.
2.   1850 United States Federal Census Johnson County Tenessee.

   Verified: YES

3. ↑ Source: Howard "Bud" Dotson