Early Published Histories

Several Dugger histories have been published in the past, though most were fairly brief mentions or short outlines of the family. There have been more recent Dugger histories published, but due to copyrights they shouldn't be republished here, though it would be alright to list them and comment on them.

Annals of Tennessee, 1853

The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century, J. G. M. Ramsey, A. M., M.D. 1853, pp 141-142

The house of Mr. Andrew Greer was on Watauga River, about three miles above Elizabethton, near to the place where Henry Nave, Jun., now lives. Mr. Greer was an Indian trader, and at a very early period, perhaps 1766, came with Julius C. Dugger to the West. They are believed to be the first white men that settled south of the what was afterwards ascertained to be the Virginia line. ... Julius C. Dugger lived and died at a place still owned by his heirs, and known as Dugger's Bridge, fourteen miles up the Watauga from Elizabethton.

See Julius C. Dugger for a commentary on Dr. Ramsey's Julius C. Dugger.

A History of Watauga Co., NC, 1915

A History of Watauga County, North Carolina, John Preston Arthur, 1915. p 222

The Dugger family of Cove Creek are descendants of Benjamin Dugger, who came from Yadkin Elk in 1793 or 1794 to Brushy Fork and entered land there, and for whom the Dugger Mountain and creek east of the Blue Ridge are named. There were three Dugger brothers who came from Scotland and stopped awhile near Petersburg, VA., named Benjamin, Daniel and Julius. Ben stopped at Yadkin Elk, Daniel went to Kentucky and Julius settled near Fish Springs on the Watauga River, Tennessee. It was from Julius' children that the Banner's Elk Duggers descended.

Ibid, p. 303

Dugger Family. --- In 1793 or 1794 Benjamin Dugger came to Watauga County from Yadkin Elk, where a creek and mountain still bear his name. He entered land on Brushy Fork, near the present Holtsclaw settlement. His children were Selah, who married Lawson Goodin; Daniel Dugger; Cora Ann, who married Samuel Burns; Susannah, who married John Whittington; Mary, who married John Calihan; David and William Dugger. David Dugger bought out the other heirs. The deed is dated November 1, 1815 and calls for two tracts on Brushy Fork. There were three Dugger brothers who came from Scotland to Yadkin Elk, having settled for a time near Petersburg, Va., Benjamin, Daniel and Julius. Ben stopped on Brushy Fork, Daniel went west to Kentucky and Julius settled in what was then Carter County, Tennessee, near Fish Springs, where some of his descendants still live. It was from the Julius Dugger family that the Dugger Forge and the beginnings of Cranberry forge started. David married Margaret Ernest and their children are: Henry, who married a Green; Polly, who married David Howell; Elizabeth, who married Jehiel Smith, and William, who married Unice Munday. William's children were: Henry, who never married; Franklin, who married Martha Presnell; David, who married Mary Munday; Elizabeth, who never married; John, killed in Civil War; William Eben, married Nannie Wilkerson; Margaret and Mary Jane, not married;

Tennessee, The Volunteer State, 1923

Tennessee, The Volunteer State, 1769-1923, Vol. 2 John Trotwood Moore, 1923, p. 422

The ancestry in the Dugger line can be traced back to Julius Dugger, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, and there is a strongly supported tradition that the first American ancestor of the family was Hackney McDuggen. The prefix "Mc" was dropped and the final "N" was changed to "r." Julius Dugger had a brother Ben and one of his descendants, William Dugger, had in his possession a book printed in the Scottish dialect, upon the fly leaf of which appeared the name of the owner, Hackey McDuggen. The Dugger family was established near Petersburg, Virginia, and Julius Dugger emigrated to Tennessee with four brothers, and possibly others, and one sister who became Mrs. Mary Smith. Julius Dugger settled near what was later known as Dugger's Bridge and afterward removed to Wilkes county, North Carolina, but later returned to Tennessee. His brother Ben settled in western North Carolina, while Daniel went on to Kentucky and William took up his abode below Dugger's Bridge. Julius Dugger arrived about 1766 in company with Andrew Greer and they are believed to be the first white men who settled south of what was afterward the Virginia line. Family tradition has it that he served in the Revolutionary war and was also in the War of 1812, serving two different times. He married Mary Hall of Rockbridge county, Virginia, believed to be an only daughter, but she had a brother Sam who left descendants (the Daugherty family) and a brother George, who was killed by the Indians. Julius Dugger owned slaves and land at the foot of Dugger's mountain, in Caldwell county, North Carolina, the mountain and creek there being named for him and his kindred because they hunted in that locality. He seems to have been alone loyal to the country in the midst of a Tory neighborhood and to avoid trouble he returned with his family to Tennessee and helped to clear the land where Elizabethton now stands. He and his descendants are spoken of as men of intelligence and of notable forsight. [There is more about John Dugger, son of Julius.]

Note: The above seems mostly reasonable, though some of it is obviously based on Ramsey and Arthur's writings which preceded it. One thing stands out though. It seems absurd to think that Hackney McDuggen could be an ancestor of the Duggers. That is a very unlikely name change. --Martygrant 00:51, 2 September 2007 (EDT)

Tennessee Bible Records, 1933

Tennessee Records Tombstone Inscriptions and Manuscripts Historical and Biographical, compiled by Jeannette Tillotson Acklen (and others) for the DAR, 1933. p 292.

Children as known, of Julius Dugger, Sr., and wife: William, born 1750. Julius, Jr. born 1760. Mary, married, first Lawson Goodwin; second Jacob Smith. Julius Dugger, Sr., had two brothers. Ben settled at Brushy Fork, N.C. Five generations of his descendants are buried in Brusy Fork Burying Ground. David settled in Kentucky.

See William Dugger for an analysis of the above.