Person:Elizabeth Unknown (4737)

Disambiguation

Not to be confused with Elizabeth Lewis (1732-1809), daughter of Zachary Lewis and Mary Waller

The Impossible Story of Elizabeth, wife of William Dorton

Many researchers have claimed that Elizabeth, wife of William Dorton, may have led a "triple-life" and fathered at least three other children with Nathaniel Gist, and Indian Trader John Benge. This story appears to be conjured [or mixed] up, but based upon few facts or source-based research.

We know William Dorton was the father of possibly seven children; four of which, William, Moses, Edward, Sally, were named in his will written on 29 March 1782. Also named in his will was his "dearly beloved wife" Elizabeth, whom he left "the plantation we now live on containing two hundred acres of land and all the plantation tools and household furniture as long as she lives single and at her decease falling to my son Edward Dorton".

The children of William Dorton and his wife Elizabeth appear to have been born between 1750-1764, based upon varying sources.

William Dorton, Jr. (1750-1826) - these dates are listed on William Dorton, Jr.'s Find-A-Grave headstone in the Dorton Cemetery in Russell County, Virginia.

Edward Dorton (1751-1849) - We are confident that their son Edward was born in 1751, as he stated his age as "eighty-two years" in his Revolutionary War Service Declaration taken in December 1833.

Jacob Dorton (1753-1777) - the birthdate of Jacob Dorton is estimated based upon the fact that he is mentioned as the un-named brother that was killed by Indians in August 1777, in his brother Edward's Revolutionary War Service Declaration. He was likely born sometime between his birthyear (1751), and those of their younger siblings between 1757-1764, making sometime between 1753-1755 likely.

On March 29, 1782, William Dorton, Sr. wrote his will, which included the following:

First, I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my dearly beloved wife the plantation we now live on containing two hundred acres of land and all the plantation tools and household furniture as long as she lives single and at her decease falling to my son Edward Dorton.

The question that begs to be asked is that if his wife Elizabeth had left and fathered at least three other children with two other men, then why would he refer to her at all? Certainly, the reference to her as his "dearly beloved wife" indicates that she was with him and that she was not the Elizabeth "Wurteh" Watts that some researchers have surmised or theorized.