Person:William Dugger (20)

m. 1779
  1. John Dugger1780 - 1869
  2. Nancy Dugger1782 - 1835
  3. William Dugger1784 - 1875
  4. Abel Dugger1786 - 1843
  5. Julius Dugger1787 - 1792
  6. Elizabeth Dugger1789 - 1850
  7. Charlotte Dugger1791 - Bet 1850 & 1860
  8. Margaret Dugger1798 - 1876
  9. Mary Caroline Dugger1800 - 1875
Facts and Events
Name William Dugger
Gender Male
Birth? 7 Sep 1784 Washington, Tennessee, United States
Death? 13 Jan 1875 Johnson, Tennessee, United States


William Dugger was born 7 Sep 1784 (per Mrs. Vaught) in Washington Co, NC (now Carter Co, TN).

He never married, but it has been suggested that he fathered a few children out of wedlock. I don't know what evidence there is for that, so I'll not comment on it further.

William Dugger is occasionally confused (by some researchers) with his 1st cousin William Dugger (9 Nov 1784) son of Benjamin Dugger. They were only 2 months difference in age, but the other William left the area for KY before 1802, so there shouldn't be any reason to mix them up in later records. I think the similar age and birth dates are the problem.

William (son of Julius) accumulated a great deal of property and wealth over the years.

The 1820 census was also lost for all of Eastern TN, but the Manufacturers schedule survived, and William Dugger is listed on that in Carter Co, TN with others for their Iron Works on the Watauga River. He was listed in business with Abel Dugger, John Dugger, (his brothers), and also Solomon Asher, and Joseph Asher.

For the 1830 census, William Dugger was listed as head of household in Carter Co, TN, with two adult males listed, one being him, the other one unknown, though possibly a business partner, or farm laborer. Analysis:

  • Carter Co., TN page 20 William Dugger 0000002000000-0000000000000
  • 2 males 40-49 (1780/1790)=1-William Dugger (1784); 2-Unknown

For the 1840 census William was in Yancey Co., NC (which bordered Carter Co., TN at that time). His nephew Abel N. Dugger was listed there also (but as "Abram Dugger"). Analysis:

  • Yancey Co., NC page 280 William Dugger 0000000100000-0000000000000
  • 1 male 50-59 (1780/1790)=William Dugger (1784)

William Dugger was listed on the 1840 tax list in Yancey County in Captain Vance's Company. He was taxed for 3500 acres, valued at $1000, and he had no white polls (he was either over age, or he no longer resided on this property), and his tax was $5.00. (Toe Valley Genealogical Society Newsletter, Volume 5, Number 8, October 1993, 1840 Yancey County Tax List, Capt Vance's Company by Kathy Sullivan)

William Dugger was listed on the 1841 tax list in Yancey County in Captain Swan's Company. He was taxed for 3500 acres (same as in 1840), valued at $1000, and he had no white polls (either he was over age, or not living on the land). (Toe Valley Genealogical Society Newsletter, Volume 5, Number 9, November 1993, 1841 Yancey County Tax List, Capt Swan's Company by Kathy Sullivan)

He was in Johnson Co., TN for the 1850 census. His nephew James Dugger George and James’ daughter was residing with him.

7th Census of the United States - 1850
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Real $ Birth Place
Johnson Co, TN - 4th Civil District
Page 32b, House # 67, Family # 69
Dugger William Sr 65 M W Farmer 5000 TN
George James D 32 M W School Teacher TN
George Mary Susan 6 F W TN

William was still in Johnson Co., TN for the 1860 census.

8th Census of the United States - 1860
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Real $ Personal $ Birth Place
Johnson Co, TN - District No 10
Cable Valley PO
Page 63, House # 779, Family # 17
Dugger William 76 M W Farmer 10,400 3742 TN
Closson Tempe 45 F W Housekeeping TN
Closson Alzenia 17 F W Housekeeping TN

William was still in Johnson Co., TN for the 1870 census.

9th Census of the United States - 1870
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Real $ Personal $ Birth Place
Johnson Co, TN - District No 10
Stump Knob PO
Page 79, House # 9, Family # 10
Dugger William 85 M W Farmer 9500 675 TN
Dugger Anna 52 F B House Keeping TN
Dugger Sarah 31 F B Domestic Servant TN
Dugger Josephine 7 F W TN

William Dugger wrote his Will 5 Oct 1872 in Johnson Co, TN. This Will was published in “Tennessee Records ...” (cited above), and retyped by me for this web page. If the published version was verbatim (as it seems to be), then this is also. The only changes I made were to add some paragraph breaks, and to bold all names given. This one document proves most of the Julius Dugger and Mary Hall family.


In the name of God. Amen.

I, William Dugger, of the County of Johnson and State of Tennessee, being of sound mind and memory and considering of this frail and transitory life, do, therefore, make and ordain, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament.

That first, after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged, the residue of my estate, real and personal, I give and bequeath and dispose of as follows:

To the male and female, two tracts of land known as the Forge land, together with the forge and half of the saw-mill, first tract, two thousand acres of land, more or less, adjoining the lands of Ezekiel Smith and others. Second tract of land, one thousand acres of land, more or less, adjoining the lands of Daniel Baker and others. All the above named lands, iron works and saw- mills I bequeath to the heirs of John Dugger, deceased, to John Dugger Sr, Benjamin Dugger, Jacob F. Dugger, Hiram Dugger, Joseph Dugger Sr, Peter E. Dugger, Solomon Q. Dugger and William B. Dugger, Samuel Dugger, Charlotte Cable, Mary Whitehead, Emanuel Bunton, Nancy Anderson. These are the heirs which I give and bequeath the above described land, premises to be equally divided and to dispose of as they may see fit.

Furthermore, I give and bequeath to my beloved niece, Nancy J. Cowan, daughter of Charlotte Anderson and wife of Thomas Cowan, my hope plantation, which is three hundred and fifty acres of land, more or less, with the exceptions of forty acres of land out of the above-named tract of land with the buildings thereon to her and to her heirs and her children and her children's heirs forever.

And I furthermore give and bequeath to Mary C. Bogle, daughter of Charlotte Anderson, deceased. I give and bequeath to her and her heirs twenty-five acres of land, a part of my farm lying on the north side of Roan's Creek opposite Ezekiel Smith's, where Washington Bowman and others now live. The above described lot of land she is at liberty to dispose of as she may see fit.

I furthermore give and bequeath to my beloved sister, Mary Pierce, and her heirs, fifty acres of land lying on Roan's Creek, opposite Ezekiel Smith, which is at liberty to dispose of as she may see fit.

And to the heirs of my beloved brother, Abel Dugger, deceased, fifty acres of land out of the above named tract of land lying on the north side of Roan's Creek, opposite Ezekiel Smith's, which they are at liberty to dispose of as they see fit.

Furthermore, I give to the heirs of my beloved sister Nancy George, deceased, and wife of James J. George, deceased, fifty acres of land lying north side of Roan's Creek, opposite Ezekiel Smith's, which they are at liberty to dispose of as they may see fit.

Furthermore, I give to the heirs of my beloved sister, Elizabeth Rainbolt, deceased, wife of Elisha Rainbolt, deceased, lying north side of Roan's Creek, opposite Ezekiel Smith's, which they are at liberty to dispose of as they may see fit.

The last six above-named heirs are to have their lands out of which is known as the Roan's Creek farm, lying north side of Roan's Creek, opposite Ezekiel Smith's, where Washington Bowman and others now live. The above-described lots of land are taken out of four hundred acre tract of land, be it the same, more or less.

And I furthermore give and bequeath all my claim and interest in and to the estate of my father, Julius Dugger, deceased. To my two sisters, Margaret Dugger and Mary Pierce, and I also empower my executor J. D. Pierce, to make titles to all the lands I have sold to my sister, Margaret Dugger, on the south side of the Watauga River, opposite where Margaret Dugger now lives. I know to be properly understood I reserve one hundred and twenty five acres of land out my farm lying on the north side of Roan's Creek, opposite Ezekiel Smith's, including the first mill and water navigation, power and building thereon, where Washington Bowman now lives.

The last six above named heirs are to have their lots outside of the 125 acres of land, which I reserve to do as I please with hereafter, and to be more properly understood, they are to have fifty acres of land apiece, with this exception, Mary C. Bogle is to only have twenty-five acres of land if there be that amount after my own one hundred twenty-five acres of land is taken out.

I furthermore desire and request my niece, Nancy J. Cowan, to let my colored woman, Anna George or alias Anna Dugger, to have a room or house to put her household property in or let her stay in the house with her as they may agree on by giving Anna her choice. I furthermore request that she have a garden spot and land to maintain herself on. Otherwise, see that she is maintained her lifetime out of the proceeds of the farm and after Anna's death all the above privilege to go back to Nancy J. Cowan and her heirs forever.

Furthermore, I want it to be properly understood that iron ore is on the land that I bequeath to Nancy J. Cowan and her heirs is to go to the use of the forge, known as Dugger's Forge, and what other minerals, be it what it may, must be equally divided among all my above-named brothers and sisters.

And I furthermore give to the heirs of John Dugger, deceased, the Baker Iron Ore Bank, to be equally divided among themselves.

I furthermore want my executors to pay over out of my estate to Nancy Rainbolt ten dollars which I feel myself indebted to her for waiting on my when I had the smallpox.

I furthermore bind my executors to pay out of my estate my burial and funeral expenses if there be any.

I give , bequeath and desire all the rest, residue and remainder of my real and personal estate to my above-named brothers and sisters, to be equally divided, share and share alike.

Likewise, I make, constitute my nephew Julius D. Pierce, and my brother-in-law, Thomas Anderson, to executors of my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

In witness to hereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal the 5th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1872. William Dugger

The above written instrument was subscribed by the said William Dugger in our presence and acknowledged by him to each of us and at the same time published and declared the above instrument so subscribed to be his last will and testament, and we, as the testators, request and in his presences have signed our names as witness hereunto and written opposite our names or respective places of residence.

S. P. Sorrells, Johnson County, Tenn.

I. F. McQueen, Johnson County, Tenn.


William Dugger died 13 Jan 1875 (per Mrs. Vaught) in Johnson Co, TN.