Person:William Dugger (25)

About William Dugger

Many thanks are owed to various researchers, but special thanks to: Barbara Browder, Gene Blair, Robert Nave, Margaret Hougland, Mary Floy Katzman, Tom Ward and many others.

William Dugger Sr is probably a son of Daniel Dugger and Mary Scarborough. There is no solid proof that he is their son, but they seem the only choice.

William Dugger was born ca 1720 or earlier (based on his first public record in 1741 assuming he was at least 21). He was most likely born in Surry Co, VA. He moved to Brunswick Co, VA early on, later moving to Lunenburg, then back to Brunswick, then to Granville Co, NC, then back to Lunenburg again, in the section that later became Pittsylvania Co, VA. From there he moved to Surry Co, NC to the section that later became Wilkes County, and today is along the Wilkes - Watauga County border. He died in that area ca 1773.

On 26 Oct 1741 William Dugger witnessed a Brunswick County, VA Deed between Horton of Surry and Tims of Brunswick Co, VA. (Brunswick Co, VA Deed Book 2 page 130).

On 16 Jun 1744 William Dugger received a land patent for 328 acres in Brunswick Co, VA adjoining William Hagood and Boswell. (Virginia Land Patent Book 23 page 703)

On 6 Aug 1747 William Duggar of Brunswick Co, VA purchased 200 acres from Drury and Martha Melone of Lunenburg County. The land was in Brunswick, on both sides of Beechlick Branch. (Brunswick Co, VA Deed Book 3 page 337).

William Dugger married Martha --- sometime in the 1740's. I have no clues as to what her maiden name might have been.

Robert Nave found a "William Ducker" listed on the 1748/49 Lunenburg Co, VA tax list. He thinks this could be William Dugger, and he might be right. He was listed with 1 tithable (one male over 21, himself). Benjamin Dugger was in the same county on that list.

If William moved to Lunenburg, it was a brief move, for he was back in Brunswick by 1750.

On 26 Jun 1750 William Dugger and wife Martha of Brunswick Co, VA sold Benjamin Lanier 200 acres on both sides of Beechlick branch (same land he purchased from Drury and Martha Melone in 1747). Witnesses were Sampson Lanier, William Rawlings and John Marshall. (Brunswick Co, VA Deed Book 4 page 161).

The above deed was ordered recorded in June 1750 Brunswick County court. (Brunswick CO, VA Order Book 8 page 80).

In January 1752, in Brunswick Court, William Dugger and John Dugger (his brother) were suing John Overbie and John Roberts. (Brunswick Co, VA Order Book 4 page 115).

In March 1752, in Brunswick Court, a deed between William Dugger and Thomas Twitty was ordered recorded. I did not find this deed in the deed books. This must be the record of him selling his 328 acre patent. (Brunswick Co, VA Order Book 5 page 168).

The above land sale seems to indicate William Dugger selling out his Brunswick property in preparation for a move.

On 29 Jan 1752 William Dugger made a land entry in Granville Co, NC. He obtained a land warrant for the same land on 30 Oct 1752 in Granville Co, NC (which bordered Brunswick Co, VA at that time). He obtained 640 acres on both sides of Hawtree Creek adjoining Harvel, Roberts and Collier (perhaps related to the Collier family who's land bordered Daniel Dugger in Surry Co, VA). (Granville Grant Misc Papers # 2659).

Hawtree Creek is in modern Warren County, NC which was then (1752) still part of Granville Co, NC. Bute County was formed from eastern Granville in 1764 and included Hawtree Creek, and Bute was split into several counties, including Warren in 1779. However, he was long gone from there by then.

William Dugger was listed on the 1754 Tax list (or Militia List, I need to recheck this) in Granville Co, NC in Captain Osborn Jeffrey's Company.

In June 1754, in Granville court, William Clinch and Company sued William Duggar (probably for debt), but the case was dismissed.

William Dugger was listed on the 1755 Granville County, NC tax list, and charged with 1 Poll (white male over 21: himself).

In June 1755, in Granville Court, William Dugger sued Daniel Osheals for Trespassing.

On 13 Nov 1756, William "Duger" was mentioned as an adjoining land owner in a land patent to Julius Nichols in Granville County on Hawtree Creek. (Granville Grants # 2492)

Since William's son Julius Dugger was born in 1760, some have suggested he was named after neighbor Julius Nichols. This could be true.

On 1 Sep 1758, William Dugger obtained a land warrant for 640 acres in Granville, both sides of Hawtree Creek, adjoining William Johnston, Ellis, James Hardick, Thomas Wams, Downy, Julius Nichols and John Ellis. This was granted 27 Nov 1760. (Granville Grant Misc Papers # 2658)

I haven't checked for additional records in Granville, so I don't know when William Dugger sold his land there. However, beginning in 1762, he began taking out land entries in Pittsylvania Co, VA.

In the Pittsylvania Co, VA Entry Books, William Dugger is mentioned three times: in 1762 (# 286), 1765 (# 352) and 1768 (# 431). I don't have the details yet for these land entries, but I believe they were within present day Henry County, VA, but can't be sure without additional detail.

On 30 Nov 1765, William Dugger had 247 acres surveyed for him on both sides of Leatherwood Creek. (Pittsylvania Co, VA Old Survey Book I page 123).

William Dugger was listed on the 1767 Tax List in Pittsylvania Co, VA in Robert Chandler's list.

On 20 Mar 1768 William Dugger deed various livestock to Benjamin Dugger in Pittsylvania Co, VA. I believe this was his son Benjamin Dugger (c1747) and not his brother Benjamin Dugger (c1724), though I can't be 100% positive. The deed did not state a relationship. The Witness was Samuel Hall (who's daughter Mary later married William's son Julius Dugger) (Pittsylvania Co, VA Deed Book 1 page 167).

Around this time, or shortly after, but before 1771, William Dugger moved to Surry County, NC and settled on what is now the border region between Wilkes and Watauga County. There is a Dugger Mountain and Dugger Creek there today, probably named for him, or one of his sons.

"William Duggar" was listed on the 1771 Surry Co, NC Tax list, and charged for 2 polls (2 males over 21). This included himself, and the other one was probably Benjamin, his oldest known son, who would have been about 24 then, but probably not yet married.

"William Duger" was listed on the 1772 Surry Co, NC Tax list, and again charged for 2 polls. However, this year, his son Benjamin was listed separately, so this extra poll was probably his next oldest son William, who was born in 1750, so was either 21 or 22 by then.

The 1772 tax list is the last record we have found for William Dugger. There isn't an extant 1773 tax list, but the 1774 list shows Benjamin Dugger listed with 1 poll, and also a Mary Dugger, with 1 poll. Since Mary wouldn't be taxable herself, the poll must have been a son, probably William Dugger (Jr) who was about 24 then, but not yet married.

This makes a big assumption, in that Mary, is the widow of William Dugger. We know from other records that she was a widow, but I don't believe any of the records say from whom she was widowed. But since William was the only older Dugger in the area, he seems the best (if not the only) choice.

The area where the Dugger family lived in Surry County became Wilkes County in 1777 when that new county was formed.

On 25 Jul 1785 the "Widow Dugger" was mentioned in a court order for road work in Wilkes Co, NC. John Nauthern was appointed overseer of the road from Ben Howards to Widow Duggers. (Wilkes Co, NC Court Minutes)

By 1787, Mary apparently had joined her sons Julius and William (Jr) over in what was later to become Carter County, Tennessee. This was not very far from where they had been in NC. On 11 Aug 1787 Mary "Duggard" obtained a Land Grant on both sides of the Watauga River in Washington County, NC. (This area was NC until 1790). Carter County was formed from Washington County shortly after this. (NC Land Grant # 787)

I believe Mary Floy Katzman, or perhaps Margaret Hougland shared the above 1787 land grant with me, I can't recall which of them did so at present (thanks to both anyway!).

The 1787 land grant is the last record I have for Mary Dugger, supposed widow of William Dugger.

I have no clues as to what Mary's maiden name might have been, nor when she and William married. Since in 1750, William's wife was named "Martha", it can only be assumed that Martha was the mother of the older children. I have information showing that William had a 2nd wife Margaret, and a 3rd wife Mary (being the Mary we were just discussing). I haven't found any records on Margaret yet. If Mary were the last wife, she may not be the mother of any of the children.

There is some bad information that has been going around for many years that Mary was a Kincaid, and a sister to the wife of Andrew Greer, but this is entirely incorrect, and can easily be refuted. Most Kincaid researchers can vouch for the fact that the Dugger and Kincaid families were never near each other until the 1780's and later.