Person:Julius Dugger (9)

About Julius Dugger

Julius Dugger was born 9 Sep 1760 (per Mrs. Vaught). Census records (1830) confirm he was born ca 1760/70. He was probably born in Granville Co, NC (now Warren County) on or near Hawtree Creek.

Julius Dugger (1760) is probably a son of William Dugger Sr (1720) and his 1st wife Martha. I have no direct proof that those are his parents, but it seems most likely. Julius (1760) was associated with Benjamin Dugger (1747) and William Dugger (1750), who are both also thought to be children of William Dugger Sr.

Julius is often listed as a son of the mythical Julius Caesar Dugger, but that is wrong. Accordingly, he is often listed as Julius C. Dugger, Jr. which is also incorrect. There is no evidence that Julius (1760) had a middle name or initial. If he had he certainly would have used it on some record for in later years there were other Julius Duggers in the same area as he, and a middle initial would be brought out to help keep them straight in the records.

John Preston Arthur had this to say about Julius

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

Mrs. W. M. Vaught (Elizabeth Carriger) wrote this about the family.

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 Brushy Fork Burying Ground. David settled in Kentucky. (Tennessee Records Tombstone Inscriptions and Manuscripts Historical and Biographical, compiled by Jeannette Tillotson Acklen (and others) for the DAR, 1933. p 292)

The records are attributed to "Mrs. W.M. Vaught, Elizabethton". She does not cite any sources, so I can only assume she had access to a family members and / or family records containing family information. She also reported Julius Dugger's birth date and the names and dates for all of his and Mary Hall's children. There are several items that are provably wrong in this source, but it is interesting anyway.

However inaccurate some of Mrs. Vaught's records were, we still owe her a great deal for the rest of the data she helped preserve. I was told by Robert T. Nave that Mrs. Vaught (and her sister, a Miss Carriger) did alot of research on this family back in the 1930's, and after Mrs. Vaught's death, Miss Carriger published alot of the data, including many inaccurate pieces of data that were just speculative, or just wrong. Once something like that gets in print, people tend to accept it as fact, and ignore the fact that it was speculative or just wrong.

William Dugger Sr (1720) was a neighbor in Granville Co, NC (now Warren County) of a man named Julius Nichols beginning 1756 (or before), and some have suggested that this man was Julius Dugger's namesake.

William Dugger Sr (1720) was in Lunenburg Co, VA in 1749, but in Brunswick Co, VA in 1750, then to Granville Co, NC by 1752, and there until 1762, so Julius (1760), if his son, was probably born in Granville Co, NC. The family moved to Pittsylvania Co, VA by 1762, and were neighbors there of Samuel Hall who was to become Julius' father-in-law. In the 1771 timeframe, the Dugger and Hall families moved to Surry Co, NC in the vicinity of Elk Creek. This area became Wilkes County in 1777, (and Watauga County in 1848).

The Elk Creek area became Wilkes County, NC in 1777. Julius Dugger entered land in Wilkes Co, NC on 7 Sep 1778 on the waters of Elk Creek, bordering land of Benjamin Dugger and Samuel Hall (his soon to be father-in-law). (Thanks to Cynthia McDaniel for sharing this data). This would have been two days short of Julius' 18th birthdate (if his birthdate of 9 Sep 1760 is correct). Normally a male under the age of 21 was considered a minor, and could not conduct business on their own, but I think in this case as an orphan (his father was dead), he could do some transactions. I've seen lots of land entries and grants for minor children (usually at least 16 though), so this doesn't seem unusual.

For some reason though, perhaps because of his age, Julius' land entry was taken away from him (before 1788) and transferred to someone else. There should be some record of why the land was lost. I have not checked the court records thoroughly yet.

Julius Dugger married Mary Hall in this area (Elk Creek, Wilkes Co, NC) circa 1779. No marriage record was found.

Julius Dugger was a Revolutionary War soldier from NC. He served in 1780 from Wilkes Co, NC (per his Pension Application R 3108).

Julius Dugger and family left Wilkes Co, NC before May 1781 and moved to Washington Co, NC (now Carter Co, TN) (per his Revolutionary War Pension application). He served again beginning in May 1781. His pension was rejected because he didn't serve a minimum of 6 months.

In his pension application (dated 19 Sep 1832) he detailed some of his service, but gave very little information of genealogical interest (but plenty of historical and personal interest):

File No. R 3108

State of Tennessee )

County of Carter )

On this 19th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Samuel Powell, Judge and now holding the circuit court in and for said county, Julius Dugger, a resident of the County of Carter and State of Tennessee, age 71 years, who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That when a citizen of Wilkes County, (now Ashe County), North Carolina, he volunteered under Captain John Keyes, who commanded a light horse company and served under him for over a month; that said company marched to the head of Watauga River where they destroyed provisions and in order to prevent the Tories and Indians from getting them. That he was discharged by Captain Keyes and does not know now where that discharge is. That this service was in the year 1780. Afterwards he moved to Washington County, North Carolina, now Carter County, Tennessee and in the month of May 1781 (as he thinks) he volunteered and marched under Captain William Smith whose company marched to the Big Island Ford in French Broad River where in the month of August it joined Col. Sevier, that from thense he marched under Captain Smith and Col. Sevier, against the Chiccamauga, Cherokee, and Creek Indians, crossing Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers, Chiccamauga Creek, passing Van's Town, Roger's Town, the mountain called Facing Mountain (dividing the waters of Tennessee and Coosa, and stopping at the Coosa River, where they burnt the town called Coosa water and marching from there burnt the Big Shoemake and Little Shoemake towns, and burnt all the towns at that time but Roger's Town. They took at that time 18 prisoners and affiant was in actual service as he thinks on this occasion 4 months. The troops were disbanded as he thinks on the Tennessee River as they returned and affiant came from their home. During this month the troops suffered considerably from want of food, etc., and under Captain Ford to Knoxville, Tennessee, where the troops were disbanded under General Martin. From Knoxville they went to the Lookout Mountain where a battle was fought with the Chiccamauga and Creek Indians, in which 8 white men were wounded and 23 killed. That he served actually on this occasion about 2 months. Affiant believes that his actual services were performed in 7 months. He has no documentary evidence by which to establish the truth of his claim, and believes that it can be partially established by the subjoined certificate.

He hereby relinquished all claims to a pension except the present and declares that his name is not inscribed on the pension roll of any state to his knowledge.

Sworn and subscribed in open court

19th September 1832

Julius Dugger

Attest:

A.M. Carter, Clk.

By; Wm B. Carter

Isaac Taylor aged 75 years, makes oath that he has heard the foregoing affidavit read and believes the statements therein contained to be true. That he was a Lieutenant in the Regiment commanded by Col. Sevier in the fall of 1781. That he was acquainted with Captain William Smith and believed that he served as a Captain under Col. Sevier on the campaign mentioned by Mr. Dugger. The route taken by Col. Sevier's regiment on that occasion is correctly described by Mr. Dugger. Affiant was not however personally acquainted with Julius Dugger at that time- but from the above affidavit and from conservations with Mr. Dugger, (with whom he has been acquainted for several years) and from circumstances detailed to him by Mr. Dugger as having occurred during the campaign', he has no doubt but that he served as he states.

Isaac Taylor

Sworn to and subscribed in open court

on 19th September 1832

Att: A.M. Carter, Clk.

By: William B. Carter, D.C.

Wit: Joseph Wilson and William Wilson

(Their being no clergyman resident)

In late 1832, Julius Dugger said he was "71" years old, so that puts his birth year at circa 1760/1761, and if his birthdate of 9 Sep 1760 is correct, he would have been 72 at this time (this document was dated 19 Sep 1832). Now, if he was giving his age "as of" the date of the Pension act (7 Jun 1832), then "71" would have been correct. This calls into question whether or not his birth date is accurate. Since no source is known for it, other than Mrs. Vaught's record (1933), I don't know how we can be sure.

Records

Julius Dugger and family moved to Washington Co, NC (now Carter Co, TN) ca 1781. He was listed in the Washington Co, NC Court minutes on Jury duty several times in the 1780's, with his name spelled various ways, but "Duggard" seem to be most common, at least in 1783.

The 1790 census was lost for all of the area that would later become Tennessee, so we have no record of Julius Dugger from this census.

In 1790, North Carolina ceded this area (all of modern TN) to the United States. It became the "Territory South of the Ohio River" and remained so until Tennessee was admitted as a state in 1796. That same year Carter County was created.

Julius Dugger was listed on the 1796 tax list for Carter Co, TN as "Julius Duggard" and listed with 1 taxable (a white male 21 and over) and for 183 acres of land.

Julius Dugger was also listed on the 1798 tax list for Carter Co, TN as "Julius Duggard" and listed with 1 taxable (a white male 21 and over) and this time for 255 acres of land.

The 1800 census was lost for all of Tennessee, so we have no record of Julius from this census.

The 1810 census was lost for all of Tennessee, so we have no record of Julius from this census.

The 1820 census was lost for all of Eastern Tennessee, so we have no record of Julius from this census.

Julius Dugger was listed on the 1830 census in Carter Co, TN. Due to all the lost census records, this is his only census entry to be found. There are several people residing in his household whom I can't easily identify. Analysis:

• Carter Co., TN page 19 Julius Dugger 0101000010000-0100200010000
• 1 male 60-69 (1760/1770)=Julius Dugger (1760)
• 1 male 15-19 (1810/1815)=Unknown
• 1 male 5-9 (1820/1825)=Unknown
• 1 female 60-69 (1760/1770)=Mary Hall Dugger (c1760) wife
• 2 females 20-29 (1800/1810)=1-Margaret Dugger (1798) daughter; 2-Unknown
• 1 female 5-9 (1820/1825)=Unknown