James Seaborn Dozier 1737-1808

James Seaborn Dozier was born September 2, 1737.  His parents were Leonard Dozier III and Anne Gayle Marks.  The first Dozier, James's great-great grandfather Leonard Dozier I, received his naturalization papers January 28, 1683.  He was a French Huguenot and settled in Westmoreland County Virginia, near the Manakin French Huguenot settlement and what would become Richmond.  The City of Richmond, like James,  was "born" in 1737, the official year it was laid out.

The Doziers did well in Virginia, apparently from tobacco.  When James's mother passed, it was noted that his brothers John and Thomas used their tobacco stamps to execute the will.

In 1759, James married Mary Dunwoody the daughter of Scottish immigrants Lawrence Dinwiddie and Elizabeth Kennedy.  James and Mary had nine children that lived to adulthood.  James and Mary were married  about 45 years.

James served as a sergeant in the Revolutionary War with the Virginia Militia and Artillery.  Men often joined a company within a regiment that originated in their county.  The 5th Virginia Regiment and the 15th Virginia Regiment (10th Company) originated in Westmoreland County so we may assume that James joined one of these.  The two regiments fought in similar battles including the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston..   As part of the militia, James was likely allowed to time to go home for planting and harvesting seasons.

James and Mary had nine children that lived to adulthood, seven boys and two girls.  Most were born before the Revolutionary war started but two, possibly three children were born during the war, including our direct ancestor, Thomas Dozier, born September 22, 1776.

It is not clear if James received a Revolutionary War land grant that took him and Mary to Warren County Georgia but it is possible. His brothers moved to Bute County, NC which was renamed Warren County, NC.  There is documentation that his brother John and John's son James participated in the land grants lottery with no success.  I have not been able to find a record of James Seaborn Dozier participating in the land grants.

James and Mary prospered in Warren County.  At his death on January 2, 1808 at age 70, his will leaves land to all the sons, and all of his offspring received a slave.  His son John had already died so James left property to John's children. Property that went to the males included either land that a son already inhabited or 100 acres. Dunwoody "Woody" Dozier received "the plantation", which I am interpreting meant the home. he also inherited six plates, six knives and six forks.  He was to share the plantation with his mother Mary as long as she lived.

The family's good fortune continued through the generations. Some of the belongings of Augustus Dozier, James and Mary's grandson, are featured in the Georgia Decorative Arts collection at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem, NC.  You can find a write up, along with a picture of Augustus's corner cupboard here, about halfway down the web page.  It cites that the size of Augustus's property and holdings placed him in the upper crust of Georgia's society.

Augustus's brother, Seaborn, moved southwest to Schley County.  More on Seaborn and his father Thomas, as well as other direct ancestors, will be in future blogs.

Hansel Beckwith and the Carter Connection

Hansel Beckwith was born in 1820 in Warren County, Georgia.  His parents were Hansel Beckwith and Sarah Sallie Henderson.  Hansel married Caroline Carter, daughter of a wealthy plantation owner in Warren County, on August 30, 1838.  Hansel was 18 and Caroline was 15.

We don't know why but Hansel moved west. Prior to getting married, Hansel fought in the Battle of Shepherd's Plantation in the Creek Wars of 1836. Those battles occurred in Alabama along the Chattahoochee River, about 50 miles from Sumter County, Georgia.  He would have only been 16 when he participated in this battle.  Hansel received a land grant in 1852 from his service in the Creek Wars but his father in-law already owned land in northwest Sumter County in 1849. This property would become part of Schley County which came into existence December 22, 1857.

The connection to the Carter family is through Caroline.  Her father was Wiley Carter, Jimmy Carter's great-great-grandfather.  Wiley Carter has a fascinating story with adulterous accusations, theft, and shootings resulting in death. Those interested in his story can read it in Jeff Carter's book, "Ancestors of Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter" by clicking here.  Caroline's brother was Littleberry Walker Carter, Jimmy Carter's great grandfather. Littleberry's son was William A. Carter, who begat James Earl Carter, Jimmy Carter's father.

So that makes Caroline Carter Jimmy Carter's great-great aunt and Hansel Beckwith his great-great uncle. Hansel and Caroline had seven children (one stillborn).  Caroline died in 1854.  She is buried in the Carter family cemetery but the name was spelled Beckworth on her tombstone.

Hansel then married another wealthy plantation owner's daughter named Cathryn Dozier and moved to Schley county from south Sumter County. The Doziers were also from Warren County.  Hansel and Cathryn had two children including a son named Alburtus Lamar.  Alburtus married Carrie Bell Stewart and they had seven children.  One was Bessie Beckwith who is the grandmother of the writer of this blog. While Hansel Beckwith is Jimmy Carter's great-great uncle connected by Hansel's first marriage, our family is not related to the Carters since we are descended from Hansel's second wife.

Hansel built a beautiful home south of Americus, about 15 miles from the Doziers and Carters.  The name of the home is Tanyard Hall. The current owner, Dr. Gatewood Dudley is descended from Hansel and Caroline.  He has lived there for more than 30 years and now has the property for sale.  He has the house listed as being built between 1840 and 1850.  Since the date is not certain, is it possible this was his land grant property he received in 1852.

Hansel fell on hard times though.  There is documentation of Hansel Beckwith being named as an administrator in a will and his ability to do so is called into question because "he is known to be insolvent."  The cause of death listed for Hansel in 1885 was a morphine overdose.  To date, his burial site has not been located.

Did Hansel lose everything in the Civil War?  Why didn't he serve in the Civil War?  We will never know what became of Hansel.