Josiah Harrison Dotson’s daughter Margaret “Peggy” Dotson was born in North Carolina around 1822. She married John E. Casey (pronounced “key zee”), who was born in NC around 1816. He was the son of Solomon Casey and Margaret “Peggy” Williams.

John Casey does not seem to have been much of a catch. On February 12, 1840, he was charged with fathering a bastard child born to Sarah Riddle. Casey’s Uncle Jesse Williams was his bondsman. Margaret Dotson married John Casey a short time later. John and Margaret are found living together on the 1850 census next to Richard Sumner. I can’t find either one of them on the 1860 or 1870 census of Buncombe, Henderson or McDowell County.

John Casey is supposed to have also married Celia Brevard, who was born in 1838. She was the daughter of James Brevard (1794-1847) and Ruth Ashworth (1805-1855). Ruth would have been John’s 2nd cousin. That may be the reason John Casey is not on the local 1860 and 1870 census — he may have run off with Celia Brevard. John Casey died in McDowell County, North Carolina March 28, 1880. His only listed heirs were his brother Henry Casey (1812-1896) and his sister Rachel Casey Sumner (1817-1913). The estate was in such a mess that it took 7 years for it to be settled.

Margaret Dotson Casey was still living when her husband died, so it appears they were divorced. She was living in Edneyville Township, according to the 1880 Henderson County census. Margaret is listed as living next to her brother Martin Phifer Dotson (1834-1901) and as being 55 years old. Living with her was a 9-year-old girl named Josephine, listed as being adopted. John Casey and Margaret Dotson apparently had no children.

Josiah Harrison “Harris” Dotson Jr. was born in North Carolina in 1831. He married Catherine Connor (1835-1899).  He enlisted for service in the Civil War on July 15, 1861. Like his brothers Nelson S. Dotson and Martin Phifer Dotson, Josiah Harris belonged to Company H 25th NC Infantry.

Harris spent much of his enlisted time in the hospital with dysentery. Sanitary conditions were so bad in the Civil War that you were just as likely to die from disease as you were from a bullet. He survived the war and returned home., where he served as postmaster at Face Rock for many years. Harris was successful enough to send his son William Forney Dotson (1860-1923) to Weaverville College. William Dotson moved to Hendersonville and bought the Mountain City Inn on 7th Ave. He also ran a grocery store at 7th and Main. Later he operated a hardware and harness store on Main.

Josiah Harrison Dotson died in Henderson County; he and his wife Catherine are buried in Tweeds Chapel Cemetery in Fairview. Harris Dotson’s sons George, Grover and Adolphus are also buried in the cemetery.

Jarrett Grover “Jar” Dotson was born in Henderson County in 1832. He married Jane Rymer, the daughter of Adam Rymer and Mary Pauline Cross. Jarrett enlisted in the Confederate Army on May 15, 1862. He was a teamster in Company K 60th North Carolina, a much better job than being in the infantry like his three brothers. Jarrett Dotson’s wife Jane died near the close of the Civil War.

Jarrett Dotson’s second wife was Martha Jane Green, the daughter of Stephen and Judith Moore Green. Martha had first married George W. Moore, who died in the Civil War. Jarrett “Jar” Dotson had 4 children by his first wife and 6 children by his second. He died around 1905 and is buried in the Edney Cemetery in Henderson County.