Hi all,

I have been banging my head on this brick wall for 25 years, and it is starting to hurt!

My great grandmother, Eliza Caroline Hopkins b. 1865 in TX married J. A. Dodson b. 1827 (big age difference!) on 27 Mar 1884. They lived in Dickson, TN. I have information on J. A. Dodson, but virtually nothing on Eliza. I find this extremely unusual because J. A. Dodson was the clerk of the court for many years, and was actually written up in Goodspeeds. An excert follows:

From Goodspeed’s History of Tennessee:

J. A. Dodson, clerk of the Circuit Court of Dickson County, was born in Halifax County, VA, August 11, 1827. He was the third of a family of seven children born to the marriage of William and Chatharine (Davis) Dodson, both natives of Virginia....The subject of this sketch was reared mainly in Charlotte, securing a fair education and teaching school. At the age of twenty-one he was mercantile clerk for one year; then he opened a store and sold goods at Charlotte for three years. For eight years he vended merchandise at Raworth’s Landing, on the Cumberland River. He then enlisted in Company D, Forty-ninth Tennessee Volunteers, and served till the surrender. Coming from the war he resumed farming, which he continued till 1870, when he was elected to the office which he has held continuously ever since. he was married, in 1849, to Mary A. E. Laird, who died May 3, 1879. March 27, 1884, he chose and wedded Eliza C. Hopkins, and this union has blessed them with one daughter -- Sarah C. Both he and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He has always been a Democrat, and is recognized as one of the prominent and public spirited citizens of Dickson County.

Ok, he's well-known, that's for sure. He and Eliza went on to have 2 more children before he died in 1895.

Eliza was born in TX and, according to family stories, lived in Missouri as well near the Jesse James farm. How she ended up in TN with J. A. Dodson at the age of 18 and him 57 is beyond me. I have never found a marriage license on them, birth record on Eliza, etc. It would seem she dropped out of the sky and married this man.

Her mother was Sarah (Sallie) Matlock from Dickson. From what I can tell, Sallie's father was John Matlock and her mother Delilah? Hickerson. She also had a sister named Cynthia H. I know there is another Matlock family in Dickson at the same time with daughters of the same name, so it gets confusing. Family says Sallie married a man named William Hopkins. To confuse matters even more, there is a marriage between a Sarah Matlock and William Hopkins in 1852 in Dickson, but I don't know if that's them. Sallie would have been mighty young - about 11 or 12! Also, I have no idea whatever happened to that couple.

I don't know how or why Sallie Matlock Hopkins ended up in TX to have Eliza Caroline Hopkins, but she did. Family stories from the daughters of J. A. Dodson and Eliza C. Hopkins say Sallie had several children, but was a "loose woman" and that she had her children taken away from her by guardians in Texas and moved to MO.

The next time I find Sallie Matlock Hopkins and her sister Cynthia are on the 1880 Dickson census. There it shows Sallie Hopkins, 37, weaver, living with her sister, Cynthia Matlock, age 40, keeping house, and Cynthia’s son, Forrest, age 13. The census shows Cynthia ws single, but that Sallie Anne was either widowed or divorced. Forest was attending school, but neither Sallie nor Cynthia could either read or write.

Eliza Caroline Hopkins died 9 Oct 1942 and is buried in the Hudson family cemetery near Charlotte with her second husband, Elvin Moore Hudson. I personally knew two of J. A. Dodson's daughters (my great aunts, the last of whom died in 1975) and could kick myself now for not grilling them like a couple hot dogs at a July 4th picnic! They sure were nice old ladies, and it's hard to believe they came from this messed up family line! hahaha

Any information on Eliza Hopkins would be much appreciated!!! Does anyone have access to the marriage records of Dickson? Would you please, please look up the marriage of Eliza Caroline Hopkins and J. A. Dodson for me? Are there any court records on Sarah/Sallie Matlock about the kids? Someone has to have something to add to this mystery.

Thanks so much,

Kat

Kat,

Do you know where in Texas your Eliza was born? There were/are several Matlock families in the east Texas area. Perhaps Sallie was visiting family when Eliza was born? Sallie also had family in Missouri.

Sarah/Sallie, dau of John, was born about 1833 from her age on the 1850 census. This would have made her about 20 when she married William Hopkins. Like you, I lose them until Sallie is found with her sister, Cynthia, back in Dickson Co.

1850 Dickson County TN census Middle District
Matlock, John 40 WM Farmer TN
Mary A 28 WF VA
Sarah L 17 WF TN
Cinthia H 16 WF TN
Louisa M 14 WF TN
Mary A 12 WF TN
Tennessee 9 WF TN
James P 4 WM TN
Note: Mary is John's second wife, Mary Ann Mallory, whom he married in 1843. James is Mary's son. The other children are John's with his first wife, Seletha? Hickerson. Seems the girls were a little "loose" with their ages, too!

But. My records show Sarah married to a Thomas Dailey. Can't find him, either!! There is another Sarah, b about 1841, dau of John's brother, William Matlock, but I don't see a sister Cynthia for this other Sallie. Doesn't mean there wasn't one; I just don't have one.

I'm afraid this isn't much help, but I do have some background information on the Matlock line. I'll keep looking for Sallie and her daughter Eliza and if I come across anything, I'll get back with you.