Prior to 1840, there lived in Chesterfield County, South Carolina a family of about 4 children with the head of the family known as James DOZIER and his wife Britten [maiden named unknown]. By 1840, the family had moved to Sumter County, Georgia. There they can be found in the 1840 Census for Sumter County, Georgia.
Their migration left an impact on at least one Rivers family in the County. I have documented the 4 children of this family; 3 daughters and one son. Two of those daughters married Rivers men of Chesterfield County.
Nancy A. DOZIER
James and Britten oldest daughter Nancy A. DOZIER, born about June 1832 married James Rivers, born about 1835, son of William and Elizabeth “Betsy” Rivers. The exact date they were married is unknown but we do know it was after 1850 and before 10 Dec 1858. Nancy Dozier, age 18, can be found in the 1850 Census for Marlboro County with a younger female named Rebecca Dozier, age 16.
In the “Burnt Book” we find a land deed that supports the marriage of James Rivers and Nancy Dozier before 10 Dec 1858.
“conveyed to me by Wm. A. Rivers, by deed bearing date 10th Dec 1858. Said Tract of land being a portion of the real Estate of Britton Dozier, laid off To Nancy A. Rivers the wife of James Rivers, reference being had to a …”
Nancy Dozier Rivers father James Dozier had passed away before 7 October 1848 in Georgia and the land he stilled owned in Chesterfield County was being partitioned off.
Georgia}
Sumter County} Know all men by these presents the we Lovett Dozier George W. Varner and Ambrous Powell are held & firmly bound unto Edmund Nunn Clk of the Court of ordinary of Said County and his succcefsors in office in the sum of twenty five hundred dollars to the payment of which well & truly to be made we bind ourselves our heirs executors & administrators of us & each of us cismley [severaly] by these presents subscribed with our hands & sealed with our seals this 7th day of October 1848.
After losing her father, Nancy also lost her husband James Rivers as a causality of the Civil War. James Rivers lost his life in the Civil War sometime before 16 January 1862. We know this to be so even though I have not found a document stating such.
After learning of the Death of James Rivers, Nancy A. (Dozier) Rivers joined her Mother and brothers in Sumter County, Georgia.
There she married Noah MEEKS on 16 Jan 1862. This tells us that James Rivers lost his life in the Civil War sometime before 16 January 1862. I have spent a lot of time looking for a death date for James Rivers without success. The National Parks Service (NPS) Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System,- http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/ -- has 4 James Rivers listed but I have been unable to determine if either of these 4 men is our James Rivers.
Before Nancy died and sometime after marrying Noah Meeks in 1862; Nancy married one additional time, 3 marriages total, to Andrew F. Simmons(see her Last Will). Nancy A. (Dozier)(Rivers)(Meeks) Simmons died May 1921 in Geneva County, Alabama.
Eliza Ann DOZIER
James and Britten youngest daughter, Eliza Ann DOZIER, born 8 April 1836 married Dempsey Rivers, born about 1830, son of William and Elizabeth “Betsy” Rivers. The exact date of their marriage is also unknown; but, believed to have occurred about 1854. Their first and only child, a daughter, Georgia Ann Rivers was born about Dec 1855. Eliza Ann (Dozier) Rivers died 11 December 1856 and Georgia Ann Rivers died 13 December 1856. I think it quite possible that both died from childbirth. The tombstone is unreadable today (See FindAGrave memorial#40202722).
After losing his wife and daughter, Dempsey Rivers then married Sarah Ann Massey, b. abt 1845, daughter of William Lawrence Massey and Huldah Meadows. Dempsey Rivers died 13 November 1861 of Typhoid Fever shortly after entering the Civil War. His widow, Sarah Ann Massey Rivers, married Leander Sweatt and gave birth to 2 more sons before she died 4 February 1871 leaving 3 sons and a daughter surviving.
Britten [MNU] Dozier died before or about 7 June 1852.
Georgia}
Sumter County} Know all men by these presents; that we Lovett R. Dozier and William Johnson, Security, acknowledge ourselves jointly and severally boun[d] <sic> unto Louis Bruner, Ordinary of said County and his succefsors and afsigns in the just and full sum of Four Hundred & fifty dollars, to the true payment of which, will and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and heirs, executors, and administrators of us, and each of us, jointly and severally, by these presents. Sealed with our seals, and dated this 7th day of June 1852.
The condition of the bond or obligation is such; that if the above bound Lovett R. Dozier, who is this day appointed Guardian of the persons or property of Nancy, Rebecca, Eliza Ann and James W. Dozier, Orphan children of Britten Dozier, deceased, he acknowledging the same by his acceptance of said appointment, and Letters of Guardianship of this date, shall, well and truly maintain, clothe and educate said orphans according to their circumstances, and shall take good and lawful care of their persons and property, according to the laws of this State,and shall annually make a just and true return of all his actings and doings herein, unto the said Ordinary, an pay over all afsets that may remain in his hands when said Guardianship shall legally terminate, then this Obligation to be void, else to remain in full force. In Witnefs whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, this day and year above written.
Attest: L. R. Dozier {LS}
L. Bruner, Ord’y Wm. Johnson {LS}
Postscript:
Rebecca H. DOZIER, middle daughter, married George C. Felts on 22 Dec. 1852 in Sumter County, Georgia.
James W. DOZIER married Hulda Rebecca Alexander. He died in the Civil War, 22 Oct. 1862 and is buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina. He had one son, John W. Dozier, b. abt May 1860 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
James and Dempsey Rivers are my 3rd Great Grand Uncles.
____________________
1. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40202722/georgia-ann-rivers
2. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, Page 179B, Line 16, family 1242, dwelling 1242, Household of William Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
3. National Park Service, "Soldiers" database, Civil War Soldiers & Sailor System (http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm : accessed 6 June 2018), entry for James Rivers, Pvt.; unknown; Confederate.
4. Chesterfield County, South Carolina, BURNT DEED BOOK: page 50, Land Deed between John C. Davis to Thomas C. Davis Deed; 22 December 1859, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
5. 1850 U. S. Census, Marlboro County, South Carolina, population schedule, Marlboro, South Carolina, page 149, Line 25, Dwelling 397, Family 397, Household of Miss N. DOZIER; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 March 2015); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 856.
6. 1880 U. S. Census, Geneva County, Alabama, population schedule, Geneva, Alabama, enumeration district (ED) 078, Page: 639A(stamped); Line 18, Dwelling NL, Family 138, Household of Noah MEEKS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 24 May 2015); citing NARA publication T9, Roll: 13.
7. 1900 U. S. Census, Geneva County, Alabama, population schedule, Piney Grove, Geneva, Alabama, enumeration district (ED) 080, Page 10B/179(Stamped), Line 99, Dwelling 188, Family 188, Household of Nancy SIMMONS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 11 October 2018); citing National Archives Microfilm T623_17.
8. 1910 U. S. Census, Geneva County, Alabama, population schedule, Piney Grove, Geneva, Alabama, enumeration district (ED) 109, Page 9A/151 (Stamped), Line 11, Dwelling 157, Family 158, Household of Nancy Ann SIMMONS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 11 October 2018); citing National Archives Microfilm T624_14.
9. Geneva County, Alabama, Probate Files & Loose papers, Nancy A Simmons; "Barbour County Court Minutes-1889 to 1897," digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: viewed 11 October 2018); WILL BOOK A_B, Page 313.
10. [MNU] Maiden Name unknown
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