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Typed by Marty Grant. Original can be found in: A History of Watauga County, North Carolina. with Sketches of Prominent Families by John Preston Arthur. Richmond: Everett Waddey Co. 1915.
(Note from Marty Grant). This mainly concerns the Benjamin DUGGER (c1747-1815) family of Wilkes, Ashe and Watauga Co, NC, but mentions some of his siblngs. See my footnote at the end of the article. The following is verbatim, with these exceptions: I have put surnames in all CAPS, and bolded all proper names.
Page 222 "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."
Page 303 "Dugger Family. --- In 1793 or 1794 Benjamin DUGGER came to Watauga County from Yadkin Elk, where a creek and mountain still bear his name. He entered land on Brushy Fork, near the present HOLTSCLAW settlement. His children were Selah, who married Lawson GOODIN; Daniel DUGGER; Cora Ann, who married Samuel BURNS; Susannah, who married John WHITTINGTON; Mary, who married John CALIHAN; David and William DUGGER. David DUGGER bought out the other heirs. The deed is dated November 1, 1815 and calls for two tracts on Brushy Fork. There were three DUGGER brothers who came from Scotland to Yadkin Elk, having settled for a time near Petersburg, Va., Benjamin, Daniel and Julius. Ben stopped on Brushy Fork, Daniel went west to Kentucky and Julius settled in what was then Carter County, Tennessee, near Fish Springs, where some of his descendants still live. It was from the Julius DUGGER family that the Dugger Forge and the beginnings of Cranberry forge started. David married Margaret ERNEST and their children are: Henry, who married a GREEN; Polly, who married David HOWELL; Elizabeth, who married Jehiel SMITH, and William, who married Unice MUNDAY. William's children were: Henry, who never married; Franklin, who married Martha PRESNELL; David, who married Mary MUNDAY; Elizabeth, who never married; John, killed in Civil War; William Eben, married Nannie WILKERSON; Margaret and Mary Jane, not married."
(Note by Marty Grant) Twice, Mr. Arthur mentions that Benjamin and Julius were brothers, and he also lists another brother named Daniel who "went to Kentucky". However, years of research by me and numerous others have not located any Daniel DUGGER who could be their brother. I am quite convinced that Mr. Arthur was confused, because Benjamin DUGGER had a son named Daniel DUGGER (1796) who did, in fact, go to KY (Knox County). This is probably who he was thinking of. If there was a brother named Daniel, then we have no other record of him.
He also states that the brothers "came from Scotland" and settled awhile near Petersburg, VA. Well, we know for a fact that the family originated in Brunswick Co, VA which is "near Petersburg, VA", but we don't know that they were born in Scotland, more likely, they were born in VA. Other than this reference to Daniel and the birth in Scotland, I have found Mr. Arthur's material to be highly accurate.