Charles Family Genealogy


Charles
   The name Charles is English. It was first found in Suffolk, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The Coat of Arms is a shield divided per fess wavy, the top is red with a silver eagle, the lower half is silver. The family motto is "Virtus auget honores," meaning "Virtue increases honour."
   The name Charles originated with the Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled Britain. It is derived from Carl, derived from the personal name which means man. Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the family who settled at Brimfield, Massachusetts, about the year 1640. Dorothie Charles settled in Virginia in 1635; and Evan Charles settled in Antigua in 1679. John Charles settled in Virginia in 1634.

Wolford
   Our lineage to this family begins with GEORGE CHARLES, SR., who married CHRISTEAN MICHAEL on 3 Jan 1787 in Salisbury District, Rowan County, North Carolina.
   Their daughter was named MARY CHARLES, who was born in North Carolina between 1791 and 1800. She married JOHN WOLFORD, SR. (b. 1787), a miller from Rockingham County, Virginia.
   According to records kept by William R. Dotson, son of Anderson J. Dotson and Pricy J. Wolford, John Wolford came from Rockingham County, Virginia. Using that information, the following is cobbled together from census records, marriage records, family bibles, court records, and newspaper items:
   John and Mary were living in Russell County, Virginia, in 1820, but migrated to Peter Creek, Pike County, Kentucky before 1830, along with John Charles, Michael Charles, and David Charles, who were the brothers of Mary.
   John received a Kentucky Land Warrant of 50 acres on Feb. 9, 1826, on Peter Creek. The Charles brothers applied for and received similar grants at about the same time. John is shown on the 1835 Tax List in Pike county with 50 acres, but later applied for and received additional land.
   The Wolford and Charles families owned considerable acreage in the area of Peter Creek—the area that later became Phelps. John Wolford, John Charles, and Michael Charles lived the rest of their lives on Peter Creek, but David Charles eventually returned to the Hurley, Virginia, area.
   Census records place the date of birth for John Wolford, Sr. at about 1787. Mary Polly Charles was born . The 1830 census of Pike County show John Wolford, Sr. as having four sons and two daughters. Their children were:

CHILDREN OF JOHN WOLFORD, SR. AND MARY CHARLES

  • GEORGE WOLFORD b: 1815 in Russell County, Virginia. He married Abigail Coleman on 7 Jul 1837 in Pike County, Kentucky. Children: John II b: 1848; Daniel b: 1838; George, Jr. b: 1839; Mary b: 1844; Ellen b: 1849. George died on 3 May 1900 in Pike Co., Kentucky. George served in the Union Army during the Civil War in 1863: Private, Union Army, 39th Regiment, Co. D.
  • ARMINDA WOLFORD b: WFT Est. 1809-1836 in Virginia. Marriage Jackson Bailey.
  • POLLY WOLFORD b: in Virginia. Marriage Joe Justice.
  • JOHN WOLFORD, JR. b: BEF. 1817. Marriage Keziah Davis on 16 Mar 1837 in Phelps, Kentucky. Children: John III b: 1830; Matilda b: 1841; James b: 1843; Frederick b: 1845; Alfred b: 1848; Polly b: 1850; Sarah b: 1853; Arminda b: 1855; Pricy J. b: 1859.
  • FREDERICK WOLFORD b: 1825 in Pike Co., Kentucky. Military service Bet. 1861 - 1865. Married Margaret Mounts on 23 Aug 1849. Children: Mary Elizabeth Mounts. Private, Union Army, 39th Regiment, Co. I.
  • DANIEL "BONE" WOLFORD b: Nov 1828 in Pike Co., Kentucky. Family listed below. Served in the Union Army during the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865. Died in Phelps, Pike, Kentucky, on 6 Sep 1906. Burial: E.S. Wolford Cemetery, Phelps, Kentucky.
  • GENEALOGY

    GEORGE CHARLES, SR., married CHRISTEAN MICHAEL and begat...

    MARY CHARLES (b, @ 1795), who married JOHN WOLFORD, SR. (b. 1787) and begat...

    DANIEL "BONE" WOLFORD (1828 - 1906), who married SARAH "SALLY" DOTSON and begat...

    ARMINDA WOLFORD, who married HARRISON DOTSON (1862 - 1938) and begat...

    WILLIE DOTSON (b. 1884), who married NANCY McCOY (1887-1960) and begat...

    GREEN JR. DOTSON (1921-1957), who married JACQULENE BALDRIDGE (1926-2003) and begat...

    TERRY LEE DOTSON (b. 12 May 1950), who married CYNTHIA ANN PALMER (b. 03 Jan 1951) and begat...

    LORI ANN DOTSON (b. 07 Oct 1973), who married JEFFREY HAUSE (b. 07 Jun 1961).