Elias Dodson was born in Hickman County, Tenn., December 29,1836, one of eight children born to the marriage of Marshall Dodson and Emily Brown. At the age of eighteen our subject acted as overseer of a plantation in Gibson County a few months, then returned home, where he remained until the commencement of the war; then joined the Sixth Tennessee Federal Cavalry, and remained with that regiment until the fall of 1864, when he returned home, and has since followed agricultural pursuits, locating on his present farm about 1869. October 8, 1856, Mr. Dodson married Virginia Shelton, a native of Williamson County, and to their union thirteen children were born, eight of whom are still living. The mother died November 12, 1882, and December 31, 1882, Mr. Dodson married Nancy A. Newton and by her is the father of two children: Unity Lucy Robert Sarah Mat and Clabe B. Mr. Dodson is a member of the K. of H., and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.