I am working on the death of guerrilla Dock Lawson about middle January 1865 in Watkins Township of northwest Dent County at the hands of citizen guards.

Eakin and Hale's wonderful 1993 "Branded As Rebels" on page 261 says they obtained information about Dock Lawson and his death 18 January 1865 near Salem, Dent County from, of all things:

-- The Pioneer Historical Company's 1917 "History of Dade County and Her People," printed in Greenfield, Dade County by the Pioneer Historical Company.

I examined this Dade County book years ago, but don't recall seeing anything about Dock Lawson in it. Eakin and Hale did not give the page number, but would somebody please look in a copy of this 1917 book and pass along to me in this forum what it says about Dock Lawson and particularly the details about his death so far away from Dade County in January 1865? I will also need the page number so I can fully cite this source, please.

I can go on without this source, but I don't like to leave a good lead uncovered. I would really appreciate this.

Not to muddy the waters, but Watkins Township of Dent County is in the operating area of guerrillas Bill Wilson, Dick Kitchens, the Lennox family, and others, but I don't yet see a connection. This Lawson was found in a cave on Piney Creek in which the guardsmen also found two U.S. Army wagons that were captured in the region, if that rings any bells.

I will be happy to mention your name in the endnote. I managed to get everybody's name in the long one I wrote about the sudden January thaw in the second week of January 1865, so I have a good track record for this. The publisher has been supportive for this in the past, as long as I don't go crazy with it (too late).

Bruce Nichols