Marriage
The name of William Dugger's first wife hasn't yet been discovered. Some list her as "Olivia Ushers" but I've seen no source to back that up. Robert T. Nave says it is wrong and I agree.
Children
William's children by the first wife are the first four named in his 1839 Will, though he makes no distinction as to which child is from which marriage. In the Revolutionary War Pension Application filed by his children after his death, the first marriage and first batch of children are not mentioned at all. They were all dead by then, but probably should have been mentioned anyway for their heirs sakes.
James L. Dugger, a descendant of William via the first marriage, gave us an interesting story as told by Alexander F. Dugger (born 1884) about how William's three sons by his first wife ran away from home when they were still fairly young (15 and under). It was probably around 1805-1808 time-frame:
"... Three boys Julius, James and Mark Dugger had a stepmother and lived in tenn. A mischievous boy or boys in the community committed some sort of misdemeanor and laid it on to the eldest one or the Duggers boys a fifteen year old lad. His father a strict disciplinarian took his son to task. The boy denied the blame, Later the conversation at a woman`s meeting (probably a quilting) centered on the mis-deed and all blamed the Dugger boy. Again, the father called his fifteen year old son and quizzed him. The son denied guilt. The father told him that circumstances pointed to him and that he was going to whip him. The son said to his father, "If you whip me it will be the last time that you will ever whip me." The father whipped him. At the evening meal no boys showed up, when they failed to appear by late bed time, the father and his neighbors searched the forest throughout the night for the boys. In the early morning hours the father stood on a large log and called loudly to his boys without reply. The log was hollow and the boys were spending the night in it, yet they did not answer the fathers calls. The boys found their way through the forest to what is know Knox county, Kentucky and their father never located them until all were grown and married. I do not remember which boy was oldest, but James became my g gf . My gf James was born in Knox co. ky. in 1814. He had a brother William older than he. my g gf was thrown from a horse and killed before gf was born. In 1817 his mother moved to Greene co. Ind. were Dugger relatives had previously located. Records in Bloomfield the co seat of Greene co. show that a Julius and Mark Dugger filed on land in 1816. Thus two of the run-away boys and the widow the third one were located in Green co. in the early 1800`s where my gf grew up and married and where my father was born in 1844, My father`s name was Andrew Ferguson Dugger born in clay co. nb. in 1884. I am Alexander F. Dugger born in clay co. nb in 1884 ..."
Marriage (2)
On 9 Aug 1791 William Duggard obtained a marriage bond in Washington Co., TN to marry Nancy Millar. This marriage is also proven by William Dugger's Revolutionary War Pension (File R 3109) though it doesn't give the date, but says William married Nancy Millard.
Children
All of William's children are named in his Will, but not as to which wife they belonged to. His Revolutionary War Pension (File R 3109) gives the children by Nancy Millard as Elizabeth Dugger, Lavina, Thomas, Martha, Rhoda P. and Rosamond.
The William Dugger family bible gives his children by his 2nd and 3rd wives, as well as the children of his 2nd wife by her first husband, though the relationships are not specified:
* Martha Dugger, born February 24, 1799
* Rosamund Dugger born May 4 1805
* Nancy Dugger born June 10, 1810
* Patty Pierce born November 15, 1795
* Hannah Pierce born Oct. 3, 1797
* Jenny Pierce born Sept 25, 1800
* George Morton Pierce born Nov. 22, 1802
* Hardy Pierce born Nov. 14, 1804
* Henry pierce born June 5, 1807
* Ann Brown Pierce born Sept 24, 1779
* Thomas Dugger born May 16, 1797
* Patty Dugger born Feb 24, 1799
* Rhoda Dugger born March 28 1801
* William Copeland Dugger born May 19, 1819
* Sarah Ann Dugger born Nov. 15, 1836
The Bible was purchased in Watauga, Carter County, TN 1819. The Bible is now in the Possession of Cecil Vanhuss. Route 1 Elizabethton, TN (shared by Angel Graybeal).
Marriage (3)
On 8 Apr 1809 William Dugger obtained a marriage bond in Carter Co., TN to marry Ann Pearce in Carter Co., TN. This marriage is confirmed in William's Revolutionary War Pension (File R3109) as his marriage on 9 Apr 1809 to Nancy Ann Brown Pierce.
Children
All of William's children (by three marriages) were named in his Will, but as to who was from which mother. In his Pension (File R3109) the children by the last wife are named as Nancy, William C., David, Benjamin T., and Mary Ann.
Some of these children are also named in William's family bible, but not all of them for some reason. Perhaps there is a page or two missing. Some of Nancy Ann's children by her first husband are also named.
* Martha Dugger, born February 24, 1799
* Rosamund Dugger born May 4 1805
* Nancy Dugger born June 10, 1810
* Patty Pierce born November 15, 1795
* Hannah Pierce born Oct. 3, 1797
* Jenny Pierce born Sept 25, 1800
* George Morton Pierce born Nov. 22, 1802
* Hardy Pierce born Nov. 14, 1804
* Henry pierce born June 5, 1807
* Ann Brown Pierce born Sept 24, 1779
* Thomas Dugger born May 16, 1797
* Patty Dugger born Feb 24, 1799
* Rhoda Dugger born March 28 1801
* William Copeland Dugger born May 19, 1819
* Sarah Ann Dugger born Nov. 15, 1836