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The 1900 – 1909 Fairfax Circuit Court Term Papers are indexed and now available digitally on Historic Record Center’s website! Term papers, often referred to as judgements, are loose court papers. Historically, term papers were bundled by term month and year and wrapped with a red ribbon. Today, the Historic Record Center archivists unwrap each term, flatten the paper using conservation methods, and finally, file and index the collection so that they can be more easily accessed by researchers. Term papers provide insight and a wealth of information into court operations and court cases of the past.
 Figure 1. Unprocessed Term paper
While processing collections, we often see interesting cases or characters appearing in the records. One individual who appeared in several term papers from the 1900 to 1909 term is Lizzie Dodson, also known as Lizzie Watson. Lizzie’s story is one of trials, family separation, and determination. In the previous decade, in 1897, Lizzie, then 16, had been accused of robbing homes. She robbed the homes and stores of several individuals in Fairfax, stealing cash and clothing items. In 1900, she was pardoned. The document discussing her pardon is a part of this term paper set.
 Figure 2. 1900-052 - Lizzie Dodson's Pardon in 1900.
Not long after she was pardoned, Lizzie was caught stealing again and returned to the Richmond Penitentiary. She shows up in the 1901 Fairfax Term Papers when she was caught in Fairfax after breaking out of the Richmond prison and returning to Fairfax. When a constable went to arrest her, at her home, in a desperate attempt to remain free she shot him. The constable was wounded, and she was brought to trial and sentenced to a life sentence.
 Figure 3. Term Paper 1901-163 Statement from Constable George Taylor stating that on April 16, 1901, Eliza Dodson did "unlawfully shoot with intent to kill Charles Pierpoint."
Term papers reveal the details of her case including jury information, summons, and more. For the shooting of Charles Pierpoint, she had a trial by jury. The following were summoned as possible jurors of her trial: A. F. Ashford, John Beach, John Dyer, W. W. Dodson, Robert Gaines, John Hammill, Charles Harrison, William Hally Jr, C. H. Kuse, Charles Marshall, Charles Beach, J. C. Harrison, William Mansfield, and Edward Newcomb. Ashford, the two Harrisons, and Kuse would not make it to the final jury list. The court spent three dollars providing meals to the individuals on her jury. Constables Charles Pierpoint and George Taylor were summoned to testify.
During the trial, the court instructed the jury that “Geo. P Taylor is a legally elected and qualified constable of the County of Fairfax and as such duly authorized to execute warrants of arrest. And that the Court further instructs the jury that the said Constable Taylor had authority to summon any citizen to his assistance in executing warrants …. And if they believe that he ordered Chas. Pierpoint to assist him in arrest prisoners that then the said Pierpoint in respond to summons had full authority to make an arrest.” With this statement, it is not hard to predict the outcome of her case.
 Figure 4. Term Paper 1901-163 Jury instructions
The jury found her guilty. Jailor accounts chart her stay in the Fairfax jail from April 1901 until she returned to the Richmond penitentiary in Nov 1901.
 Figure 5. Term Papers 1901-196 Sheriff Report showing Lizzie Dodson in jail for a felony.
Before returning to Richmond, she gave birth to a son while in jail. It raises questions about her original escape from Richmond. Was her return to Fairfax influenced by her pregnancy? Did she perhaps want to be near family? It also shows that her possible desperation and perhaps motive to shoot the constable was more than even just about her freedom, it may have been an attempt to protect her unborn child.
Term papers show Lizzie received medical attention for her pregnancy in jail and that outside assistance was brought in while she was in labor. W. P. Moncure, M.D. was paid for service on August 26 to give medicine to Dodson. On September 9, 10, and 11 he provided obstetrical care to Dodson.
 Figure 6. Term Papers 1901-154, regarding medical attention Lizzie received in jail regarding her pregnancy and likely the birth of her son. Blue line added to point out items specifically related to Lizzie.
Other court accounts note that in September, someone attended Lizzie Dodson during her conferment in jail. The name is difficult to read. While not entirely clear, perhaps it was so that she could have a woman or midwife attend her during childbirth.
While it cannot be confirmed, there is a Patsy Simms who is listed in 1880 as living in Providence which could be the person who attended Lizzie. The 1880 census lists her as a 40-year-old mulatto woman. She therefore would have been 61 if she attended to Lizzie in 1901. More research is needed.
 Figure 7. Term Paper 190-154 .Payment for attending to Lizzie Dodson during her confinement in Jail
The law at this time allowed infants to stay with their incarcerated mothers until they were 5 years old. In 1905, another term paper consists of correspondence related to her son.
The St. Joseph’s Colored Mission House in Richmond offered to take, care, and educate Lizzie’s son until he turned 21 years old. It is written that it is the wish of his mother that he be cared for by them. Beyond this brief sentence it is unknown how she felt being forced to give up her firstborn son or what it was like raising a child in prison. His name too is surrounded by mystery. This term paper refers to him as “Raymond Junius Dodson” whereas a record held at the Library of Viriginia refers to him as “Junius Raymond Dodson.” Records do not reveal who the father was. Given the timing of his birth, she could have been pregnant at the time of her Christmas Eve escape or before she was arrested in April.
 Figure 8. Term Paper 1905-201. Letter from St. Joseph’s Colored Mission House regarding the custody of Raymond Junius Dodson, Lizzie’s son.
This is just one example of how term papers can illuminate the workings of the court system, the personal life of past individuals who lived in Fairfax County, and how intertwined those two can be.
If you would like to learn more about Lizzie in Richmond, the Library of Virginia’s Uncommonwealth post is a great read and includes a photograph of Lizzie: Born to Run: The Odyssey of Lizzie Dodson – The UncommonWealth
Explore the Term Paper index here: Term Papers | Circuit Court or come into HRC for a research visit to see records in person.
Stay tuned for part two where we explore Lizzie use of an alias as well as make connections between potential family members.
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