Past and Present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana. Indianapolis, Indiana: BF
Bowen, 1913 p. 345 -- It is an agreeable task for the biographer and pleasant and
profitable for the reader, to contemplate the life record of a person who has made a
success of life, and won the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens. Such is the
record, briefly stated, of the well known young business man of Veedersburg of which city
he is at present ably discharging the duties of mayor - Thomas J. Dotson, than whom a more
highly respected or popular citizen it would be hard to find in the locality of which this
book treats and where his life has been spent. Mr. Dotson was born in this county October
26, 1872. He is the son of Frank and Eliza Reed Dotson, both natives of Mason Co KY where
they spent the entire years of their lives and from here they came as pioneers to VanBuren
Township, Fountain county, Indiana and established the permanent home of their family
named as follows: Charles, who lives in California; John also resides in that state;
Mollie, who married William Lucas; Mattie is the wife of Joseph Williams; and Thomas J,
subject of this sketch. the parents of the above named children are still living in Van
Buren where they have a pleasant home. They are members of the Christian Church. The
father is a Democrat, but has never been especially active in political affairs. He has
been a member of the Masonic fraternity for the past 53 years. Thomas J. Dotson grew to
manhood on the home farm and there he assisted with the general work during crop seasons.
In the winter time he attended the common schools of his native community and in 1904 came
to Veedersburg and since that time has been engaged in the grocery business with
ever-increasing success, having built up a large and satisfactory business with the town
and surrounding country, carrying at all seasons a large and carefully selected stock of
fancy and staple groceries. Mr. Dotson was married on December 23, 1895 to Belle
Foxworthy, daughter of Dan and Margaret Colwell Foxworthy, an excellent old family of this
county. Politically, Mr. Dotson is a stanch Democrat and he has been active in party
affairs. For some time he served as a councilman at Veedersburg and is at this writing
very ably discharging the duties of mayor of this place, winning the hearty approval of
all concerned, irrespective of party ties and he is doing much for the permanent good of
the place and is deeply interested in its growth and moral welfare. His term of office
expires in 1913. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order, the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, and he is a member of the Commercial Club. He is a young man of pleasing
address and is a good mixer, popular with all who know him.