I am researching William DICKSON(1740-1835) born in Amherst County, Virginia, and died in Nelson County, Virginia. He married Lucretia Nash. In the "Centenial Index of Proven Patriots", issued by the Daughters of the American Revolution, William is listed with these symbols following his name: "Sol PS VA" meaning "soldier, patriotic service, Virginia". It is known that he entered the army as a private and was a sergeant at the end of the American Revolution.
After the Revolutionary War many patriot soldiers were given land grants in Western Virginia, frontier country. Amherst and Nelson counties, near the Blue Ridge Mountains, were part of the western frontier at that time. His descendants possibly include three granddaughters who married three sons of General James Woods,commander of the 4th and 12th Virginia Regiments during the Revolutionary War. Genral James Wood was Virginia Governor from 1796 to 1798. I very much would like to find information about the parents etc. of William who is my 5th great grandfather.