| JohnS. Dodge |
JOHN S. DODGE, one of themost prominent farmers of Littleton township, Schuyler county, Illinois,was born in Bloomington, McLean county, this State, March 14, 1837. Hisparents, Solomon and Betsey (Springer) Dodge, were both natives of Ohio,his father being a carder and filler by trade. His mother’s ancestors wereoriginally from Cork, Ireland. In 1833, his parents came by way of theOhio and Mississippi rivers to Bloomington, Illinois, where our subjectwas born in his father’s hotel, which was the first in that town, calledthe Caravansary. His father retired about twenty-five years before hisdeath, he being ninety-one years of age and his wife seventy-two when theydied at the home of their son, the subject of our sketch. His godfather,Israel Dodge, was from Scotland, and died in Marietta, Ohio, aged seventy-fiveyears.Our subject came to thiscounty in 1846, and bought the farm on which he at present resides, whichhe has since much improved by the erection of a substantial residence andbarns, and has the land well cultivated. He is one of ten children, fiveof whom are now living, two boys and three girls. He is the only farmer,all the others being merchants and mechanics.
Mr. Dodge remained at homeuntil he was eighteen years of age, attending district school and helpinghis father. He then herded cattle for a couple of years, after which heworked around at different places until he was twenty-one years of age.He was, at the end of this time, married to Miss Emily Hoyt, on December24, 1855, a native of Detroit, Michigan, where she was born November 2,1836. Their happy married life was doomed to be of short duration, forthree years later his wife died in Wahpeton, Minnesota, aged twenty-twoyears. She was an intelligent woman, with many charms of person and character,and was much regretted by all who knew her. Her people were from New YorkState.
Mr. Dodge, after about eightyears, married Miss Rachel Moore, on January 11, 1866, who was born inBuena Vista township, this county, June 15, 1838. Her parents, Thomas andMary Moore, were pioneers of this county, and highly respected people.They are now both dead, her mother surviving her father by several years.She was one of twelve children, nine of whom are now living.
After his marriage Mr. Dodgerented a farm in this county, which he cultivated until the time of thewar; when, on February 1, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, Sixty-secondIllinois Infantry, under Captain Joseph McLean, and served for three yearsand four months in the army, and was on detached duty for two months. Hewas sick in 1864 and was in the regimental hosepital. In 1865, on May 2,he was honorably discharged at Smithfield. Mr. Dodge and D. Wheat are theonly ones left in Springfield township, who were members of that company.
After the war Mr. Dodge boughthis present farm, which at that time was unimproved and had only a loghouse on it. It hardly resembles the same farm now, for he has erecteda substantial residence, besides commodious barns for his grain and stock,besides other modern conveniences for the facilitating of agriculturalpursuits. He has bought eighty more acres of land, making his present possessions240 acres, all of which is under a good state of cultivation. Besides hisfarming interests, he is largely interested in stock-raising, making aspecialty of cattle, in which he is very successful.
Our subject and wife havehad eight children, six of whom still survive: Avey E., born in this county,was educated at Bushnell College, and studied music at Shenandoah, Iowa,and is now teaching music; Homer P. is at home; he was educated at BushnellCollege; Fannie T. is at home, and was also educated at Bushnell College;Adda A.; Ruby J. and True; the last three are living at home with theirparents.
Mr. Dodge is at present aRepublican, although he went to war as a Douglas Democrat; after that internationalstruggle he voted with the Republicans. His first vote was cast for JohnC. Fremont. His consituents have seen fit to honor him with public office,and he has served as Assessor and Commissioner of Highways, in which capacityhe has rendered eminent satisfaction to all. He is a member of George BrownPost, Brooklyn, also of No. 320, G. A. R., and affiliates with the A. F.& A. M., No. 766, of Littleton, of all which societies he is a prominentand esteemed member.
Of superior ability, highintegrity and morality, he also adds the gentler virtues of sociabilityand amiability, thus commanding the respect and affection of all alike.
Biographical Review ofCass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 290-291.
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