Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 70

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 70

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Concerning the genealogy of Mr. Dodge, let it be said that he is of English origin, and what people have been felt more for their intellect and virtues than the Anglo-Saxon race? The Dodges have a history known somewhat of as far back as 1306 A. D., when members of the family held lands in Stockport, England. But as the object of this volume is to begin with the American ancestry, as a rule, and trace the descendants to the present time, such facts as might be had concerning the English family will not be attempted to be reproduced herein.

In the course of researches for this family history only two main branches have been found, one descended from William, or Rich- ard, of Beverly, Massachusetts, and the other from Tristram Dodge, who settled on Block Island, Rhode Island, in 1660. April 25, 1629, there sailed from Gravesend, on the Thames, two boats-one the "Talbot," a vessel of three hundred tons, and the "Lion's Whelp," a neat ship of one hundred and twenty tons. They reached Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, May 8. The journal kept by Reverend Francis Higginson. of the "Talbot," has been preserved and gives clue to the origin of all American Dodges. That record says that the "Lion's Whelp" had forty planters from Dorchester, many mariners, eight pieces of ordnance, provisions, and four goats. Both vessels sailed from Yarmouth, May II, 1629, and arrived at Salem, June 29. the same year.

William Dodge settled in that location now called Beverly, but in early times known as

Bass-River-Side, being separated from Salem by the bay. Tradition states he was tall, with black hair and a dark complexion. He be- came a freeman April 17, 1627, and received a grant of land containing sixty acres in Sep- tember that year. William Dodge came to Salem nine years earlier than Richard, hence he has been called the "father of American Dodges." The records, however, show the descendants of Richard outnumber his, prob- ably on account of the fact that the former had but two sons, while Richard had five.

Richard Dodge, brother of William (I), was received as an inhabitant in October, 1638, and was granted ten acres by the town of Salem. He was admitted into the church at Salem, May 5, 1644. In 1671 he helped to establish the First Church at Beverly. Richard died in June, 1671, leaving a will by which it appears that he left a brother Michael; the will of Rich- ard, in connection with the will of his father, John Dodge, renders the origin of Salem Dodges quite clear. Records in the register's office of Essex county also show that William Dodge, senior, had a nephew William Dodge (Coker William or William Coker), son of Michael, to whom by a deed dated May 12. 1685, he gave sixteen acres of land where now stands the Beverly reservoir. On the same date he also imposed a duty upon his son Cap- tain William Dodge, of Beverly, to "pay my brother," "if he came to New England and dwell in this town of Beverly, five pounds per annum, so long as he shall dwell here"-refer- ring to his brother in England-doubtless Michael Sprague, then his only brother, Rich- ard having died in 1671.

The Dodges for at least four generations rarely engaged at anything besides farming. They wanted to possess and improve the soil. They were hard workers and seldom irrelig- ious ; rarely office seekers, and were a temperate set of people. With the expansion of popula- tion they pushed forth for new homes, to sub- due other lands, and have been found on the wild frontiers, through the northern states, and to-day count their descendants by the hundreds if not thousands all the way from New Eng- land to the waters of the Pacific. Men of note and national fame may be found here and there from out their ranks of workers. They are found among the philanthropic, military, liter- ary, clergy, medical, legal and college pro- fessorships and callings-ever ready to do and to dare.

To come now direct to the line of genealogy in this country it may be said, first, that John

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Dodge ( I) and wife Margery, of Somerset- shire, England, had these children: 1. Will- iam, came to America, 1629; died between 1685 and 1692. He was probably born about 1604. 2. Richard, appeared in Salem, 1637; died June, 1671 ; probably born 1602. 3. Mich- ael, lived and died in Somerset county, Eng- land, and had five children. 4. Mary, died in England and had one son-John.

(II) William Dodge, eldest son of John (I), born about 1604, came to Salem, Massa- chusetts, in 1629. A tradition was handed down by Col. Robert Dodge to his son Francis, of Georgetown, D. C., that "farmer William" came to America when about twenty-one years of age, to see how he liked it, and returned to England, telling his father that he had deter- mined to settle in America, and asked him for some present. His father said, "get married and I will give it." William is said to have had two refusals, but finally succeeded, mar- ried, and for his "present" his father gave him a pair of bulls. "Farmer William," as he was styled, became a prominent factor in his new home in the New World. He was elected to many local offices and served in courts as jury- man, helped construct roads, bridges, churches, and was an extensive farmer. In 1685 he sold his real estate, conveying the homestead to his son Captain William. His children were: I. Capt. William, born September, 1640; died 1720. 2. Hannah, born 1642; married Samuel Porter, who died 1660 ; married Thomas Wood- berry. Josiah Dodge, killed in the Narragan- sett war in 1675, may have been another son.

( II) Richard Dodge, son of John Dodge (I), the English ancestor, and a brother to William above named, married in England, and had a son John, who died there. His wife was baptized as Edith. It is quite certain that Richard and wife joined the New England colony in 1638, and as the King at that time was not allowing emigration, it is possible that he left England without royal sanction. He settled in "Dodge Row," North Beverly, where he built a house that was occupied and kept in the family for more than two hundred years. He and his wife Edith were members of the Wenham Church, but the most of his time and talent seems to have been spent in farm im- provements, not paying any special attention to church work. His wife outlived him seven years, dying June 27, 1678, at the age of sev- enty-five years. Their children were: Jolin, Mary, Sarah, Richard, Samuel, Edward, Jo- seph.

(III) Joseph Dodge, son of Richard (2).

born in Beverly, 1651, died August 10, 1716; married Sarah Eaton, of Reading, 1671. He was a farmer in Beverly, near his father, on Dodge Row. He was one of the executors of his father's estate, receiving a liberal joint share with his brother Edward. The children born to Joseph and his wife were: Abigail. Joseph, Noah, Prudence, Abigail, Jonah, Sarah, Elisha, Charity, Nathaniel.

(IV) Elisha Dodge, son of Joseph (3). born January, 1687, died January 17, 1755. With his brother Jonah he shared his father's real estate holdings. In his will he gave his wife Mary two cows, four sheep and other property, and to his son Elisha all real and per- sonal estate. He left to his wife a negro woman, Bathsheba, who was to belong to his daughters Lois and Mary on the death of their mother. His realty was appraised at 380 pounds, and personal at 114 pounds. He mar- ried Mary Kimball. of Wenham, October, 1709, and the children born to them were: Jerusha. Lois, Elisha, Mary, Elisha.

(V) Elisha Dodge, son of Elisha (4), born in Beverly, May 17, 1723, died after 1777, in New Boston, married, first, to Eleanor Dodge ; secondly, to Sarah Foster, of Wenham, 1748, who died August, 1768: and in 1769 he mar- ried Mrs. Deborah Lovett. He lived in Bev- crly until 1777, when he moved his family to New Boston, New Hampshire, where he died. His children were: Sarah, Jerusha, Elisha, Noalı, Malachi, Abigail, Ella, Enoch, Mehit- able, Mary.

(VI) Enoch Douglas, son of Elisha (5). born May, 1762, in Beverly, died December 27, 1834, in Eden, Vermont ; married, December 18, 1787, Jael Cochran, born in New Boston, New Hampshire, 1768, died at Eden, Vermont April 6, 1844. They moved to New Boston in 1788. Their children were: I. Malachi Fos- ter, born New Boston, New Hampshire, Au- gust 20, 1789. 2. Elizabeth, born March 28, 1792, died February 22, 1793. 3. Betsey, born January 17, 1794, died July 22, 1802. 4. Enoch, born December, 1795, died Crete, Illinois, March 4. 1873. 5. Elisha, born February 18, 1798, died July, 1802. 6. Jane, born January 25, 1800, died February, 1844 ; married Daniel Cornish. 7. Nathaniel C., born May, 1802, lived at Jeffersonville, Vermont. 8. Joseph, born March 31. 1804. died June, 1864. 9. Mary, born June 24. 1806, died 1880. IO. Hiram, born June 25, 1808, died May 13, 1859. 11. John, born December, 1810, died March, 1814.

(\'11) Malachi F. Dodge, son of Enoch (6),

For. He Doda,

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born August 20, 1789, in New Boston, New Hampshire, died October 13, 1865, in Nashua, New Hampshire. He married Jane Hutchins, January 9, 1812, at Belvidere, Vermont. They first resided in Belvidere and next in Lowell, Vermont, whence they removed in 1837 to Nashua, New Hampshire. Their children were : I. Priscilla D., born May, 1813, died August 12. 1864; married William H. Huntley. 2. Malachi F .. born January 8, 1815. 3. Elisha C., born September 27, 1816, died `February, 1825. 4. Sarah Jane, born July 6, 1818, mar- ried, November 18, 1845, Ferderick Plummer Bixby ; both deceased. 5. Daniel Darling, born June 28, 1820, married Miss Wyman ; both de- ceased. 6. Thomas Hutchins, born September 27, 1823. married Eliza Daniels. 7. Abbie R., born June, 1825, married Rodney M. Rollins ; both deceased. 8. Elisha E., born November 17, 1827. married Martha E. Fernald ; both de- ceased. 9. Mary Harding, born November 20, 1829, married Mason Boyd; he is deceased ; she resides in New Hampshire. 10. Emeline A., born July, 1832, died October 26, 1865.

(VIII) Malachi F. Dodge, Jr., son of Mala- chi F. (7). born January 8, 1815, at Eden, Vermont, married, May, 1838, Charlotte A. Ober, of Hopkinton, New Hampshire, first, and after her death he married Hannah P. Edwards. Both are now deceased. They re- sided at Manchester, New Hampshire, and had following children : I. Infant son, died in 1841. 2. Edward O., born February, 1844; married Ellen L. Dearborn, deceased. 3. Thomas F., born October, 1846. 4. Willy H., born November, 1851, deceased. 5. James E., born March, 1854, resides in Manchester, New Hampshire, and although a Republican in poli- tics has been city auditor for many years under the administration of both parties. 6. Frank E .. born September, 1863, deceased.

(VIII) Having brought down from the Eng- lish ancestor the line of descendants to which our chief subjects belonged, it should here be stated that he of whom we write, Hon. Thomas H. Dodge (8), was born September 27, 1823. in the town of Eden, Lamoille county, Ver- mont. He is the fourth son of Malachi F. Dodge (7), and wife Jane Hutchins. Thomas H. had the early advantages of good district schools, as his father was a well-to-do farmer. The family later moved to the town of Lowell, Vermont, residing on a farm until he was about fourteen years of age, when his eldest brother secured a good position with a manufacturing concern at Nashua, New Hampshire, and the family removed there. Here he applied him-

self to his school duties and became a great admirer of Judge Edmund Parker, who was his Sabbath school superintendent. The Dodge family there were members of the Olive St. Congregational Church. Through the influ- ence of Judge Parker, young Dodge resolved on becoming a lawyer and manufacturer. He proposed to his parents to bear his own ex- penses and thus showing what he could ac- complish, agreeing to pay to his father a sum for the remainder of his time, as he had not yet reached his majority. He decided on learn- ing the cotton manufacturing business, hence commenced at the bottom as a roll carrier, giv- ing him a chance to understand all about the raw product and its preparation for spinning. All this time he was reading books on this sub- ject. After earning sufficient money in the factory he entered Gymnasium Institute, at Pembroke, New Hampshire, where he rapidly advanced, and at the commencement delivered his first oration, "The Canadian Patriot's Ad- dress before his Execution." Learned state lawyers and jurists were present and he made a great impression upon all. One judge made the remark. "That lad has a bright and event- ful future before him." And true it was. But little did they dream that within a third of a century this lad would stand so high as a manufacturer and inventor, as well at the forefront as an advocate and jurist in a special branch of law. He returned to the cotton mills, and in 1850 published his famous review of the "Rise, Progress and Importance of Cotton Manufactures of the United States." He was a close student in many branches of natural philosophy and chemistry. He was a born inventor, and knew to succeed he must needs be fully posted, hence his extra training along all mechanical lines occupied his time for years. Among his numerous inventions was his printing press, patented to him by the United States Patent Office, November 18, 1851. From the use of this and other inven - tions he received a large income at a time in his career of research and activities when most needed to send him up higher. Now having the funds- the product of his own brains-he decided to fit himself for law, and in 1851 he entered the office of Hon. George Y. Sawyer and Col. A. F. Stevens, of Nashua, New Hamp- shire. Having given three years close study, he was admitted to the bar at Manchester, New Hampshire. In 1854 he opened an office at Nashua. He was then thirty-one years of age. Aside from his own position as a lawyer he had gained prominence as a manufacturer and

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inventor of no small skill. By reason of these things, Hon. Charles Mason, then United States Commissioner of Patents, was attracted toward this rising genius, and tendered him the position in the examining corps of the United States Patent Office. He was first assistant, but soon his peculiar ability and fitness caused him to be made an examiner-in-chief. As long as Commissioner Mason was at the head of the Patent Office, the advice and opinion of Mr. Dodge were constantly sought after. He was finally admitted to practice in the United States supreme court, and had very many large patent cases, some involving millions of dollars, in which he was eminently successful. His clients came from one ocean to the other, and from the forests of Maine to the cotton belt of the far away Southland. In the forepart of 1864, Mr. Dodge took up a residence in Worcester. He had an office and was a third owner of the Union Mowing Machine Company, at Wor- cester, which plant employed many men and made goods for all parts of the country. In 1881, while still in an extensive law practice, he in connection with Charles G. Washburn, organized the Barbed Fence Company, of Wor- cester, of which Mr. Dodge was president. This was but the commencement of what has become an immense barbed wire industry. In 1883 the long years of brain work caused a serious break in his usual good health, and he was compelled to retire from the active routine of business cares to which he had subjected him- self for so many years.

In a work such as this, it is impossible to give space sufficient to give at length, even an outline, of all of interest connected with this man's career, but in closing this sketch, a brief review of some of the more important acts in both his private and public life will be noted. He started out in life with a high aim. He worked his own way through school. He in- vented several cotton cloth-making appliances by which hundreds of dollars were saved each month by each cotton mill. He invented a printing press in the fifties, which principle carried out has given the world its great con- tinuous roll printing presses. He improved the manner of making moving machines, whereby over a million men's work is saved each hay- ing season. He discovered the safety valve defect and has taught the world much about the cause of steam boiler explosions. He was a chief examiner and chairman of the board of appeals in the United States Patent Office, being appointed by Judge Holt, chairman, who succeeded Judge Mason as Commissioner of

Patents. The latter office Mr. Dodge resigned in the fall of 1858. Some idea of the esteem in which Mr. Dodge's services were held may be gained from the fact that the venerable editor-in-chief of the National Intelligencer of Washington said that no other public officer had ever received such a genuine and. high tribute as that which Commissioner Holt be- stowed upon Mr. Dodge, which was as follows :

United States Patent Office

November 3, 1858.

Sir :- I have received with emotions of unmingled sorrow your letter of yesterday resigning the office of examiner, the duties of which you have for years discharged with such distinguished honor to your- self, and advantage to the public interest. It would have been to me a source of high gratification could I have enjoyed for the future that zealous support which you have so kindly afforded me in the past. While, however, I feel that your retirement will be a severe loss to the service, as it will be a personal affliction to myself, I cannot be insensible to the weight of the considerations which have determined you to seek another and more attractive field of labor. I shall ever recall with the liveliest satis- faction the pleasant social and official relations which have marked our intercourse, and in accept- ing your resignation I beg to offer to you my heart- felt thanks, alike for your personal friendship and for the high, loyal and most effective co-operation, which in the midst of circumstances of difficulty and embarrassment you have constantly extended to me in the administration of this office. In which- ever of the varied paths of life it may be your fortune to tread, be assured that you will bear with you my warmest wishes for your success and hap- piness.

Most sincerely your friend, J. HOLT. Mr. Thomas H. Dodge.

He was instrumental in bringing about a change in the United States Postal Department at Washington, by which letters not called for, if containing a return card, would find their way back to the writer, without the long ex- pensive routine of going through the Dead Letter office. He has been an eminently suc- cessful patent attorney, handling intricate cases, wherein many millions of money have been at stake. He has been connected with vast mower and barb wire manufacturing in- dustries at Worcester. He has given "Dodge Park" to the city- a gift royal in and of itself. He has, together with his truly estimable wife, been a faithful church and Sabbath school worker. They have donated large sums of money from time to time toward the building of church edifices in Worcester and other places, including Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, and Union and Peidmont Congrega- tional Churches. He has given to the Odd Fel- lows of Massachusetts the charming grounds upon which stands the State Odd Fellows' Home in Worcester, and then gave beautiful grounds adjacent known as Dodge Park. These were unselfish gifts, because he is not a member of this great order. He wrote a twenty page genealogy of one branch of the Dodge family

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in 1880. He was true and loyal to the Union cause in the dark and trying days of the civil war. He lived in Washington, D. C., and his home was ever open to those disposed to care for the sick and wounded soldiers. Both he and his truly good companion gave of their means and distributed delicacies of food both in and outside the regular hospitals. At no time did this far-seeing man ever doubt the final triumph which came to the Union cause. Not able himself to enter the army, he furnish- ed a substitute at a cost of one thousand dollars -a young French Canadian, who served with great credit, and rose to the rank of a com- missioned officer.

Mr. Dodge was married June 29, 1843 to Eliza Daniels, of Brookline, New Hampshire. and to her he attributes much of his success in life, as she has ever cheered and encouraged his undertakings. The deep interest they have both taken in church work and the support of the same, with their interest in the Natural History Camp and the Summer schools for boys and girls, give the readers to know the tendencies of their minds. May 18, 1905, Mr. and Mrs. Dodge each donated five hundred dollars to the cause.

Mr. Dodge is a man of distinguished pres- ence, dignified, yet genial. His has been a life of great usefulness. He is noted for liberality of mind and kind hospitality. The warm place he holds in the affections of the people, in a community in which he has done so much good work, and spent so large a portion of his useful and honorable life, is the best evidence of his work as a citizen whom all Massachusetts may well be proud to own.

John Foss, immigrant ancestor,

FOSS came from England in a British war vessel, landing in Boston, Massachusetts, by jumping overboard, swim- ming ashore, escaping further service. He thought of settling at a place called Reids Temple, but finally went to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was granted land at Ports- mouth, February 24, 1657, and the next record of him is as witness to a deed in Dover, May 14, 1661, where he was admitted an inhabi- tant, January 1, 1665-66, and took the oath of allegiance, June 21, 1669. He served on the jury in 1667-69-71. He was for a time at Kittery, Maine ; he bought of John Warren, September 29, 1668, a dwelling house and one hundred acres of land in Exeter, but sold to Richard Morgan in April, 1671. He may have lived there a short time, but in 1677 he

was taxed for the minister's support in Great Island (Tye), and in 1678 was a delinquent in his rate. Neither he nor his son William was in good standing in the established church. Both were fined for infractions of church laws and doubtless both were Quakers. His will was dlated in Dover, December 17, 1699. He married (first) Mary Chadbourne, born in Boston, 1644, daughter of William and Mary Chadbourne, granddaughter of William Chad- bourne, who came over with Captain John Mason to build a mill at Newichawannoch (South Berwick), Maine. He married (sec- ond) January 25, 1686, Sarah, widow of James Goss. He married (third) Elizabeth, daughter of William and Jane Berry, and widow of John Locke, who was killed by the Indians on Dover Plains, June 26, 1696. Children, all by first and second wives : I

John. 2. Samuel, died young. 3. Joshua. 4. Elizabeth, born in Dover, 1666. 5. Mary. 6. William, mentioned below. 7. Walter. 8. Hannah. 9. Thomas. 10. Hinkson, killed by Indians on Dover Plains, June 26, 1696, aged seventeen. II. Humphrey. 12. Jemimah. 13. Samuel.

(II) William, son of John Foss, was born March 11, 1673. He married (first) about 1692, Margery, daughter of Nathan Lord. A William Foss married in Hampton Falls, No- vember 20, 1700, Sarah Buswell ; also a Will- iam Foss married, March 26, 1703, Sarah, "widow of Nathaniel Heard. His son William was appointed administrator of his estate. April 26, 1724. Children: I. William. 2. Mary, married John Waldron, of Dover. 3. Sarah, married Joseph Connor, of Dover. 4. Margery, married James Richards, of Dover. 5. Benjamin, married Ann Hodgdon. 6. Jo- siah, mentioned below. 7. Walter, married Hannah 8. Lydia, married Peter Grant.

(III) Josiah, son of William Foss, lived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and later re- moved to Greenland. He sold lands in Hamp- ton, September 11, 1732, to Jacob Brown. He sold lands in Greenland belonging to the estate of his father-in-law, April 25, 1739; also sold lands in Epsom and Greenland to John Foss, June 15, 1739. On April 23, 1754, he bought land in Greenland from Benjamin Holmes, and was living there when the census was taken in 1790, and had at that time a wife, one son over sixteen years old, and one daughter living at home. He was one of the proprie- tors of Cornish, New Hampshire, in 1762, but it is not known that he ever lived there. He

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married Elizabeth, daughter of John Weeks. Children, born in Greenland: 1. Josiah, died young. 2. William, August 31, 1761. 3. Eliz- abeth. 4. Samuel. 5. Dorothy. 6. Josiah. mentioned below.

(IV) Josiah (2), son of Josiah (1) Foss, was born in Greenland, New Hampshire, July 7, 1771. He lived in Keene, New Hampshire. Thetford, Vermont, and finally settled in Derby, Vermont, where he was one of the first settlers. He died in Franklin county, New York, where his son Ziba had settled. He married Priscilla Bartlett, who died in Con- stable, New York. Children : 1. Samuel Bart- lett, mentioned below. 2. Ziba, removed to New York state. 3. Nancy, married Kennison. 4. Sally. 5. Phebe. 6. Susan. 7. Fanny. 8. Betsey. 9. Lucinda.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 70

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 886

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886