Doddj
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JAMES J. DODD is one of the well
known professional men of Lincoln county. On March 13, 1894, Mr.
Dodd was admitted to practice law in the superior courts of the state of
Washington. In January, 1899, he was admitted to the supreme court
and to the United States district and circuit courts. At the time
of his admission the Lincoln county papers contained the following paragraph:
"J. J. Dodd, of Creston, one of the best known citizens of Lincoln
county, successfully passed his examination for admission to the bar on
Monday and was ordered admitted by Judge Mount. The examination was
conducted by C. H. Neal and Judge Caton, and Mr. Dodd answered every question
correctly with one exception. He was highly complimented by Judge
Mount who said that Mr. Dodd had passed the best and highest of any applicant
ever admitted to practice law in Lincoln county."
J. J. Dodd was born in Jacksonville, Illinois,
on February 8, 1831, the son of Uriah and Ally D. (Hutchins) Dodd, natives
of Virginia. The father went to Kentucky when a boy and later to
Illinois where he followed farming. He had two uncles of the Dodd
family and three uncles on his mother's side, who fought in the Revolutionary
war. The latter were named Cook. The two oldest were killed
at the battle of Bunker Hill. The mother had two uncles also in the
war of Independence. Our subject had very scanty opportunities to
gain an education in his youthful days and the little log school house
in Hancock county, Illinois, was the scene of his studies until fourteen
when he started out to meet the responsibilities of life. In 1857
he commenced reading law under Judge Thomas S. Richardson, of Memphis,
Missouri, having in previous years given himself to arduous personal research
in literary lines. During this study his health broke down and he
desisted to crossed the plains in 1859 to California. He remained
at St. Helena, Napa county, until 1862, then returned to Illinois and in
1865 to Missouri. In 1876 he went to Kansas. In 1880, we find
him in the Cherokee nation and in 1888, he came on to Lincoln county, with
teams. Here in 1890, he again commenced the study of law under Judge
J. Brock of Davenport and was admitted to the bar as stated above.
In 1851, Mr. Dodd married Adeline A. Browning,
who was a very scholarly lady. She was born in Tennessee, on December
31, 1830. In 1868, Mr. Dodd contracted a second marriage, his former
wife having died, and Miss Mary A. Moss of Kentucky, then became Mrs. Dodd.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dodd; Uriah E., Mrs.
Adelina Ettenborough, Mrs. Allie L. Covey, John B., George H. and Moxey
M. Mr. Dodd voted for Franklin Pierce in 1852 and has voted for every
Democratic president since. He is one of the stanch and stable men
of the party and has ever manifested a keen interest in political matters.
Mr. Dodd has certainly gained a marked distinction in fitting himself for
the practice of law at the stage of life in which he did, as well as in
having the successful practice he has conducted since.
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