John and William Dodson of Ohio and Illinois

Biographical Sketches of Dodson and Dotson Pioneer Families


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John Dodson 1816 - 1902 and William Dodson 1820 - 1905

Sons of William Dodson born 1788 in VA and Margaret Weikle (Wikel) Dodson who migrated to near Dayton, Ohio before 1816.

Source: "History of Champaign County, Illinois," by J. O. Cunningham, 1905

JOHN DODSON was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, February 29, 1816, and was educated there in the public schools. Later he engaged in farming, continuing in that line of industry until he reached the age of twenty years, when he served an apprenticeship in the wagon-making and carpenter�s trade, during which time he constructed a great number of grain cradles. He followed these trades in Ohio for three years, and in 1838 moved to Tippecanoe County, Ind., and there followed the same line of business in connection with farming and blacksmithing. He came to Illinois in 1865 and purchased a farm of 215 acres, on which he has since resided. In his political faith he is an earnest Republican, and has held the office of School Director for a number of years. In his religious relations he is an attendant of the Universalist Church.

In December, 1838, Mr. Dodson married Miss Anna HESS, a daughter of Abraham and Ellen HESS, and two children were born of this union, namely: Margaret Ellen and Harry. Mrs. Dodson died and Mr. Dodson later married Miss Elizabeth MCGEE, a daughter of John and Ellen MCGEE, and to them two children were born: Ira H. and Edward S.

Source: "A Standard History of Champaign County, Illinois", by J. R. Stewart, published by The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago And New York, 1918.

John Dodson, was for thirty years a successful mechanic in Indiana, being a blacksmith and wagon maker. He worked at his trade before the Civil War. Among other useful things which were made in his shop were the old-fashioned grain cradles. Mr. Ira Dodson has as one of his most prized possessions one of these old fashioned cradles made by his father. John Dodson also employed several hands in conducting his blacksmith shop in Indiana. His home was near a Dunkard settlement, and he made the old-fashioned buggies for the Dunkard people to ride in. It was many years before the Dodson family acquired their first self-binder for harvesting grain. Mr. Ira Dodson always associates the purchase of that modern farming implement with the year that General Coxey's army marched to Washington, D. C. The army marched past the Dodson home. One other notable procession went by the Dodson place. At the time of McKinley's inauguration a great horn, six feet across the bell, was made at Decatur, Illinois, and was carried past the Dodson place on the shoulders of six men. It was used in the great inaugural parade at Washington. 

After coming to Champaign County John Dodson gave his principal time and attention to farming. He was an excellent manager and at the time of his death possessed 214 acres. He had drained this land, had improved it with good buildings and with trees, and today it stands as a monument to his industry. When he made his will he directed that his two sons, Edward and Ira, his sole heirs, should each choose a man, who in turn should choose a third, and this arbitration committee should divide the property equally between the sons. But wisely enough the two sons, working in complete amity and agreement, did the work of division for themselves and thus kept the entire matter out of court, avoiding any litigation or delay and much expense.

Source: "Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2 By Newton Bateman, Paul Selby"

WILLIAM DODSON (deceased), who was one of the oldest and most honored of the retired pioneer farmers of Champaign County, Illinois, was born near Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio, July 8, 1820, a son of William and Margaret (Wikel) Dodson, natives of Virginia.

The family was established in Ohio about 1800, and Mr. Dodson left there in 1838, when eighteen years old, settling in Tippecanoe County, Ind. In 1863 he located in Champaign County, 111., and, after being engaged in the grocery business for a quarter of a century, he retired to his home, at No. 406 North State Street.

For his first wife, Mr. Dodson married, In 1856, Hannah Young, a daughter of William and Sarah Young, to whom three children were bom�Joseph, John, and Eleanor�all of whom are deceased. Mrs. Dodson died in 1859, and in 1867, Mr. Dodson married Sophia Klngsbury, daughter of Benjamin and Johanna (Jennings) Kingsbury. The subject of this sketch passed away February 11, 1905, and his departure was deeply lamented throughout the community.


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