Des Moines County IA Archives Biographies.....Dodge, Charles Jones 1852 - 1889
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 9, 2007, 6:39 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896)

CHARLES JONES DODGE, deceased, who was at one time Prosecuting Attorney for Des
Moines county, Iowa, was born in Washington, District of Columbia, July 31,
1852, son of General Augustus C. and Clara A. (Hertich) Dodge. He spent four
years of his childhood at Madrid while his father was United States Minister at
the Spanish Court, and on his return to America made his home at Burlington,
Iowa, the permanent place of residence of the family. His preparatory education
was received in the city schools, and when fifteen years of age he entered the
University of Notre Dame, Indiana, where he took a classical course, and, after
an attendance of six years, graduated in 1874, with honors. He distinguished
himself while at the university by his studious habits and good scholarship. In
his junior year he won the class medal, and later, as a prize for the leader in
elocution, he was awarded a fine Maltese cross, valued at $50, and at the close
of his senior year won the honor of being chosen to deliver the valedictory. In
the fall of 1874 Mr. Dodge entered upon the study of law in the office of Judge
J. Tracy, and attended the State University of Iowa, where he took a regular law
course, receiving his diploma June 30, 1875. He at once entered upon the
practice of his profession at Burlington, trying his first case in court on the
12th of July following.

   Mr. Dodge was married at Burlington, January 6, 1876, to Miss Ella Craig,
daughter of Robert E. Craig, of St. Louis, Missouri. Mrs. Dodge was born in New
Lisbon, Ohio.

   On entering upon the practice of law at Burlington, Mr. Dodge was first
associated with W. S. Fegan and in 1876 formed a partnership with his brother,
Senator W. W, Dodge. He was a Democrat in politics. The first official position
he was chosen to fill was that of City Solicitor, holding the same for one term.
At the regular election of 1886 he was elected County Attorney for Des Moines
county, and served efficiently in that capacity. He was the first County
Attorney under the new law creating this office.

   Mr. Dodge came from an illustrious Democratic family, his immediate
ancestors-father and grandfather-having been eminent statesmen of national
reputation. His father, General A. C. Dodge, was conspicuous in the public
affairs of Iowa, represented the State in the national Congress from 1848 to
1855, being the first United States Senator from Iowa, and was United States
Minister to Spain during the years 1855-9. His grandfather, Henry Dodge, was
prominent in the early history of Wisconsin, was the first Governor of that
State, and was elected to the United States Senate. A peculiar incident in the
family history, well worth mention, was that of father and son, Henry and A. C.
Dodge, sitting side by side in the United States Senate as members of that body,
representing different States! Charles J. Dodge inherited many of the brilliant
qualities which made his illustrious father so popular. He was gifted as an
orator, and won a foremost place as a lawyer. His death occurred at his home in
Burlington, Iowa, November 6, 1889.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA

ILLUSTRATED

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."'—MACAULAY.

"Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant,
of all things."—CARLYLE

"History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE.

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896


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