Genesee-Oakland County MI Archives Biographies.....Dodder, Jacob S. 1830 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 26, 2006, 5:06 pm Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) JACOB S. DODDER, a prominent and well-to-do farmer, is a native of Sussex County, N. J., and was born February 4, 1830. The father, Peter Dodder, was born in Germany in 1804, and was brought to America by his parents the same year. They settled in New Jersey, where both spent the remainder of their days. Peter Dodder, upon coming to Michigan, settled in the township of Addison, Oakland County, where he bought land and cleared a farm, being one of the first settlers of the township. He was an active and industrious man and made great progress in the clearing and improving of this property. In 1857 he removed to Kansas where he resided until his death in 1875. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Margaret Struble, and she was born in New Jersey, June 20, 1807. Her parents came from Germany. She is still living as are all of her ten children. The limited educational privileges enjoyed by our subject were those afforded by the primitive log schoolhouse, and as the country was in his boyhood quite new and sparsely inhabited, only a few months of school could be afforded each year. The youth remained at home until he came of age, after which he worked out for a few years, and in the spring of 1855 came to Argentine Township, this county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of partially improved land. Here he at once began the vocation of a farmer and has since devoted himself assiduously to that line of work, compelling by his energy and industry such prosperity that he is now one of the wealthy men of the county. Jacob S. Dodder was in 1854 united in marriage with Sarah Mann who was born in New Jersey but came with her parents to Michigan in 1837. Their children are: Frances, who is the wife of Alpheus Fields, a farmer in this township; George M., deceased; Arnold, who is married and a prosperous farmer here; Annie, now Mrs. Lanta Stevens of Linden; Veve, who married George Judson; a well-to-do farmer; Abi, the wife of William Gillespie living in the township of Mundy, and Nye, Howell, and Ernest, who are all at home. The political sympathies of Mr. Dodder have brought him into line with the Democratic party, of whose doctrines he is a stanch supporter and he wields no small influence in the county, being frequently made a delegate to county, district and State Conventions. He has served as Supervisor for seven years and has also been for some time both Treasurer and Highway Commissioner. For over thirty years he has been prominently identified with the Masonic order. His three hundred and sixty acres of land are finely improved and besides this he has parted with considerable to his sons. He raises all kinds of stock of improved grades and has an attractive and commodious home, substantial barns and other like improvements upon his farm. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/genesee/bios/dodder34nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.7 Kb