Bio of DODGE, Willis Edward (b.1857), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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WILLIS EDWARD DODGE - Vol III, pg 785-786
With the attainment of his majority Willis Edward Dodge wisely sought the
oppor­tunities of the growing Northwest. A young man just admitted to the bar,
he deter­mined to seek his fortune and test his professional ability in a
country where steady growth was going on and where every man was rated by his
capacities and powers. He proved himself equal to the emergency and with the
passing years won a place in the foremost ranks of the legal profession in the
upper Mississippi valley. His life story had its beginning at Lowell, Vermont,
on the llth of May, 1857, his parents being Andrew Jackson and Harriet (Baldwin)
Dodge, both of whom were also natives of the Green Mountain state. The family
comes of English ancestry, the line being traced back to three Dodge brothers,
who came from England to the new world in 1626 and settled first at Salem,
Massachusetts. Through succeeding generations rep­resentatives of the name
remained in New England, bearing their full share in the work of general
progress and improvement in that section of the country.
Willis Edward Dodge began his education in the public schools of his native
state and afterward became a student in St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont. Later
he spent some time in his father's office and entered upon the study of law
under the direction of Hon. W. W. Grant, at one time member of congress from
Barton, Vermont, while later his preceptor was F. W. Baldwin, a well known
attorney of the same city. He was admitted to the bar in Orleans county,
Vermont, in September, 1880, and in October of the same year he established his
home at Fargo, North Dakota, being then a young man of about twenty-two years. A
little later he removed to Jamestown, where he opened an office and continued in
the practice of law for five years but in 1887 he returned to Fargo, where he
became attorney for the Great Northern Railroad. He had previously had some
experience in connection with railroad law, as at James­town he had been local
attorney for the Northern Pacific. His residence in Fargo during the second
period was from 1887 until 1892 and in the latter year he came to Minneapolis,
being appointed general attorney for the Great Northern Railroad, which had
taken over the Manitoba road. On the 1st of January, 1903, he established his
headquarters in St. Paul and continued to act as general attorney for the
railroad for three years, when he resumed private practice. Returning to
Minneapolis he continued to reside here until his death and through the
intervening years enjoyed a large clientele of a distinctively representative
character. He was a lawyer of marked ability. For twenty years he was associated
with the Great Northern Railroad and was thoroughly familiar with various
branches of corporation law. In 1907 he became senior partner in the firm of
Dodge & Tantges and that relation was maintained until his demise.
In 1882 Mr. Dodge was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Crist, a daughter of
Daniel and Mary (Boyer) Crist, who came of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. Mr. and
Mrs. Dodge had a family of two children: William Edward, who died March 8, 1908;
and Dorothy Mary, the wife of H. S. Wilcox of Minneapolis and the mother of two
children: Wilhelmina Elizabeth and Patricia Ann.
Mr. Dodge was connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and was
also a member of the Minneapolis and Lafayette Clubs. His political allegiance
was given to the republican party and when in Dakota he was elected to the state
legis­lature, serving as senator in 1886-7. He always kept well informed on the
vital questions of the day and his opinions carried considerable weight among
his friends and also had to do with the shaping of party politics. His death
occurred November 19, 1911, when he was fifty-four years of age. He had not yet
passed beyond the prime of life and it seemed that he should have been spared
for many more years of usefulness but fate intervened. He left behind him the
memory of an active and useful career. His was the story of New England
training, education and ambition grafted onto west­ern enterprise and
opportunity, and in his chosen profession he gained for himself a most
creditable name and place.