Dodd, Dennis

DODD, WILEY, DEETER, SIGNS, FERGUSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/28/2009 at 22:01:24

Dodd, Dennis

Among the well known and highly respected stock men and general farmers of Jasper County who have attained to a definite degree of success in their line of endeavor and who, at the same time, greatly benefited the community in which they live is the gentleman to a review of whose career we now direct the reader's attention. An analyzation of the life work of Mr. Dodd shows that he has not permitted obstacles to stand in the way of his ambition, but has practically unaided, forged his way to the front, refusing to be thwarted by any obstacles.

Dennis Dodd was born in Clear Creek Township, this County, September 9, 1873, the son of Charles E. Dodd and wife, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. When eleven years old the subject accompanied his family to Collins Township, Story County, Iowa. The son grew to manhood on the farm and received his education in the public schools of his district. On February 25, 1884, he was united in marriage with Belle Wiley, who was born in Clear Creek Township, Jasper County, Iowa, February 12,1873, the daughter of James and Julia (Deeter) Wiley, the father born March 13, 1845; and is now living in South Dakota; the mother was born in Ohio and her death occurred in April 1880, when thirty-five years of age. There were four children in the Wiley family, namely: Mrs. Mary Signs, born September 6, 1868, lives at Collins; Mrs. Clara Signs, born February 12, 1872, lives in Clear Creek Township; Belle, wife of Mr. Dodd of this sketch; Mrs. Gertie Ferguson, born August 11, 1876, is living at Lowry City, Missouri. These children were all born in Clear Creek Township, this County.

To Mr. and Mrs. Dodd five children have been born, named as follows: Rhoda, born December 13, 1894; Alda, born January 22, 1896; Henry, born December 22, 1898; Jessie, born June 12, 1903; Irene, born December 19, 1909. They were all born in Story County.

Mr. Dodd has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and has met with a large measure of success. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of well-improved and valuable land in Collins Township, Story County, and he also has eighty acres in Clear Creek Township, Jasper County. He has a large, well furnished home and good outbuildings. He has by energy and perseverance secured a competency. In connection with general farming he has long engaged in buying horses in carload lots for Eastern markets. No better judge of a horse can be found and no small part of his annual income is derived from handling horses. From January 1, 1911, to September 1st of that year he bought and shipped one thousand head of horses, each with an exchange value of two hundred and five dollars, thereby causing the sum of two hundred and five thousand dollars to be shipped from the East to this vicinity. It is just such enterprising hustlers as Mr. Dodd that keep the balance of wealth in the West and away from Wall street, thereby causing the so-called center of the world's wealth in the great metropolis to bow to the West in times of panic. The course of Mr. Dodd is worthy of commendation and emulation. He has shown that he is an industrious, unselfish, twentieth-century businessman. He carries the Golden Rule into his everyday life and likes to see others succeed. He pays the highest market price for his livestock, but the great number handled has amply paid him for all his trouble. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1275.