JOSEPH H. DODDER.

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The operation of a valuable farm of two hundred acres in Grand View township engages the attention of Joseph H. Dodder, who was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, on the 4th of February, 1846. His parents, Henry and Margaret (Ripley) Dodder were both born in 1807 in the state of New Jersey, which was also the scene of their marriage. They continued to reside there until 1850 when they migrated to Iowa, locating in Louisa county. Here the father bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres which is now comprised in the homestead of his son Joseph H. The mother passed away in 1864, but the father survived until the 14th of November, 1887, always having lived on his farm. Of the seven children born unto them all but the youngest were natives of New Jersey. The order of their birth is as follows: Jacob, who is deceased; Elizabeth, the wife of George W. Benson, of Iowa City; Margaret, who married Ira H. Walker, of Grand View; Sarah, the wife of Merrick Murphy, of New York; Isaiah, who was killed at the battle of Belmont during the Civil war; Joseph H., our subject; and Albert, who is a resident of Grand View.

         Being only a child of four years of age when his parents located in Iowa Joseph H. Dodder has spent practically his entire life in the county where he . . .

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. . . now resides, and in whose common schools he was educated. At the age of seventeen years he joined the Ninth Iowa Cavalry, enlisting on the 1st of September, 1863. He went into quarters at Davenport, going from there to St. Louis, thence to Devil’s Bluff, Arkansas, remaining at the front until the 6th of March, 1866, at which time he was honorably discharged at Little Rock, Arkansas.

         When he returned to Iowa he worked on a farm for a short time, and then rented some land which he cultivated for five years. At the end of that time he bought sixty acres which he disposed of later, subsequently buying the old homestead. Since acquiring this he has added to it another eighty acres, making his aggregate holdings two hundred acres, all of which is fertile land. He has made many improvements upon his place, which is now one of the valuable and attractive properties of the township. His homestead is located on section 21 and in addition to this he owns four hundred acres in eastern Colorado.

         On the 10th of August, 1867, occurred the marriage of Mr. Dodder and Miss Margaret Stineman, who was born in Vermilion, Ohio, on the 21st of February, 1846, and passed away in 1901. Her parents were Philip and Margaret Stineman, natives of Germany, who upon their arrival in this country first located in Ohio. They resided there until 1853 at which time they migrated to Iowa settling on a farm in Louisa county, where they resided until their death. To them was born a large family but one of whom now survives, David, who is a resident of Muscatine.

         Unto the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dodder were born five children: Edward H., who has a high school education, and is a resident of Letts; Ella, the wife of J. E. McGrew, of Grand View; Elizabeth, who taught school for twelve years and is the wife of George W. McDill; Anna, at home; who has been teaching for eighteen years; and Myrtle, the wife of Charles Rilliett, who is the principal of a school in Los Angeles, California.

         Mr. Dodder and family affiliate with the Evangelical church of which his wife was also a member, and politically he is a republican, but has never sought public office. He is as loyal as a citizen as he was brave as a soldier and always meets the demands of public responsibility, but has never felt that his duty called him into the political arena.