Joseph C. Stoddard (1842 - 1931)

STODDARD, SARTWELL, ARDUSER, HILLEREGE

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 7/18/2025 at 20:45:58

J. C. STODDARD DIES
Was Civil War Veteran, A Former City and U.S. Official; Resident Here 77 Years

J. C. Stoddard, 89, 331 Fourteenth street southeast, Civil war veteran and a resident of Cedar Rapids for 77 years, died at 10 p.m. Saturday after a lingering illness. His health had been failing for about two years, but he was not bedfast until Jan. 29 of this year.

Mr. Stoddard was one of the best-known men in Cedar Rapids, having grown up with the town and being associated with various phases of public activity as city clerk, city assessor, and city treasurer. He was also a deputy clerk of the federal court in this city and was United States commissioner at the same time.

He was honored at various times since his retirement by recognition for his services in the community and at private receptions upon the occasion of his golden wedding anniversary in 1923 and the occasion of his eighty-eighth birthday, April 22, 1930. Mrs. Stoddard preceded him in death in April 1927.

He was the last of his generation of Stoddard’s, all brothers and sisters having preceded him in death. The family is one of the pioneer families of Pennsylvania, having lived there many years before moving to Iowa.

Mr. Stoddard was born April 22, 1842, a son of Solomon Stoddard of New York state and Sally Sartwell Stoddard of New Hampshire in McKean County, Pennsylvania and at the age of four went with his parents to a farm near Parkersburg, W. Va.

It was from there that the family made the trip to Linn County, coming by the old river route which went down the Ohio and up the Mississippi to Davenport. From that city the family came by wagon to Marion, which had a larger population than Cedar Rapids at that time. The family settled in a little community known as Buffalo, about five miles from Cedar Rapids.

With the exception of years spent in service during the Civil war, Mr. Stoddard had lived in this community continuously for 77 years. Before Mrs. Stoddard died, the family had lived in the same house for 39 years.

Taken Prisoner During War
In 1861 Mr. Stoddard was one of the men from Linn County to enlist with Captain James L. Geddes who was recruiting in Benton County. He was in Co. D. Eighth Iowa infantry and was the last surviving member in Linn County.

Shortly after the war started, Mr. Stoddard was taken prisoner. After a few months in a southern prison, he was exchanged and served during the rest of the war. He was wounded shortly after the beginning of the battle of Shiloh while northern and southern troops were engaged in a bit of hand-to-hand fighting in a “hornet’s nest.” A bullet clipped his ear while others cut through his clothing.

The last engagement in which he participated was that in which Mobile, Ala., was captured on April 8, 1865. The southern forces surrendered on April 9 but word did not reach his outfit until April 22. On the following day, his company received word of Lincoln’s assassination.

After the war ended, Mr. Stoddard spent a year in the service of the Freedman’s bureau in the south. He was mustered out in May 1866, as a first lieutenant, although he entered service as a private.

Charter Member T. Z. Cook Post
Mr. Stoddard was a charter member of T. Z. Cook post, No. 235 G. A. T. and was active in the post work while health permitted Until 1921, Mr. Stoddard had missed only one patriotic parade since the organization of the post shortly after the Civil war.

The Stoddard family had settled on land east of the present city site in 1854 and was living there when Mr. Stoddard returned from the war. He lived there but a short time before moving to Cedar Rapids where he engaged in the book-binding business. Ill health caused him to give up this occupation.

In 1871, he was elected city clerk and assessor. He held this office nine years and in 1884 was elected city treasurer of Cedar Rapids and served twelve years in this capacity. From 1915 until 1922, Mr. Stoddard served as deputy clerk of the federal court and United States commissioner.
In addition to his G.A.R. membership, he was a charter member of Knights of Pythias, Star of the West lodge, No. 1 of which he was past grand chancellor. He was the oldest member of Westminster Presbyterian church.

He is survived by four children and two grandchildren, Charles C. Stoddard of New York City; Mrs. L. T. Arduser of Montpelier, Ind., Mrs. Hugh Hillerege, 331 Fourteenth street southeast, Cedar Rapids; and Joseph W. Stoddard of Cedar Rapids. The grandchildren are Miss Mary F. Arduser of Montpelier, Ind., and Joseph S. Stoddard of Cedar Rapids.

The body was taken to Turner’s mortuary. No funeral arrangements have been made. (Source: The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, Sun, Mar 29, 1931, pg. 3)

MILITARY HONORS MARK FUNERAL OF JOSEPH C. STODDARD
The impressive solemnity of military honors was accorded Joseph C. Stoddard, Civil War veteran and pioneer resident of Cedar Rapids by the American Legion at funeral services held this afternoon at 2 at Turner’s chapel. Legionnaires acted as pallbearers and a firing squad and bugler added the final tribute to Mr. Stoddard’s service in the union army at his burial in Oak Hill cemetery.

In respect to Mr. Stoddard, flags at the Memorial building and Linn County courthouse have been at half-staff Monday and today. The Rev. J. Renwick McCullough officiated at the services. Services at the grave were in charge of the K. P. lodge of which Mr. Stoddard was a charter member. (Source: The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, Tue, Mar 31, 1931, pg. 1)