SIXTH GENERATION


32. Jacob Nelson Dodge was born on Mar 5 1840 in North Alton, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was naturalized in 1856 in Arena, Iowa County, Wisconsin. The Minnesota Census of 1920 lists Jacob as immigrating in 1849 and then naturalized in 1856. This would have been at the time Jacob was 9 years old, then 16 years old while living in Arena, WI. He served in the military on Aug 26 1861 in Arena, Iowa County, Wisconsin. According to the The published newspaper obituary of Jacob N. Dodge, St. Paul, MN: on August 26, 1861, Jacob joined Company G, 11th Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was a Corporal and then a Sergeant. He served throughout the Civil War and was wounded in the siege of Vicksburg, losing the sight in one eye and the hearing in one ear. "It was an act of God," he often said, that saved his life at Vicksburg. Fourteen soldiers went "over the top" of a ridge and only he came back. As recorded in the Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, Jacob was transferred to V.R.C. on February 2, 1864. He died in Jun 1931 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Jacob's obituary reads: Jacob Nelson Dodge of St. Paul, 91 Civil War veteran who came to Minnesota in a covered wagon, died Saturday night in the hospital of the Minnesota Soldiers Home after a short illness. Death came a few hours after he was taken to the hospital from the home of his son Dr. W.J. Dodge 182 Vernon avenue, St. Paul where he lived eighteen years. He was buried in Jun 1931 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Jacob's obituary also reads: A full military will be accorded him Wednesday. Services will be held at 10am in the chapel of the Soldiers Home. Burial will be in Forest Cemetery. According to the published newspaper obituary of Gardner Dodge, St. Paul, MN and the 1920 Census of Minnesota for Round Lake, MN, Volume 68, Sheet 10, Line 81, Jacob was an early pioneer that moved from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin with his parents when he was 9 years old. Still as a pioneer, with his wife and his family, he came to Minnesota in 1869, being the first settler in Round Lake Township, near Worthington. At that time the closest source of food and household supplies was at Spirit Lake, Iowa, 25 miles away. Jacob was granted American citizenship in 1856 and he remained in Round Lake township 44 years, coming to St. Paul with his wife Mary Dodge in 1913 to live with his son Dr. Wilbert J. Dodge.

Jacob was written about in the book History of Jackson County (MN): "...Round Lake township was another whose settlement was rapid and which early prepared itself for organization. J.N. Dodge was the first settler, locating on the north bank of Round Lake in the spring of 1869, when there was not another settler in the whole southwestern portion of the county. Jacob was granted a land patent from the United States government for his settlement in 1876.

Mary J. Dodge was born in Sep 1840 in Ohio. Mary's birthplace is recorded in the 1900 Census of Minnesota for Round Lake, MN, Volume 26, Sheet 10, Line 21. She died in 1922 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Mary's death is recorded in the published newspaper obituary of her husband, Jacob N. Dodge. She was buried in 1922 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Mary J. Dodge's parentage is listed as New York in the 1880 Round Lake, MN census. Jacob Nelson Dodge and Mary J. Dodge had the following children:

child42 i. George V. Dodge. According to the published newspaper obituary of George's father, Jacob N. Dodge. George was living in Waukegan, IL in June of 1931.
child43 ii. Minnie Dodge Hobson. Minnie lived in Pasadena, MN in June of 1931 according to the published newspaper obituary of Minnie's father, Jacob N. Dodge.
child44 iii. Dr. Wilbert J. Dodge was born on Feb 12 1880 in Round Lake Township, Jackson County, Minnesota. Wilbert is listed with his parents in the 1900 Census of Minnesota for Round Lake, MN, Volume 26, Sheet 10, Line 21. He was a in 1920 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Dr. Dodge was a Dentist, practicing at 1102 Lowry, building R, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was listed in the St. Paul City Directory of 1920. He died in Aug 1963 in Minnesota. According to the published newspaper obituary of Dr. Dodge's father, Jacob N. Dodge, Dr. Dodge's address in June of 1931 was 182 Vernon Ave, St. Paul, MN.

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