Samuel Dodge was born June 2, 1815 in Delaware County, New York. He is a son of William and Abigail (Burgen) Dodge, the father a native of Connecticut. His parents afterwards settled in Delaware County where Samuel was born. He was reared on the farm, receiving a limited common school education.

In 1835 his father sold his farm and moved to Genessee County, where the subject of our sketch learned the carpenter’s trade.

He was married to Rebecca L. Cummings, October 27, 1843. She was born May 27, 1823. Mr. Dodge came to Mower County and worked at this trade of carpenter and joiner.

He was again married August 21, 1865 to Mrs. Amanda L. (Vandegrift) Griffith. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1832. She is a daughter of John F. Vandegrift, who settled in the township [Red Rock] in 1856.

Mrs. Dodge pre-empted the land on which she now resides in June, 1857. Her first husband died in Illinois.

By the present marriage they have had three children; Grace L., Mary A., and Aurelia T.

Mr. Dodge is a Democrat and is serving his seventh term as justice of the peace.

History of Mower County, 1884

Transcribed and submitted to MnGenWeb by Kathy Pike, January 13, 2007