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Edgar Dodge
Descendant of John Dodge and Sarah Ives Ray Edgar Dodge, designer of the movie OSCAR, was Edgar's son. View photos Dunlaps Teenee Weenee Circus |
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Exerpt from: The Centenial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Vol. III , pg 242-243 S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago 1912 EDGAR DODGE is a progressive, energetic young business man who has already become an important factor in retail mercantile circles in Eugene, being president and manager of the Dodge Department Store, Inc. Oregon claims him as one of her native sons, his birth having occurred in Marion county, April 22, 1873. his parents being Francis Marian and Jane (Caples) Dodge. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and was a son of John Dodge, who was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 1810. He in turn was the son of a farmer of that locality. He learned the trade of a brick mason and plasterer in early life. His parents died while he was yet young and at an early age he was forced to start out in the world on his own account. He was always independent in spirit and self-reliant and, moreover, displayed good judgment and earnest purpose. He never gave up when one avenue of opportunity seemed closed but sought out other paths by which he might reach the desired goal. He married Sarah Ives, a native of Middletown, Connecticut, and they made their home in Pennsylvania until 1844, when they removed to Stark county, Illinois. In 1853 they left that district for Oregon, making the long and tedious journey with slow plodding ox teams. At length,however, they had covered the long distance be tween the Mississippi valley and the Pacific coast and made their way direct to Salem, Oregon, where for ten years Mr. Dodge continued to reside. In 1863 he went to the Puget Sound country, settling fourteen miles from Olympia on the Miami prairie. After remaining there for a time, however, he returned to Marion county, Oregon, but later took up his abode permanently in Washington. Both he and his wife died at Mud Bay, John Dodge passing away at the age of eighty-two years, while his wife was seventy-six years of age at the time of her demise. Of their children four reached adult age, of whom Francis Marian Dodge was the youngest. He was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, October 29,1835, and acquired his education in the public schools of time Keystone state, the state of Illinois and of Salem, Oregon, as his parents removed to those various localities. He left home, however, soon after their arrival in the west. While living on Miami prairie in Washington he enlisted in 1855 as a member of a military company commanded by Captain Gilmore Hayes for service in the Cayuse Indian war. He took part in a number of engagements, including the battles of White River, South Prairie,Connell Prairie and Walla Walla and was a member of Shaw's train when it was captured.At the cessation of hostilities he was mustered out and after a year returned to Miami prairie, where he had previously taken up a donation claim, remaining thereon until 1861, when he returned to Oregon. For eight or ten years thereafter he was engaged in teaching at St. Johns, not far from Portland, and he invested his savings in land near the Rose city. He lived there for a year and then purchased one hundred and sixty acres, which he made his home until his death in 1906. This place is located on Butte Creek, three and a half mile east of Woodburn. When he purchased the tract it was all wild land save six or seven acres which were brought under cultivation,but he at once began its further development and soon transformed it into productive fields. In 1865 Francis M. Dodge was married to Miss Jane Caples, who was born in Andrew county, Missouri, November 2, 1847, and in 1849 was brought acrossthe plains by her parents, Dr. William and Nancy (Nowell) Caples, whose family numbered six children. Under Mr. and Mrs. Francis M. Dodge were also born six children, of whom four reached manhood or womanhood, namely: Elmer John, who is living on the old homestead; Edgar; Walter S., who resides on the old home place; and Lizzie Wihlema, the wife of Elmer Pugh, of Vancouver, Washington. The parents were members of the United Brethren church and also belonged to the Oregon Pioneer Association. Edgar Dodge was educated in the public schools and in the Presbyterian College at Monmouth, from which he was graduated with the class of 1894. He then began clerking in a dry-goods store at Vancouver, British Columbia, and removed from that city to Eugene about 1903. Six years ago he started his present business known as the Dodge Department Store. This is the outgrowth of a business established by the firm of Scobert and Dodge. In 1909 it was incorporated with Mr. Dodge as the president and manager and M. F. McClain as the secretary. The business has always been carried on at its present location and they now have a large and well selected line of goods in their various departments, their store being one of the leading retail mercantile enterprises of Eugene. Mr. Dodge combines hop culture with his mercantile interests, having forty acres planted to that crop on the farm which has been the family's homestead, about three miles east of Woodburn. He maintains an office-a buying rather than a selling agency at 129 West Twenty-seventh street, New York city, where he has a man representing him in matters relating to his eastern business, which consists of the purchase of dry goods for the Dodge Department Store and the sale of the crops of hops. The Dodge Department Stores, Inc. are the largest wholesale produce dealers in the Willamette valley and Mr. Dodge is well known in this connection throughout the western and southern states. In 1898 Mr. Dodge was married to Miss Myrtle Scobert and they have one child, Ray. Mr. Dodge belongs to Spencer Butte Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., and Wimawhala Encampment, He is also connected with Eugene Camp, No. 115, W. 0. XV.,and with Eugene Lodge, No. 357, B. p. 0. E. He is preeminently a man of affai rs, alert, energetic and progressive, and he has already made for himself a prominent position in commercial circles and is steadily chimbing the path of advancement and success. |