SAMUEL J. DODDS, the well-known attorney-at-law at Lena, was born in La Porte, Ind., Oct. 1, 1835.

His grandfather, Samuel Dobbs (should be Dodds?), is supposed was a native of Kentucky, where the great-grandparents were born. The grandfather of our subject grew to manhood, and was married in that State, where he resided until about 1820, in which year he moved to Indiana, and settled in Monroe County, where he bought land and cleared a farm. A portion of his original purchase of land is now included in the city of Bloomington. The father of our subject, Samuel F. Dodd, was born in Danville, Ky., on Feb. 14, 1806, and was fifteen years of age when his parents moved to Indiana. He received his early education in the subscription schools of that day, and afterward studied law, but did not practice, engaging instead in mercantile pursuits in the city of La Porte. He continued in this business until 1837, when he sold out, and accompanied by his wife and three children, set out for Illinois, making the journey in a wagon drawn by horses. He came through Chicago, at that time a small and very unpromising village. While there, he was offered 160 acres of land, which is now in the main business section of that city, in exchange for his team, but he declined the offer. He came to within half a mile of the present site of the village of Lena, where he joined his wife's parents. He left his family with them and returned to La Porte, where he settled his business, and in the summer of 1838 returned and made a claim of 160 acres of land, which is now included in the corporation of Lena. He erected a log cabin, near where the Methodist Episcopal Church now stands, making the floor of puncheon. The family occupied this cabin for one year, when he built another half a mile north, near a spring. In 1843 he entered the land from the General Government, going to Galena for that purpose. When the railroad was completed this far, he laid out a part of the town of Lena. In 1841 he erected his third house, which was also built of logs, and in 1850 built a stone house, which is still standing near the Methodist Episcopal Church, and here spent the last days of his life. When the railroad company made Lena a station, he was appointed agent, and acted in that capacity until 1859. He was Justice of the Peace from 1841, with the exception of one term, until his death, and in 1849 was Postmaster of Elida post-office, which position he held two terms after the name of the office was changed to Lena, remaining in office until his death, May 12, 1862. For many years of his life he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and also occupied the position of Elder. He assisted in the organization of the church in Lena in 1843. Politically he was an old-line Whig, and the last few years of his life a Republican. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Mary J. Garner, who was born in Knoxville, Tenn., on the 12th of March, 1810. She was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Garner, both natives of Fredericksburg, Va.

S. J. Dodds, our subject, was the third child in a family of five. He was in his second year when they moved to Illinois, and he remained with them until manhood. He attended a school taught in the log school-house, on the subscription plan, and advanced his education at Mt. Morris Academy, in 1855-56. From that time until his marriage he engaged as clerk in a store, and Assistant Postmaster. He was admitted to the practice of law in the State Courts, in 1871, and in the United States District Court in 1881. In connection with his law practice he is also engaged in the insurance business.

On Sept. 26, 1859, Mr. Dodds was married to Miss E. V. Rounds, a native of Broome County, N. Y., who was born Feb. 9, 1836, and is the daughter of Daniel Rounds. To them have been born five children, named Homer M., Milton T., Della M., Mary A. and Kattie D. Mr. and Mrs. Dodds and their children are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is an Elder and earnest Sunday-school worker. Politically he has always been a Republican, and was elected County Surveyor for four years. He has also been Clerk of the Town Board, Justice of the Peace and Police Magistrate. In January, 1866, he began the publication of the Lena Star, which is still being published. He was the author of the "Centennial History of Lena," which was published in 1876, and obtained a wide circulation at that time.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888) Pg 741