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The first of the Dodd family to settle in America was John Dodd, the great-grandfather of George E. Dodd of this review. He was a native of Scotland, and he immigrated to America in about 1760, settling in Virginia in that year. He was a farmer by occupation, and of good old sturdy Scottish blood. He was of the Protestant religion, and in the early life of the colonies he took a prominent part. He fought in the War of the Revolution for four and a half years, and was present at Yorktown at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. Of the next of the Dodd family the record is not clear, but it is known that he settled in Illinois and there reared a family. His son, William J. Dodd, the father of George E., was born in Saline county, Illinois, on July 3, 1844. (Saline county was then a part of Gallatin county.) He also was a farmer, and as the son of a farmer his early education was somewhat limited. There were no free or common schools as exists today, but the youth of his period were dependent upon the subscription school for such learning as they acquired. He was of the same religion as his progenitors, that of the Primitive Baptist church, and was a Democrat in his political faith and allegiance. His wife was Hannah Stocks, a woman of English parentage, born in Williamson county, Illinois, on September 12, 1848.

George E. Dodd was born at Eldorado, Illinois, on the 12th of November, 1883. He attended the schools of Eldorado, and after his graduation from the Eldorado high school he attended the Northern Illinois P. 1514 Normal College of Law, and was graduated from that institution with the class of 1906. In the same year he was admitted to the bar of the state of Illinois, and appearing before the board of examiners at Springfield, Illinois, and he initiated the practice of his profession in Eldorado as a partner of W. S. Summers, this association continuing until May, 1908. Between the years of 1908 and 1911 he was engaged in practice with K. C. Ronalds, and is now conducting an independent practice in Eldorado.

Mr. Dodd has been city attorney of Eldorado for one year and since his association with that place as a man of business he has been active in his labors for the betterment of the general good. He has done much to better the conditions of the public schools as a member of the board of education for three years, and of which important body he is still a member. He has been foremost in the work of Eldorado in the matter of local option and has done much for the cause thus far. He is not connected with any church. Mr. Dodd is a man of considerable civic pride, and in whatever city he finds himself it is safe to assume that he will bear the full share of a good citizen with relation to the uplift and betterment of that city.
 
On January 17, 1908, Mr. Dodd was married at Charles City, Iowa, to Gertrude Rowley, a daughter of Bertrand and Mary (Usher) Rowley. Bertrand Rowley is a prominent farmer and dairyman of Charles City, Iowa, well and favorably known there for many years. He claims among his remote ancestry relationship with Mary Queen of Scots and the Stuart family of England. Mrs. Dodd was educated in the Charles City schools, later graduating from the Charles City College, the Dixon College of Penmanship and Drawing and the Gem City Business College at Quincy, Illinois. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dodd: Halbert W., born April 26, 1909, and Everett B., born November 20, 1910.