John S. Doods was born August 27, 1822, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James and Eleanor (Sproll) Dodds. He received a common school education in his native County, and after he grew to manhood he taught school for a time. He then entered into partnership with his brothers, William C. and W. W. Dodds, and the firm thus established manufactured shoes, operated a tannery and a general drygoods store at Prospect, Pennsylvania, under the firm name of W. W. Dodds & Company. He continued in business there until he decided to come west, which was in 1857. On arriving in this County he entered the employ of Spencer & Stafford of Pleasant Valley Township as weighing master, and was employed for eighteen months in their store. The firm then failed in business and Mr. Dodds invested his savings in the farm which he now owns. The improvements on the land at that time consisted of a log house and a barn, and he began his farm life in pioneer fashion. Comfortable buildings took the place of the primitive structures in the course of time, but in 1879 his residence was destroyed by fire, entailing loss and hardship. The same year he built the home in which he has since continued to reside.
Mr. Dodds was united in marriage to Miss Susan Shanor, daughter of J. J. and Ann (McDonald) Shanor, March 16, 1857. To this union seven children were born. James B. married Miss Ida Bennett and lives in Colorado; Samuel B. married Miss Lillie Stacy and lives in Keokuk, Iowa; one son, Orrin S., is dead, and two daughters, Lillie and Minnie, reside at home. John B. is a resident of Kansas and George lives in Missouri. Mr. Dodds has never been an office-seeker, though he has held many local offices and is a staunch Republican. An active man in his early life, in his declining years he is enjoying a well earned com petency, and is much attached to his home and family and highly esteemed by his friends and neighbors.
BIOGRAPHIES