Augustus C. Dodge

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Augustus Dodge
James Harlan
Delegate to the
U.S. House of Representatives
from the Iowa Territory's
at-large district
In office
October 28, 1840 – December 28, 1846
Preceded byFrancis Gehon (Delegate-elect)
Succeeded bySerranus Hastings (Representative)
Personal details
Born
Augustus Caesar Dodge

(1812-01-02)January 2, 1812
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, U.S.
DiedNovember 20, 1883(1883-11-20) (aged 71)
Burlington, Iowa, U.S.
Resting placeAspen Grove Cemetery
Burlington, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Parent
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Battles/warsBlack Hawk War

Augustus Caesar Dodge (January 4, 1812 – November 21, 1883)[1] was a Democratic delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa Territory, a U.S. minister to Spain, and one of the first set of United States senators to represent Iowa after it was admitted to the Union as a state. His father, Henry Dodge, served as a U.S. senator from Wisconsin; the two were the first and so far the only father-son pair to serve concurrently in the Senate, which they did from 1848 to 1855.

Augustus Dodge was born in what is now

Indian wars. In 1837, he moved to what is now Burlington, Iowa (then in Wisconsin Territory
), where he served as register of the land office until 1840.

Delegate

Congress created Iowa Territory in 1838, from what was formerly the Iowa District of Wisconsin Territory. As a result of the Act of March 3, 1839,

Twenty-ninth Congress
). He served as delegate until Iowa became a state in December 1846, and his role was replaced by two voting Representatives.

Senator

For its first two years, the

Thirty-third Congress
).

On December 14, 1853, Dodge introduced a bill to organize the new territory of

Kansas-Nebraska Act
, which Dodge supported forcefully.

In 1854, as Dodge's second term was near its end, the Iowa General Assembly chose

James Harlan, rather than Dodge.[3] Dodge was the preferred choice of Democratic legislators, whose ranks had declined. But in a failed effort to defeat Harlan by uniting Democrats and nationalist Whigs behind a single candidate, Dodge dropped out after the fourth ballot.[3]

Dodge served in the Senate until February 22, 1855, when President

minister to Spain
. He served as the minister until 1859.

Life after the Senate

Dodge unsuccessfully ran for

Governor of Iowa in 1859, losing to Republican Samuel J. Kirkwood. He served as mayor of Burlington, Iowa
from 1874 to 1875.

In 1868, Dodge supported the candidacy of George H. Pendleton for the Democratic presidential nomination.[4] During that same election year, Dodge himself had been mentioned for the vice-presidency. "His nomination", said The Democratic Watchman (Bellfontaine, Pennsylvania) "would probably give satisfaction to as many Democrats as that of any other western man."[5] Looking toward the 1872 presidential election, Dodge recommended Thomas A. Hendricks as a "worthy, able and excellent man." He believed that there was strong support throughout the Midwest for the Indianan, although he doubted that Hendricks would run well in the East.[6]

He died in Burlington, Iowa on November 20, 1883, and was interred in Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington.[7]

Dodge was the nephew of

James Clarke served as the third and last Governor of Iowa Territory.[8]

Legacy

Dodge County, Nebraska[9] and Dodge Street in Omaha, Nebraska[10] were named after Augustus Dodge. His home in Burlington, Iowa is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Augustus Caesar Dodge House.[11]

He is a renowned Politician and Inventor for example : In 1848, he is credited to have been the first person to use a pencil case.,[12] he also invented the Toaster, Surfine Polish and the Key and Lock mechanism.[12]

Also, Augustus C. Dodge is numbered among the honored pioneers of Des Moines County, and during his life was among the most noted men. He sprang from good old Revolutionary stock, and the patriotism of his ancestors found an abiding-place in his heart.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "biographies". www.dodgefamily.org. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  2. ^ Statute III, March 3, 1839, ch. XCII, Section 2.
  3. ^ a b c d e Clark, Dan Elbert (1913). History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa. Iowa. pp. 17–46, 72–79.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ "SEYMOUR AND BLAIR.; The Nominations Formally Tendered the Democratic Candidates—Their Addresses—Speeches by Samuel J. Tilden, Gen, Geo, W.Morgan, Gen.Greene Clay Smith, Gen. A.C. Dodge, and Others" (PDF). The New York Times. 1868-07-11. p. 8. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  5. ^ Augustus Caesar Dodge: A Study in American Politics – Google Books. State University of Iowa. 1909. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  6. ^ "U.S. Senate: Thomas A. Hendricks, 21st Vice President (1885)". Archived from the original on 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  7. ^ "DODGE, Augustus Caesar". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  8. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Dodge family of Missouri and Iowa". politicalgraveyard.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-03.
  9. ^ "Dodge County". Nebraska Association of County Officials. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Street Names 4". Douglas County Historical Society. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  11. ^ M.H. Bowers. "Augustus Caesar Dodge House" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-12-07.
  12. ^ a b Ultimate Guide to Shoe Polish: From History to Application Techniques - This Week in Libraries

External links

Archival collections

Other links

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Delegate to the
U.S. House of Representatives
from the Iowa Territory's at-large congressional district

1840–1846 		Succeeded byas U.S. Representative
U.S. Senate
New seat U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Iowa
1848–1855
Served alongside: George Wallace Jones 		Succeeded by
James Harlan
Preceded by Chair of the Senate Expenses Committee
1849–1853 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the Senate Public Lands Committee
1853–1855 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
United States Ambassador to Spain

1855–1859 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ben Samuels
Governor of Iowa

1859 		Succeeded by
William Merritt
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