Rev. Thaddeus Dodd and Phoebe Baldwin
Husband Rev. Thaddeus Dodd 1 2 3
AKA: Thaddeus Dod 4 Born: 7 Mar 1740 - Newark, Essex Co, NJ 5 Christened: Died: 20 May 1793 - ? Washington Co, PA 3 6 Buried:
Father: Stephen Dod (1703-1764) 4 Mother:
Marriage: - Newark, Essex Co, NJ
Wife Phoebe Baldwin 5
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
1 M Rev. Cephas Dodd, M.D., D.D. 2 3
Born: 12 Oct 1779 - Amwell Twp, Washington Co, PA 2 Christened: Died: 16 Jan 1858 7 Buried:Spouse: Ruth Flenniken ( - ) 3 7 Marr: 1805 3 7
2 M Stephen Dodd 5
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
3 F Hannah Dodd 5
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Jonas Condit (1769-1850) 8 9
4 F Sarah Dodd 5
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
5 F Mary Dodd 5
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Rev. Thaddeus Dodd
His parents were "poor in worldly goods, but rich in faith," and his boyhood was passed under the influence of the most devout Christians, and in the midst of religious revivals. In early youth he evinced a strong inclination for study, and passed much of his time in delving into the mysteries of mathematics (in which he especially excelled) and the ancient languages. On July 18, 1764, he was converted during the progress of a great revival, and this important event molded and directed his future life, which was to be so full of service for his Master. He entered Princeton College in his thirty-first year, and graduated in the autumn of 1773. The following is quoted from the sketch given at the centennial celebration of the Ten-Mile Churches, August 28, 1879, by Rev. James Allison, D. D.:
Soon after graduation he went to Newark, New Jersey, where he entered upon the study of theology, under the direction of Rev. Dr. McWhorter. One year later he removed to Morristown, New Jersey, and continued the same line of study under Rev. Dr. Johns, who had been his first instructor in Latin. He was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of New York, but there is no existing record of the date at which this took place. Through the winter of 1776-77, he suffered from a severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism; but in the month of March, though still feeble, he started upon a journey to the West. After preaching in parts of Virginia and Maryland, he crossed the mountains, visited the settlements on George's creek, Muddy creek and Dunlap's creek, and then came to Ten-Mile. He remained here until August, preaching in private houses, in the woods, and in Lindley's and Bell's forts. After his return to the East he was ordained by the Presbytery of New York as an evangelist, on some day of the week preceding Sabbath, October 19, 1777, as there is a record of baptisms by him on that Sabbath, in which it is said that this was the first Sabbath after his ordination. Shortly after this he left New Jersey with his wife and daughter (three years old), and a son still younger, accompanied by two brothers and their families. On the 10th of November they arrived at Patterson's creek, Hampshire County, Virginia, and after hearing of the formidable attack which had been made by the Indians upon Wheeling, and the consequent alarm and confusion prevailing in all the frontier settlements, it was thought best not to proceed any farther at that time. But in a few days he crossed the mountains alone, came to Ten-Mile, preached in the forts, and baptized the children. In a short time he returned to his family, and it is not known that he visited this place again until he brought his family and settled down permanently in the fall of 1779-one hundred years ago. In the interval he had not been idle, but had been busily engaged in preaching the Gospel in the adjacent parts of Virginia and Maryland, where no churches seem to have been then organized, at least there were no church buildings, as all the services were held at private houses or in the woods. He was entreated to remain, and inducements apparently stronger than any held out by Ten-Mile were brought to bear upon him, but he had given his pledge to the people here-his heart was here-and hither he came in September, 1779.
In personal appearance Thaddeus Dodd is thus described: "A pale, slender youth with jet-black hair, dark, piercing eyes, and a countenance highly expressive of mental power and activity." After coming to Washington County, Pennsylvania, Mr. Dodd first resided near the Lindleys, in what is now Morris township, and on November 22, 1786, he took a patent for 400 acres of land in Amwell township, called "Fame" (which was situated on the middle fork of Ten-Mile creek), and there made his permanent home.
He was an exceptionally cultured and scholarly man. His early years of preparation and association with the most cultivated minds of the day, combined with his natural gifts and experience as a teacher, especially fitted him for his brilliant and useful career as a leading educator and minister of the Gospel. Always a student he was familiar with the languages, and excelled in the natural sciences and mathematics. Deeply realizing the need of a broader education for young men in the West, Dr. Dodd opened a classical and mathematical school in 1782, especially designed to prepare young men for the ministry. This school continued three years and a half. In 1789 he became principal of an academy at Washington, Pennsylvania, which position he filled fifteen months. On August 15, 1871, the first Presbyterian Church was organized, and in 1785 the first church building was erected, but just as the Society was beginning to grow, and success was crowning his efforts, the heroic minister yielded to the disease (consumption) that had so long been weakening his system. [CBRWC, 108]
The following excerpt has been taken from Dr. Waine's "Historical and Farewell Addresses:" "In the summer of 1777 Mr. Thaddeus Dodd, of Morris, New Jersey, a licentiate of the Presbytery of New York, paid the Ten-Mile [Washington County, Pennsylvania] people a visit. They were extremely anxious that he should settle among them. But how was he to be supported? Silver and gold they had none; but such as they had they freely offered. Mr. Dodd accepted the call, for he was a man of kindred spirit. He went back to Virginia, was ordained by his Presbytery, and brought his family for a permanent residence to Ten-Mile, in the autumn of 1779. His position was advanced post, the forlorn hope of our Western Zion. Long after the members of other congregations could go and come in safety, those of Ten-Mile were kept in constant terror by the in-roads of the savages. Mr. Dodd was confessedly the most learned among the ministerial compeers of the West. He possessed an extraordinary mathematical genius. He was an excellent classical scholar, and, had time permitted and inclination prompted, he might have excelled in the composition of poetry. The first classical school west of the Alleghanies was established by Rev. Dodd in 1782, and he was also the first principal of Washington Academy (now Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Penn.). Rev. Dodd was a great lover of music, he had a delicate ear, and had thoroughly mastered the science. He delivered sermons and lectures on the science, and in that way aroused the interest of the people. Dr. Dodd died of pulmonary consumption on the 20th of May, 1793, after a ministry of nearly sixteen years. Rev. Cephas Dodd, the son of Thaddeus Dodd, succeeded his father about ten years after his father's death, in the Upper and Lower Ten-Mile congregation. He was possessed of a clear, strong mind, enriched by manly culture and varied learning."
1 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 653.
2 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 717.
3 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 931.
4 —, Proceedings of the Celebration of the First Centennial of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Franklin, PA: The Venango County Bar Association, 1905), Pg 104.
5 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 108.
6 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 718.
7 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 109.
8 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 664.
9
—, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 1011.
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