In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1897) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1788
From The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; (1882), Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897)
HENRY STODDARD (deceased) was born in Woodbury, Conti., March 18, 1788, and died in Dayton, Ohio, November 1, 1869. He was a son of Asa Stoddard, a descendant of the Rev. Anthony Stoddard, of London, Eng., who settled in Boston in 1670, and whose numerous descendants have, for more than two centuries, occupied honorable positions in several States of the Union. Senator Sherman and also Gen. Sherman are descendants from the Stoddard family. Having received such education as the common schools of this day afforded, our subject spent the last five years of his minority in the capacity of store clerk. He then read law and was admitted to the bar in 1812. Four years later, he came West on horseback in company with the late Hon. George B. Holt, of Dayton, and, in 1817, permanently located in that city, At that time, Dayton was a village of some 600 inhabitants in the center of a vast unbroken wilderness, and for many years, Mr. Stoddard made the circuit of the courts in the different counties on horseback, riding for days through the storms of winter, and at night often sleeping in the bush. Of the early lawyers of Dayton, Mr. Stoddard was one of the most prominent and successful. From 1840 to 1844, he was in partnership with Judge D. A. Haynes. Having by the latter year acquired a handsome competency, he retired from regular practice and devoted himself to the management of his private affairs. He was one of the constituent members of the First Presbyterian Church of Dayton, in which body he was, for many years, a ruling deacon. He also held the office of Vice President and Life Director of the American Colonization Society. For many years previous to his death, he was an invalid. His first wife was H; irriet L. Patterson who died October 1, 1822, leaving one son, Asa P., now a resident of St. Louis, Mo. His second wife was Susan Williams, the daughter of an early pioneer of Dayton. She died April 5, 1861, leaving three sons and one daughter to honor her memory. The daughter is Mrs. Col. S. B. Smith, of Dayton. The oldest sou is a resident of California. The two youngest, John W. and Ebenezer F., constitute the manufacturing firm of John W. Stoddard & Co., one of the most extensive of its kind in the country. In 1861, Mr. John W. married Miss Susan, daughter of Daniel Kiefer, a retired business man of Dayton, and has had five children born him, three living. He is a man of modest manners and great kindness of heart. He graduated from Princeton College, N. J., in 1858; studied law with his father and was admitted to practice in 1860. He continued, however, but a short time in the profession and then turned his attention to manufacturing business. Ebenezer F., the youngest son of our subject, graduated at Yale College in 1867, and in the autumn following engaged with his brother in the manufacture of linseed oil, in which business they continued five years. In 1872, he was made Superintendent and Secretary of the Dayton Steam Gauge Company, and, in 1875, became a member of the firm of John W. Stoddard & Co., and has since been Superintendent of their manufactory. On November 10, 1868, he married Miss Bessie W., daughter of Col. John G. Lowe, of Dayton, and has had four children, two deceased. He is a gentleman of a genial, accommodating spirit, and is very systematic, prompt and energetic.
As printed in The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
ENRY STODDARD, deceased, was among the prominent, and, by many, well-remembered pioneer citizens of Dayton, who contributed greatly toward the growth and development of the Gem City and her institutions, and who left their impress upon the history of the community, and for over half a century was closely identified with the interests and affairs of this growing city, and for almost that length of time ranked as one of the foremost and most successful members of the Montgomery county bar association.
Mr. Stoddard was born on the 1 8th day of March, 1788, at Woodbury, Conn., and was descended from prominent Pilgrim and Revolutionary ancestry. His father, Asa Stoddard, was a direct descendant from the Rev. Anthony Stoddard, of London, England, who settled in Boston, Mass., in 1670, and whose many descendants have for over two centuries occupied honorable and responsible positions in the New England, eastern and middle states. After attending the common schools and securing such education as was to be obtained from that source in that day, and after spending about five years clerking in a store, Mr. Stoddard began reading law, and in the year 1812 was admitted to the bar. Four years later, in company with the late Hon. George B. Holt, he came west on horseback, and in 1817 located permanently in Dayton. At that time Dayton was but a village of not over 600 people, situated in the center of vast and almost unbroken wilderness, and in the practice of his profession Mr. Stoddard made the circuit on horseback, attending court in the surrounding counties, in doing which he was compelled to undergo many hardships and often perils. Success attended his efforts, however, and for many years he ranked as one of the leading lawyers in this part of the state. During the years from 1840 until his retirement from practice, Mr. Stoddard was the law partner of the late Judge D. A. Haynes, and between the two there always existed terms of intimacy and cordiality. Having acquired a competency, and having reached an age when one who has lived an active life begins to seek rest, Mr. Stoddard retired from active practice of the law in 1846, and thereafter gave his time and attention to his private affairs. His death occurred at his home in this city on the ist day of November, 1869. For many years Mr. Stoddard was quite active in church work, having been a ruling elder in the First Presbyterian church of Dayton. He was also for years vice-president and a life director of the American Colonization society.
Mr. Stoddard was twice married, his first wife having been Harriet L. Patterson, who died on the ist day of October, 1822, leaving one son, Asa P. Stoddard, now a citizen of Saint Louis. His second wife was Susan Willliams, who died on the 5th day of April, 1861, leaving the following children: Mrs. Samuel
B. Smith, of Dayton; Henry Stoddard, now a resident of California; John W. Stoddard, president of the Stoddard Manufacturing company, of Dayton, and E. Fowler, deceased. Sketches of the two latter sons may be found elsewhere in this volume.
As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: John W. Stoddard (b. 1837) Samuel B. Smith (b. 1836)
Their biographies name Henry Stoddard: Judge Haynes (b. 1815) Fowler Stoddard (b. 1845)
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.