According to the Dodge Genealogy,869 Richard Dodge “appeared at Salem in 1638, and ‘desired accomodation.’ It was learned in 1881 from the Parish register of East Coker, Somersetshire, England, that in 1628, Richard, son of Richard, was bapt. date missing. Sept. 7, 1630, Margery, dau. of Richard, was bapt. Feb. 2, 1630-1, Margery, dau. of Richard, was buried. Dec. 29, 1631, John, son of Richard was baptized. April 19, 1635, Marie, dau. of Richard and Edith was baptized.

“As immigrants were admitted to the colony only by applying to the town and obtaining leave, it is quite certain that Richard and his family came in 1638, and as the King was at that time obstructing emigration, it is probable that he left England without royal permission.

“After living awhile on the land of his brother William, he settled on ‘Dodge Row’ in North Beverly, not far east of Wenham Lake. The house he built stood probably where Mr. Lucius B. Dodge lately lived very near the present north line of Beverly, or possibly where Mr. H. W. Dodge now lives, a few rods farther east. The farm lately owned by Mr. Lucius B. Dodge was inherited from his father Richard, the son of Deacon Richard b., 1783, who bought it of his father-in-law, Jacob Edwards, b. 1746, by deed dated 23 April, 1819. Apparently the same land was bought by John Edwards, of Edward Dodge, cordwainer, Beverly, 15 March, 1781.

“It had been held in the male line from the death of Richard1. Mr. Lucius B. Dodge says the house now occupied by Mr. H. W. Dodge was formerly used as a cabinet shop by his father Richard, and by him turned partly around and converted into a dwelling. It is unlikely that either house is as old as 200 years.

“Richard1, the immigrant, evidently gave his attention more to farming and the care of his domestic affairs, than to town or church business; although he was a loyal church member, and one of the most liberal contributors to the support of the church. He and his with Edith were members of the Wenham church before 1648 according to its records, John Fiske being pastor.

“He also has a high appreciation of the value of education, for in 1653, in a list of twenty-one subscribers to Harvard College, his name ranks first, while the next largest sum was only one-fourth as much as his. He dedicated a piece of his land to a burying ground, which is now known as the Cemetery on Dodge Row. It was probably inherited by his son Edward, who died in 1727, for in February, 1730-1, the three sons of Edward, by a deed, confirmed the grant to their relatives and neighbors. The [p. 17] near neighbors of Richard1 were Zechary Herrick who married his daughter Mary, Peter Woodberry who married Sarah, John and Humphrey Woodberry and John Galle. He died 15th June, 1671, leaving an estate valued at the large sum of £1764 2s. He gave his sons John, Richard and Samuel each a good farm, valued in his inventory at over £100 each. To sons Edward and Joseph he gave the home farm, valued at £1000. To his wife Edith he gave certain appropriate personal property, ‘to be her own absolutely,’ and gave her ‘the sole and proper use of the parlor & chamber over it in my now dwelling house,’ and made liberal provision for annual payments to be made to her by her five sons. She outlived him seven years, dying 27th June, 1678, at the age of 75. (For wills, see appendix.) From this it is probable that Richard may have been born about 1602, and was about two years older than William. Edith, before her death, also made a will, and the inventory discloses a very comfortable state of worldly affairs. No grave stones, however, discolse their resting place.” A list of their children follows, but the list of children does not seem to include the first two children, Richard and Margery, mentioned in the narrative, above, and lists Mary b. 1632 rather than Marie bapt. 1635. This discrepancy is nowhere explained.

A transcript of Richard Dodge’s will appears on pp. 455-6 in this reprinted edition of the Dodge Genealogy.696