William Dodds
William Dodds, last mayor of the city of Xenia. former sheriff of Greene county, fonner county auditor and formerly connected with his brothers, of the old firm of A. & G. Dodds, in the marble-cutting business at Xenia, is a native of "the land o' the heather," but has been a resident of this country and of Xenia since he was sixteen years of age and is as intense an American as can be found between the two seas. He was born in Roxboroughshire, Scotland, last-born of the seven children born to George and Isabel (Taylor) Dodds, both of whom were born in that same shire and the former of whom died when his last-born was but an infant, the subject of this sketch therefore never having known the supporting care of a father.
Reared in his native village, William Dodds completed his studies in the night school there and wlien sixteen years of age came to the United States, his brothers, Andrew and George Dodds, meanwhile having become established in the marble-cutting and general monument business at Xenia, and here he joined them in 1866, settling down, under their direction, to learn the details of the marble-cutter's trade; and he continued thus engaged in the Dodds marble works at Xenia until 1882, in which year he became engaged as a member of the Xenia fire department. Three months later, however, he gave up his position in the fire department and returned to the marble works, but not long afterward again left that establishment and returned to municipal employment, becoming a member of the police force and so continued until his appointment to the position of court bailiff. During the incumbency of Sheriff Linkhart, Mr. Dodds was appointed deputy sheriff and in 1890 was elected sheriff of Greene county, having been previously nominated for that office by the Republicans of the county. He was reelected in 1892 and thus served for two terms in the sheriff's office. Upon the expiration of this term of service, in September, 1895, Mr. Dodds resumed his former connection with the police department and continued that connection until his entrance in 1902 upon the duties of auditor of Greene county, to which position he had been elected, as the nominee of the Republican party, in the previous election. Mr. Dodds was re-elected to the office of auditor and he thus continued in that office for two terms, or until 1909. In the meantime he had been elected mayor of the city of Xenia and upon the expiration of his term of service in the auditor's office entered on his new duties in the city hall, as chief executive of the city of Xenia and by successive re-elections continued to hold that office until the creation of the city-manager form of government in 1918. In addition to the formal executive duties of his office, Mayor Dodds, by charter right, also presided over the city police court. Mr. Dodds is the proprietor of a livery stable, a business in which he was long associated with his son, the late Oliver A. Dodds, under the firm name of Dodds & Son.
On May 28, 1874, William Dodds was united in marriage, at Xenia, to Mary E. Knox, daughter of Brice Knox and wife, the former of whom formerly was engaged in the harness and saddlery business at Xenia, and to this union was born one child, a son, Oliver A. Dodds, mentioned above, who died at Akron, Ohio, March 25, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Dodds attend the Presbvterian church.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918