The Drowning of Albert Dodd
(April 2006)
Our article this month reminds us of the April showers that often leave our area rivers, places so prominent to pioneers, life-threateningly dangerous to navigate. It also demonstrates how fortunate we are today to have rescue teams prepared to help at a moment’s notice. The story points out how intriguing bits and pieces of history can be, but how difficult it is to ferret out answers to questions that arise. It also shows the frustrations of genealogists whose research ends suddenly on a shortened branch that seemed to promise much potential but was never fulfilled. Here’s part of the story..........
The Drowning of Albert Dodd in 1844
A.V. Pierson Recalls When a Prominent Young Lawyer Lost His Life in the Mackinaw
(from Lexington Unit Journal February 20, 1913)
"I was very much interested in the historical sketch of Mr. Oliver Tilbury in last week’s Unit. His father, Charles Tilbury, was Lexington’s first blacksmith and his log blacksmith shop was still standing when I was a boy. I wonder if Mr. Tilbury remembers a tragedy that occurred when he was a boy of seven years of age. This sad event cast a gloom all over McLean County. I refer to the drowning of Albert Dodd, one of the brightest young lawyers of the McLean County Bar, in June, 1844.
The circumstances are as follows: General Gridley, Merritt Covel, and young Dodd were returning from a political convention at Joliet. They stayed all night at the then little village of Pontiac. This was the year of the tremendous high waters, all bridges were washed out and there was no way of crossing the streams except by swimming them. The gentlemen crossed the Vermillion safely and arrived in Lexington in time for dinner at Squire Jacob Spawr’s tavern. After renewing their acquaintance with as many of the voters of Lexington (Mr. Dodd being spoken of as a possible candidate for the legislature) the three gentlemen renewed their journey. They had safely crossed the Vermillion, therefore they had no fears of the Mackinaw. When they reached the Mackinaw they found it at flood tide and the current swift and angry, the water being twenty-five or thirty feet deep. The ford was where it always had been, just north of the bridge on the road leading past the W. G. Long farm." (We think this was probably on the road now known as Dameron Road just north of the modern day Mackinaw bridge.)
"Young Dodd’s horse made the first move into the rushing water, followed by Gridley on his mount. Covel was to be the last one to start. Suddenly Covel heard a shout from Gridley and turning his head, he saw Dodd’s saddle was empty but his horse was swimming strongly and had almost reached the western shore, with Gridley close behind him. Covel dismounted and ran down the eastern bank of the stream, Gridley doing the same on the western bank, hoping to find their friend safe in some of the trees that lined the banks of the stream. In this they were disappointed and after some time spent in frantic and futile search, Covel mounted his horse and hurried back to Lexington for help. The first man he met was the late Mr. George Flesher, and soon every available man and boy in town was hurrying to the scene of the tragedy. Mr. Flesher, taking his ax, mounted on behind Covel. When they reached the ford, Gridley had recrossed the stream. After a conference it was decided to build a large raft, so Mr. Flesher and two or three other men with axes began cutting linn trees for the raft, while Gridley and a number of other men hurried back to Lexington for tools and other needed articles. At this time Gridley had Mr. Tilbury, the blacksmith, make a couple of grappling irons. This was on Friday and it took all afternoon to get the raft in readiness and launched, and so distracted were Covel and Gridley, that to pacify them, search was made until ten o’clock that night by lantern light, but without results."
"The next morning the search was renewed with great vigor and continued all day and into the night without success. After dinner of this day, General Gridley was sent to Bloomington with the sad news while Covel remained to direct the search. The next morning, Sunday, the General and a large company of friends from Bloomington arrived fully equipped for a most thorough search. Just as they appeared the grappling hooks caught on some object that gave a gentle pull. Pulling gently on the lines the object was brought to the surface and proved to be the body of the young lawyer. How young Dodd was unhorsed will never be known. He and his horse had been tried repeatedly and were both known to be strong swimmers. General Gridley who was the last man that saw Dodd alive said that his friend was only a short distance ahead of him sitting erect in his saddle, his horse swimming strongly and steadily. Something diverted his attention for an instant and when he looked again the saddle was empty and young Dodd was nowhere to be seen. The body was found about twenty rods below the ford and kind of under the west bank of the stream. At this unexpected call for………….."
……and so our copy of the 1913 article ends. We understand Mr. Dodd was taken someplace back East to be buried but we have no certain information.
Reference to him on page 844 in the HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY states "Jesse W. Fell was the first lawyer, Welcome P. Brown was the second and Judge David Davis was the third. George S. Markley was the fourth, and then came Albert Dodd and myself. Albert Dodd was drowned in the Mackinaw while coming home from a political convention in 1840." (Notice conflict in date given as 1840, not 1844.)
As with most stories, we were wishing for more….and left with unanswered questions. Did Mr. Dodd leave a family? Did he know and work with Abraham Lincoln as a lawyer? Where was he from? Why did he come to Illinois?
?