DODGE, Zenos Wing

1834 - 1919  (85 years)  Submit Photo / Document

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• Name	DODGE, Zenos Wing
  Birth	11 May 1834	Ontario, Wayne, New York, United States
  Gender	Male
  Burial	Sep 1919	Altonah, Duchesne, Utah, United States
  Death	20 Sep 1919	Altonah, Duchesne, Utah, United States
  WAC	10 Dec 1947	ARIZO
  _TAG	Reviewed on FS
  Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
  Person ID	I20047	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
  Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

  
  

  Father	DODGE, Erastus ,   b. 10 May 1793, Jefferson, Greene, New York, United States Jefferson, Greene, New York, United Statesd. 8 Aug 1843, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States (Age 50 years)
  Mother	MORGAN, Melissa ,   b. 28 Oct 1798, Jefferson, Greene, New York, United States Jefferson, Greene, New York, United Statesd. 10 Dec 1845, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States (Age 47 years)
  Marriage	16 Aug 1818	Jefferson, Greene, New York, United States
  Family ID	F10576	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	CHIDESTER, Juliette Burgess ,   b. 15 Nov 1846, Winter Quarters, Douglas, Nebraska, United States Winter Quarters, Douglas, Nebraska, United Statesd. 28 Oct 1917, Altonah, Duchesne, Utah, United States (Age 70 years)
  Marriage	8 Jul 1899	Sevier, Utah, United States
  Family ID	F10589	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2022

  
  

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  dist.jpg Original path of image: C:\AncQuest\Data\images\dodge\Zenos Wing Dodge.jpg

  
  

• Notes

  ZENOS WING DODGE re-written by a great niece Maralyn Dodge Mecham - Jan 2010 Researched Information also furnished by Ellen Mallinson a great niece Zenos Wing Dodge Born: 11 May 1834 Birth Place: Ontario New York Parents: Erastus Dodge and Melissa Morgan Dodge. Died: 20 Sep 1919 Place of Death: Altonah Utah Buried: Altonah Cemetery Zenos' parents, Erastus and Melissa, joined the church in Ontario New York in 1832. In the stories I have read, the family moved to Kirtland in the Spring of 1834, so Zenos could have been born in Kirtland, although some sources record his birth in Ontario New York. His father Erastus had a strong testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Teachings of the newly organized church. He and Melissa, with their family, followed the Prophet from New York to Ohio, then on to Missouri and back to Nauvoo. Zenos had two older brothers, Seth and Augustus, who along with their father helped to build the Kirtland Temple. History shows the family in Caldwell County Missouri in 1836. They purchased a farm and were able to grow their own vegetables. They were, however driven out of their home by the angry mobs, and were forced to leave everything they owned behind them and move on. I know that Zenos must have known the Prophet Joseph Smith, I like to think that he played ball with him, or maybe climbed trees and fences with the Prophets' children, perhaps they played along the river banks and threw and skipped rocks in the river like little boys do today. I'm sure, as he was growing up, that he played with wooden tops and other toys that were hand made by the pioneers. I think the children in Nauvoo were happy as they played and worked together to help their parents. Zenos' father died in Nauvoo, on the 8 Aug 1843, when Zenos was just 9 years old, then on the 10th of Dec 1845, his sweet Mother Melissa died. He was orphaned at the age of 11; that is quite young for a little boy to lose both parents. His older brother Seth was married, and he tried to help care for his siblings who were left as orphans. Late in May 1846 Zenos left Nauvoo with his family and they fled into the wilderness as the Children of Israel. Seth helped to ferry people across the river; and on the night of May 20, 1846, they reached Sugar Creek where Seths' wife, Lovina, gave birth to a baby boy. They went to Council Bluffs in wagons pulled by Oxen, and on foot. They endured so many hardships as they were going across the Iowa prairie. It rained and hailed, they were without food, sometimes all they had to eat in a day was a little parched corn. They stayed in tents and some didn't even have a tent to sleep in. The wind would howl and the rain would pelt their tents until sometimes the tents would collapse. They suffered a lot of sickness and death. Most every day was rainy on the first part of their journey West. One day Brigham Young recorded in his journal that they only went thru one mud puddle that day, and it was 12 miles long. We know that Seth and the rest of the family were in Council Bluffs, Iowa when Colonel Kane came and asked for 500 volunteers to join the Army in the war against Mexico, as Augustus joined the battalion, and that was in June 1846. The Saints endured many hardships while in Winter Quarters. Zenos was there too. I would imagine that Zenos helped with the chores, perhaps he herded cows and seen the Indians as they frequented the camps many times. There were 80 camps along the Missouri Valley; they were all part of Winter Quarters. I didn't see the Dodge name in any of the record books that are kept in the Library at Winter Quarters. But I know they were there. On Saturday, June 19, 1847 we read in "Saints Find The Place": Elkhorn River, Nebraska: Zenos traveled with the Joseph B. Noble fifty. They were part of the Jedediah M. Grant Company. There were 171 individuals in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post on the Elkhorn River about 27 miles west of Winter Quarters, Nebraska. Zenos traveled in the second ten led by Robert Peirce: (He was in the same company as Eliza Roxey Snow.) "They traveled fifteen miles to the encampment at the Platte River. They saw that another company had raised a Liberty Pole with a white flag which could be seen for miles." Zenos', brother Nathaniel (my great grandfather) and his sister Sarah were in the Jacob Foutz fifty, they were included in the second ten led by Alva Keller and part of the Edward Hunter Company. They were also on the Elkhorn River in Nebraska on 19 June, 1847; so they traveled somewhat close together. I can't imagine why they were not together, but probably circumstances were such that they had to go with whoever had room for them. Maybe he drove one of the wagons. On 29, July 1847 Eliza R Snow recorded, "The bluffs on both sides of the river are very picturesque-As we commence rising the hills, which are said to be the last between this and the Fort [Laramie]. We can see a singular appearing bluff which in an inhabited country might be mistaken for a large building. (This was Courthouse Rock)." We don't have any information about Zenos after he arrived in Salt Lake on 2 October 1847. The Division of Animal Industry Brand Books lists his name along with the brand he registered in Holden, Utah on April 19, 1886. Zenos is listed as living with the Azariah Smith family in the 1850 Utah Census. Seth recorded that he lost track of Zenos, he thought he may have gone to California. Then he said that he had heard that "Zenos had married a woman down on the Sevier". Zenos married Juliette Burgess Chidester on the 8th of July 1899. (A marriage record was found in the Western States Marriage Record Index (BYU Special Collections & Family History, ID# 214952). The record states that he was 56 years old, but I feel that must be wrong as he was born in 1834, and that tells me that he was 65 years old, perhaps the numbers have been transposed. Juliette was living in Huntington, Emery Co, Utah at that time where she had been taking care of her invalid Father. After he died she married Zenos and they moved to Mesquite, Nevada, where they raised a large garden and made yearly trips to Utah to sell the produce. They were listed as property owners on a Mesquite Town Map from 1900-1902. This information was found in "Life in the Lower Valley" by Beula Hunt Hafen (Dixie College Special Collections) Zenos is listed in the "Early History of Duchesne County" as one of the first settlers in Altonah. They lived in a neat little log house that Juliette's three sons built for them, which was located by her son Enoch; that house was later moved over by her daughter's as Enoch moved away. They were cozy in their little home. Two big rocking chairs sat in front of the fireplace. Juliette and Zene Dodge were really nice people. Juliette died 28 Oct, 1917. After Juliette's death, Zenos lived alone in their little log cabin with a fireplace and coal-oil lamps for light. Aunt Esther Burgess and other loved ones took care of him. They finally moved his cabin, and him, into town in Altonah where he could get around; he, being very feeble, walked with a cane. He visited with others and walked to the store, and the grandchildren were good to bring him fresh water, and carry wood in for the fireplace each day. One day Zenos fell and broke his hip, this was very sad as he was never able to walk again, he was so thin and feeble. His relative (I assume this was Juliette's relative) A lovely person, James Powell and others sat up with him at night. James Powell was with him when he passed away. Good old man, lonesome and alone. (This information was written in a history by -Virginia Chidester Smith, who was a Granddaughter of Juliette ) (Family Legacy.org) Zenos is buried in the Altonah Cemetery beside Juliette. There is a big red sandstone rock on his headstone with his name scratched in it. That shows me that someone cared about him. Perhaps one of her children or maybe James Powell. The Altonah Ward records listed him as dying in 1919, he was a member, and he died with a broken leg. My sister Ellen Mallinson, has found his obituary in the "Utah Digital Newspapers, Myton Express" It says " Z. Dodge, of Altonah, 87 years old (should be 85 years old), fell and broke his left leg below the hip. Everything was done that could be done by surgeons to save his life, but he died last Saturday night. (The paper was dated Thursday 9/25/1919; so the fore-mentioned Saturday must have been the 20th of Sep. so I have recorded that as his death date as there is no certificate on file.) I am so happy to have the opportunity to find his grave and to write this little history with the help and diligent research of my sister. I have taken a lot of information from history books, and also have added a little of my own thoughts. This is a picture of his headstone as it is today - Sep 16, 2008. This is the information we would like to have inscribed on the rock. I think it is important to leave the rock as it is certainly a symbol of someone's love. Zenos Wing Dodge Zenos brand on the left hip May 11, 1834 - Sep 20, 1919 Or thigh Husband of Juliette Burgess I feel it a great privilege to be a member of the Dodge family. I know that their Testimonies of the Eternal Plan of Salvation led them to Utah; I am grateful to them for all the hardships they endured while following the Prophet of God. What a wonderful feeling it is for me to know of their Faith; I have such a great love for all of them. Maralyn Dodge Mecham