STODDARD, Asa & Charles H.
Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 536-538

Charles Henry STODDARD, an old an honored resident of Prairie du Sac, Sauk 
County, WI, was born 10 Jul 1831 at Colebrook [County], NH, and is the son of 
Asa STODDARD, who was the son of Lemuel STODARD, and the grandson of David 
STODDARD, of Chesterfield [County], NH. The STODDARD name has a high place 
in English annals. According to the records of Heraldry "William STODDARD, a 
knight, came to England from Normandy in 1066, with William the Conqueror, 
who was his cousin." A descendant of his was Richard STODDARD, of 
Nottingham, Kent, near Elthan, about seven miles from London bridge, where 
was located the family estate of about 400 acres of land, which was in the 
possession of the family as early as 1490. It remained in the family hands 
as late as 1795, when it was divided under the law, as there was no one to 
succeed Nicholas STODDARD, who was a bachelor, and died in that year. Thomas 
STODDARD lived at Royson; John at Grindon; William and John at Royson; 
Anthony, Zadean, Anthony, William and Anthony. This last STODDARD emigrated 
to Boston [Suffolk County], MA, about the year 1639, and became the ancestor 
of American STODDARDs.

Asa STODDARD, the father of Charles Henry STODDARD, was the fifth child of 
Lemuel, who was himself the fifth child of his father. David STODDARD served 
in the Revolutionary army as an officer of considerable note, and was engaged 
in the battle of Bennington [VT], and the record is that he died on his way 
home from the army, but no date has been preserved. Asa STODDARD was first 
married to Lucinda SWEARS, of Dummerston [Windham County], VT, about 1822, 
and one son, Benjamin, was the issue of this marriage. He was born in 1823 
and died in 1891. Asa STODDARD was next married to Sarah Roger LITTIE, of 
Colebrook [Coos County], NH, 20 Jan 1828, and five children were born of this 
marriage: (1) William Little, born 18 Dec 1828; (2) Charles Henry, 10 Jul 
1831; (3) Abbie Elsie, 18 Sep 1833; (4) Calvin Thomas, 29 Aug 1835; and (5) 
Emma E., 19 Jul 1841, all being born in Colebrook [Coos County, NH], where 
the wife and mother died 21 May 1842. Asa STODDARD was again married, to 
Philinda FRIZZLE, 02 Mar 1843, and three daughters were the fruit of his 
marriage: (1) Sarah A., born at Canaan [Essex County], VT, 03 Feb 1845; (2) 
Lucinda N., at Lemington [Sawyer County, WI], 16 Aug 1847; and (3) Fanny 
M., born at Lemington, 06 Mar 1850. 

Asa STODDARD moved from the east to Prairie du Sac [Sauk County, WI] in 1884. 
He located his family upon a farm, and preached occasionally as a supply. 
He [p 537] died in Apr 1884, at the age of 82, his wife dying in Apr 1885 at 
age 64. They are both buried in the Prairie du Sac cemetery [Sauk County, 
WI], and are tenderly remembered by a host of friends and relatives. They 
left eight living children. His son, Benjamin, was twice married, at North 
Adams [Berkshire County], MA, and was the sire of a large family. He was a 
farmer and died in North Adams [Berkshire County, MA] in 1891. William L., 
the oldest child by the second marriage, wedded Luvie ELLIOTT, of Brookfield, 
Canada, and had one son and two daughters. He came to Prairie du Sac [Sauk 
County, WI] in 1865, and spent three years in this vicinity, and then removed 
to Laddonia [Audrain County], MO, where he died 25 Apr 1900, leaving a wife 
and two children. His youngest daughter, Lillian, had married some years 
before, and both she and her husband had died, leaving one son. His son, 
Fred, is married and lives at St. Louis [MO], and his daughter, Adda, is at 
home in Laddonia with her mother. Abbie Elsie married Walter BALDWIN in 1857 
at Coatcook, Canada. She was the mother of two sons and one daughter. Mr. 
and Mrs. BALDWIN came to Prairie du Sac [Sauk County, WI] from Canada in 
1870, and settled with the other members of the family in this vicinity. 
They left three children: (1) Wright, is a railroad engineer, is married 
and lives at Los Angeles [Los Angeles County], CA; (2) Walter, is a dentist 
at Green Bay [Brown County], WI; and (3) Edith, is Mrs. HEWITT, of 
Oconomowoc [Waukesha County, WI]. Calvin Thomas is a machinist at 
Sewardtown, NH. Emma E. is Mrs. Hugh SHULL, of Prairie du Sac [Sauk County, 
WI]. She was married in 1869, and has one daughter. In April 1900 they 
moved to PA, where they now reside. Lucinda N. is Mrs. Albert CLOUGH, of 
Beaver Dam [Dodge County], WI. Fanny M. married Joshua B. McCOY, now and for 
the last four years a policeman in the state capitol at Madison [Dane County, 
WI].

Charles Henry STODDARD learned the trade of carpenter and house builder, 
under his father's instructions while still a resident of Colebrook [Coos 
County, NH], and there he was married in the early part of 1855. That year 
his wife came west with her people and settled on what was known as the Sauk 
Prairie, while he remained to close up certain business transactions that 
needed time for their adjustment. He appeared in Prairie du Sac [Sauk 
County, WI] on 10 Jul 1855, and taking land began farming. He also worked at 
his trade and when his brother, William L., came west, they formed a 
partnership, and set up a wagon and carriage factory. This they conducted 
for some three years with varying fortunes, but finding they had anticipated 
the growth of the country, they dissolved their business relations, and 
William L. left the country, while Charles Henry STODDARD applied himself 
with redoubled vigor to the work of winning success out of a hard fortune. 
He built houses, dug wells, put up windmills, and fairly forced a way into 
the high road of success. He was left a widower by the death of his wife 16 
Dec 1861. She left one son, Herbert Alvin, who grew up, married, and died in 
Rockford [Winnebago County], IL, 23 Mar 1889, leaving a widow and two sons, 
Richard and Herbert. He was an educated man and a teacher of wide 
reputation. At the time of his death he was part proprietor of a commercial 
school at Rockford [Winnebago County, IL], with a branch at Freeport 
[Stephenson County, IL], and an enrollment of 500 students.

Mr. Charles Henry STODDARD was married a second time, 03 Jul 1871, Florence 
O. HIGBAY, of Prairie du Sac [Sauk County, WI] becoming his wife. She is a 
daughter of George and Clarinda Higbay. Her maternal grandfather, Jonathan 
HIGBAY, is remembered as the first to run a furrow in Sauk County in the 
spring of 1843. Mrs. STODDARD is the mother of four children, three sons and 
one daughter: (1) Lawrence Calvin, born 02 Nov 1872, was married [p 538] to 
Lucy YOUNG on 11 Sep 1897 and has one son, Ralph Herbert, born Sep 1898; (2) 
George Bruce, born 27 May 1875; (3) Roy Charles, 07 Jul 1881; and (4) 
Myrtle A., born on 16 Dec 1884. They are all at home, and are co-operating 
with their parents in work and planning.

Mr. STODDARD has always been a busy man, and though his educational 
opportunities have not been great, yet he has a knowledge of men and affairs 
seldom surpassed. He is a Republican and cast his first vote for General 
Fremont in 1856. He has generally voted with his party, though he has 
prohibition ideas. He is a close sympathizer with the doctrines of the 
Baptist church, and attends its services quite regularly. He has a 
reputation widespread for character and ability, and for nine months has had 
charge of the exhibit of the Baker Manufacturing Company at the Chicago 
World's Fair.

Contributed by Cathy Kubly