John Dodderidge (died 1659) facts for kids

Arms of Dodderidge: A shield with two wavy blue stripes and nine red crosses. These arms are on a monument to Sir John Doddridge (1555–1628) in Exeter Cathedral.

The title page of a book John Dodderidge helped publish in 1658.

John Dodderidge (born 1610, died 1659) was an important lawyer and politician from Bremridge in South Molton, Devon, England. He was elected to the English Parliament several times. He represented towns like Barnstaple and Bristol. He was also chosen to represent the whole county of Devon. However, Oliver Cromwell stopped him from taking his seat in Parliament once.

Who Was John Dodderidge?

John Dodderidge was the son of Pentecost Dodderidge (who died around 1650). His father was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnstaple three times. John's uncle was Sir John I Dodderidge (1555–1628). Sir John was a very important judge, known as a Justice of the King's Bench. He bought the Bremridge estate, which became the family home.

What Was His Career Like?

John Dodderidge began his legal training on June 26, 1629, at a famous law school called Middle Temple. He became a lawyer on May 19, 1637.

• In 1646, he was elected as an MP for Barnstaple in the Long Parliament.
• He became a Justice of the Peace for Devon in 1647. This meant he helped keep law and order in the county.
• He was re-elected as an MP for Barnstaple in 1654.
• In 1655, he became the Recorder of Bristol. A Recorder was a senior judge or legal officer for a city.
• Later, he became the Recorder of Barnstaple, which was a great honor.
• In 1656, he was elected as an MP for both Bristol and Devon. He chose to represent Devon.
• However, Oliver Cromwell, who was the leader of England at the time, prevented him from taking his seat in Parliament.
• In 1658, he published a book about the history and workings of the English Parliament.

His Family Life

John Dodderidge was married three times. Sadly, his only son, also named John, died before him.

His wives included:

• Martha Dacres (died 1655), who was the youngest daughter of Sir Thomas Dacres.
• Jane, whose family is not known.
• Judith Gurdon, his third wife. She later remarried after John's death.

When Did John Dodderidge Die?

John Dodderidge died in 1659. He was about 49 years old. His will was officially approved on June 20, 1659. He passed away in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

The Dodderidgian Library

John Dodderidge had a large collection of books, which became known as the Dodderidgian Library. In his will, he left his library to his wife, Judith.

• In 1664, Judith gave or left the library to the Corporation of Barnstaple.
• The collection had 112 books. Many of them had belonged to his uncle, Sir John Dodderidge.
• A special building was built to keep the books at St Peter's Church, Barnstaple.
• The books were mostly in Latin and were about theology (the study of religion).
• One famous book was a 1610 edition of John Foxe's Book of Martyrs. This book had pictures showing Protestant martyrs.
• The library grew over time with more books.
• In 1888, the Dodderidge collection moved to the North Devon Athaneum.
• Then, in 1957, the books were moved to Exeter University Library as a permanent loan.
• This library is one of the oldest town libraries in England that is still around today!

Who Inherited His Property?

Since John Dodderidge's only son died before him, his property went to his two sisters. One of his sisters was Dorcas Dodderidge. She was married to John Lovering (who died in 1675). John Lovering was a merchant from Barnstaple.

• John Lovering's son, also named John (who died in 1686), married Elizabeth Venner.
• They lived at a place called Hudscott in Chittlehampton.
• You can see their family connection in the plasterwork at Hudscott House. It shows the coats of arms of the Lovering family combined with the Dodderidge family. This shows their marriage.

His Last Wishes: John Dodderidge's Will

John Dodderidge's will was written on January 20, 1658. It was approved on June 20, 1659. Here are some interesting parts of his will:

• He wanted to be buried near his first wife, Martha, in Cheshunt, if he died close by.
• If he died near Barnstaple, he wanted to be buried near his second wife, Jane.
• He left money to the town of Barnstaple for the poor.
• He gave forty pounds to the leaders of Bristol for a special plate with his family's coat of arms on it.
• He also left money for the poor in other towns like Ilfracombe, Fremington, and South Molton.
• He mentioned his wife Judith, his sisters, and other family members.
• Very importantly, he gave ten pounds every year, forever, to the "College in New England." This was likely a gift to help scholars at an early American university like Harvard.
• He also gave ten pounds yearly to help scholars at the University in England.

A Monument to His Wife

There is a monument in Cheshunt Church, Hertfordshire, for Martha Doddridge. She was John Dodderidge's wife and the youngest daughter of Sir Thomas Dacres. She died in 1655. The monument has Bible verses on it, honoring her memory.