Rhoda Dodds Brinker was the daughter of Rhoda Austin and Darius Dodds, both born in Delaware County, New York in 1806. After her parents married in 1826, they moved to Pennsylvania, where Darius was a farmer. Eight out of nine of their children were born there between 1830 and 1852 and several also died there when they were quite young.
In 1853, the family moved to Portage, Wisconsin, considered wilderness at that time, and lived in Stockton, where Darius bought land and farmed it. In 1858 they moved to Plover, where he engaged in the contracting business. Other siblings of Rhoda Austin and Darius had also moved westward to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa, and these families visited each other from time to time in their new home states.
After completing her own education while living in Plover, Rhoda was a respected teacher in public and private schools there for a number of years. During this time, three of Rhoda's brothers--Clinton, Pardon, and Loren--fought as Union soldiers in the Civil War. Clinton died in the war, but the other two survived.
In 1869, Rhoda married John Brinker, a blacksmith who had also served in the Union army. Rhoda and John lived in Plover until 1876, when they moved to Stevens Point, WI. John owned a blacksmith shop there and he also owned farming land that he rented out. He was was a Free Mason, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and belonged to the Presbyterian church.
After her marriage, Rhoda was very active in a number of activities and was well-known in the community. She was a member of the Stevens Point Women's Club and the Eastern Star. She wrote poetry and prose and papers that she presented to the Women's Club. She also traveled all over the United States and was a member of the Episcopalian church.
John Brinker died in Stevens Point in 1904. Rhoda continued to live there by herself--they had no children--until she died in 1926. They are both buried in the Brinker family plot in Forest Cemetery. Although the big plot marker says BRINKER, the other people in the plot are actually Rhoda's parents rather than members of the Brinker family. John Brinker is buried at one end of the row of markers, then Rhoda (Dodds) Brinker, then Rhoda (Austin) Dodds , then Darius Dodds. There is no visible inscription on Rhoda's marker--it either has eroded away or was never completed. There is a metal GAR marker that should be with John Brinker's grave, but has crept over so it is a little closer to Rhoda's marker. Despite the lack of inscription, Rhoda Brinker is recorded as buried with her husband, and neither of them had any other marriages, so there is no doubt that the blank marker is hers. (There are also two unrelated people, Charles Russell and his granddaughter Mary Mardora Gray, buried in the other half of the plot.)
Rhoda Austin Dodds, mother of Rhoda Dodds Brinker, was my ggg-aunt. Her sister, Jane Austin Sanford, was my gg-grandmother. Their two families kept in touch with each other after leaving New York for the Midwest, and the Sanford family visited with the Dodds family in Wisconsin every few years .
In 1853, the family moved to Portage, Wisconsin, considered wilderness at that time, and lived in Stockton, where Darius bought land and farmed it. In 1858 they moved to Plover, where he engaged in the contracting business. Other siblings of Rhoda Austin and Darius had also moved westward to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa, and these families visited each other from time to time in their new home states.
After completing her own education while living in Plover, Rhoda was a respected teacher in public and private schools there for a number of years. During this time, three of Rhoda's brothers--Clinton, Pardon, and Loren--fought as Union soldiers in the Civil War. Clinton died in the war, but the other two survived.
In 1869, Rhoda married John Brinker, a blacksmith who had also served in the Union army. Rhoda and John lived in Plover until 1876, when they moved to Stevens Point, WI. John owned a blacksmith shop there and he also owned farming land that he rented out. He was was a Free Mason, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and belonged to the Presbyterian church.
After her marriage, Rhoda was very active in a number of activities and was well-known in the community. She was a member of the Stevens Point Women's Club and the Eastern Star. She wrote poetry and prose and papers that she presented to the Women's Club. She also traveled all over the United States and was a member of the Episcopalian church.
John Brinker died in Stevens Point in 1904. Rhoda continued to live there by herself--they had no children--until she died in 1926. They are both buried in the Brinker family plot in Forest Cemetery. Although the big plot marker says BRINKER, the other people in the plot are actually Rhoda's parents rather than members of the Brinker family. John Brinker is buried at one end of the row of markers, then Rhoda (Dodds) Brinker, then Rhoda (Austin) Dodds , then Darius Dodds. There is no visible inscription on Rhoda's marker--it either has eroded away or was never completed. There is a metal GAR marker that should be with John Brinker's grave, but has crept over so it is a little closer to Rhoda's marker. Despite the lack of inscription, Rhoda Brinker is recorded as buried with her husband, and neither of them had any other marriages, so there is no doubt that the blank marker is hers. (There are also two unrelated people, Charles Russell and his granddaughter Mary Mardora Gray, buried in the other half of the plot.)
Rhoda Austin Dodds, mother of Rhoda Dodds Brinker, was my ggg-aunt. Her sister, Jane Austin Sanford, was my gg-grandmother. Their two families kept in touch with each other after leaving New York for the Midwest, and the Sanford family visited with the Dodds family in Wisconsin every few years .
Rhoda Dodds Brinker was the daughter of Rhoda Austin and Darius Dodds, both born in Delaware County, New York in 1806. After her parents married in 1826, they moved to Pennsylvania, where Darius was a farmer. Eight out of nine of their children were born there between 1830 and 1852 and several also died there when they were quite young.
In 1853, the family moved to Portage, Wisconsin, considered wilderness at that time, and lived in Stockton, where Darius bought land and farmed it. In 1858 they moved to Plover, where he engaged in the contracting business. Other siblings of Rhoda Austin and Darius had also moved westward to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa, and these families visited each other from time to time in their new home states.
After completing her own education while living in Plover, Rhoda was a respected teacher in public and private schools there for a number of years. During this time, three of Rhoda's brothers--Clinton, Pardon, and Loren--fought as Union soldiers in the Civil War. Clinton died in the war, but the other two survived.
In 1869, Rhoda married John Brinker, a blacksmith who had also served in the Union army. Rhoda and John lived in Plover until 1876, when they moved to Stevens Point, WI. John owned a blacksmith shop there and he also owned farming land that he rented out. He was was a Free Mason, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and belonged to the Presbyterian church.
After her marriage, Rhoda was very active in a number of activities and was well-known in the community. She was a member of the Stevens Point Women's Club and the Eastern Star. She wrote poetry and prose and papers that she presented to the Women's Club. She also traveled all over the United States and was a member of the Episcopalian church.
John Brinker died in Stevens Point in 1904. Rhoda continued to live there by herself--they had no children--until she died in 1926. They are both buried in the Brinker family plot in Forest Cemetery. Although the big plot marker says BRINKER, the other people in the plot are actually Rhoda's parents rather than members of the Brinker family. John Brinker is buried at one end of the row of markers, then Rhoda (Dodds) Brinker, then Rhoda (Austin) Dodds , then Darius Dodds. There is no visible inscription on Rhoda's marker--it either has eroded away or was never completed. There is a metal GAR marker that should be with John Brinker's grave, but has crept over so it is a little closer to Rhoda's marker. Despite the lack of inscription, Rhoda Brinker is recorded as buried with her husband, and neither of them had any other marriages, so there is no doubt that the blank marker is hers. (There are also two unrelated people, Charles Russell and his granddaughter Mary Mardora Gray, buried in the other half of the plot.)
Rhoda Austin Dodds, mother of Rhoda Dodds Brinker, was my ggg-aunt. Her sister, Jane Austin Sanford, was my gg-grandmother. Their two families kept in touch with each other after leaving New York for the Midwest, and the Sanford family visited with the Dodds family in Wisconsin every few years .
In 1853, the family moved to Portage, Wisconsin, considered wilderness at that time, and lived in Stockton, where Darius bought land and farmed it. In 1858 they moved to Plover, where he engaged in the contracting business. Other siblings of Rhoda Austin and Darius had also moved westward to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa, and these families visited each other from time to time in their new home states.
After completing her own education while living in Plover, Rhoda was a respected teacher in public and private schools there for a number of years. During this time, three of Rhoda's brothers--Clinton, Pardon, and Loren--fought as Union soldiers in the Civil War. Clinton died in the war, but the other two survived.
In 1869, Rhoda married John Brinker, a blacksmith who had also served in the Union army. Rhoda and John lived in Plover until 1876, when they moved to Stevens Point, WI. John owned a blacksmith shop there and he also owned farming land that he rented out. He was was a Free Mason, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and belonged to the Presbyterian church.
After her marriage, Rhoda was very active in a number of activities and was well-known in the community. She was a member of the Stevens Point Women's Club and the Eastern Star. She wrote poetry and prose and papers that she presented to the Women's Club. She also traveled all over the United States and was a member of the Episcopalian church.
John Brinker died in Stevens Point in 1904. Rhoda continued to live there by herself--they had no children--until she died in 1926. They are both buried in the Brinker family plot in Forest Cemetery. Although the big plot marker says BRINKER, the other people in the plot are actually Rhoda's parents rather than members of the Brinker family. John Brinker is buried at one end of the row of markers, then Rhoda (Dodds) Brinker, then Rhoda (Austin) Dodds , then Darius Dodds. There is no visible inscription on Rhoda's marker--it either has eroded away or was never completed. There is a metal GAR marker that should be with John Brinker's grave, but has crept over so it is a little closer to Rhoda's marker. Despite the lack of inscription, Rhoda Brinker is recorded as buried with her husband, and neither of them had any other marriages, so there is no doubt that the blank marker is hers. (There are also two unrelated people, Charles Russell and his granddaughter Mary Mardora Gray, buried in the other half of the plot.)
Rhoda Austin Dodds, mother of Rhoda Dodds Brinker, was my ggg-aunt. Her sister, Jane Austin Sanford, was my gg-grandmother. Their two families kept in touch with each other after leaving New York for the Midwest, and the Sanford family visited with the Dodds family in Wisconsin every few years .
Gravesite Details
Cemetery records list Rhoda only as Mrs. John Brinker.
Family Members
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