Anson Dodge

Anson Greene Phelps Dodge (August 25, 1834 – May 28, 1918) was a Canadian lumber dealer and political figure. He represented York North in the Canadian House of Commons from 1872 to 1874 as a Conservative member.^[1]

He was born in New York City,^[1] the son of William E. Dodge^[2] and Melissa Phelps,^[3] and educated in England. He married Rebecca Wainwright Grew in 1859. In 1872, he was naturalized by an act of parliament. Dodge established lumber mills on Georgian Bay.^[2]

Following a variety of occupations, Anson Dodge began his own lumber career in 1864 at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. First attracted to the forests of Ontario in 1866, with an invitation from Henry W. Sage, possibly at a time when Sage was considering disposing of his Bell Ewart mill. After a tour of the facilities at Bell Ewart, Anson continued his trek northward to Oakley township in Muskoka where Sage had recently acquired timber berths. Anson also purchased timber in the township and a small mill on Lake Simcoe at Atherly, near Orillia. Dodge continued his spending spree, purchasing timber berths and mills with various partners, establishing his Georgian Bay Lumber Company in 1869, with a new mill at Byng Inlet.

At Parry Sound, he was one of John Classon Miller's partners in the establishment of the Parry Sound Lumber Company in 1872.^[4] Dodge's rapid expansion into the Canadian lumber trade, was followed by bankruptcy as a result of the Panic of 1873. Anson's share of the Parry Sound firm was sold to J C Miller in 1877.^[4]

He returned to the United States to manage family lumber interests in Georgia.^[3] He died in Illinois in 1918.^[5]

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