Henry Dodge (October 12, 1782 - June 19, 1867) was a member of the Democratic Party who served in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1848 - 1857. He was born in Vincennes, Indiana. He was a renowned Indian fighter noted for his 1835 peace mission commission by President Andrew Jackson called the U.S. Dragoons 1834-35 taking him west to the front range area of Colorado. He entered on a route near the South Platte River.
He was the first Territorial Governor of Wisconsin Territory from 1836 - 1841 and again from 1845 - 1848, an area which encompassed the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. He declined a nomination for the Presidency of the United States in the 1844 Democratic convention. He was loyal to Martin Van Buren and both men opposed the annexation of Texas. Despite their efforts, James K. Polk, the Democrat who favored annexation, became President.
His son, Augustus C. Dodge served as a US Senator from Iowa. They are the first, and so far only father-son pair to serve concurrently in the US Senate.
Preceded by: (No Previous Senate Delegation) U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Wisconsin 1848-1857 Succeeded by: James R. Doolittle
