John II Dodderidge of Bremridge in the parish of South Molton, Devon, was a lawyer who was elected MP for Barnstaple in 1646 and 1654, for Bristol in 1656 and for Devon also in 1656, and chose to sit for Devon, but was prevented by Oliver Cromwell from taking his seat.
Dodderidge entered Middle Temple on 26 June 1629 and was called to the bar on 19 May 1637. In 1646, he was elected Member of Parliament for Barnstaple in the Long Parliament. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Devon on 26 July 1647. He was re-elected MP for Barnstaple in 1654 in the First Protectorate Parliament. In 1655 he was appointed Recorder of Bristol. Subsequently he became Recorder of Barnstaple, a position of significant honour, having left pieces of plate to the corporation of Bristol. In 1656 he was elected MP for both Bristol and for Devon in the Second Protectorate Parliament and chose to sit for Devon. He was however prevented by Oliver Cromwell from taking his seat. He became a bencher of his Inn in 1658 and published The Opinions of Sundry Antiquaries ... Touching the Antiquity, Power, Order, State, Manner, Persons and Proceedings of the High-Court of Parliament in England.
Marriages and progeny
Dodderidge married three times, but his only son John predeceased him. His wives included:
His library became the Dodderidgian Library. He bequeathed his library to his wife Judith in the following passage of his will dated 20 January 1658: "Alsoe I leave the disposing of my library of bookes my said deare wife whome I make and ordaine sole executrix of this my last will and testament not doubting of her care in the due executing thereof...". In 1664 she gave or bequeathed the library to the Corporation of Barnstaple. The bequest was of 112 volumes, many of which were originally from the library of his uncle Sir John Dodderidge, as evidenced by his signature in several of them. The collection became known as the Bibliotheca Doddridgiana. A special building was erected to house the books at the north-east corner of the chancel of St Peter's Church, Barnstaple. The books were chiefly in Latin on the subject of theology, and include most notably a 1610 edition of John Foxe's Book of Martyrs, containing a very well preserved illustration of scenes of Protestant martyrdom. The collection was later expanded. The Dodderidge collection was removed to the North Devon Athaneum in 1888 and from there in 1957 on permanent loan to Exeter University Library. It represents one of the earliest town libraries in England which continues in existence since its foundation.
Heirs
As his only son predeceased him, his heirs were his two sisters, one of whom was Dorcas Doddridge, the wife of John Lovering "The Elder", of Weare Giffard, a merchant based at Barnstaple who served as one of his executors. John Lovering's son was John Lovering "The Younger" who married Elizabeth Venner daughter of William Venner of Hudscott, Chittlehampton. They made their home at Hudscott, as is evidenced by the heraldic overmantel showing the arms of Lovering impaling Doddridge.
Will
John Dodderidge's will, dated 20 January 1658 and proved 20 June 1659, may be summarised thus:
Wife's monument at Cheshunt
A monument exists in Cheshunt Church, Hertfordshire, inscribed as follows: "To the memory of Martha Doddridge, wife of John Doddridge, of Branbridge, in the county of Devon, Esq., youngest daughter of Sir Thomas Dacres, of Hertford, Knt., who died in 1655. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. This is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.."
