THERE IS FURTHER RESEARCH TO DO - It looks as if the missing early Harpley registers could have held the key to this family. There seems to have been two families in the Harpley parish, likely brothers. In the limited register transcripts there is a marriage of a Martin Dodman to an Ellen Rose in 1700 that does look rather interesting and could well have been the parents of the Martin above. They had a Catherine born 23rd and baptised 30th July in 1709 at Harpley. There was also a John Dodman at Harpley who had a son John baptised in 1700. At nearby West Rudham Thomas and Ann Dodman had a son Martin baptised in 1702. He was possibly another brother. There is a will to be seen for a Martin Dodman of Rudham 1712 ANF fo.312 No.127 that could will be worth reading.

The only Ellen around was an Ellen Dodman who was buried in Grimston in 1745. She may well have been the Ellen Dodman late Rose, and the widow of Martin Dodman of Rudham. Grimston registers seem rather patchy but there is a will of a John Dodman, bricklayer, 1769, of Grimston, who mentions another John Dodman, also a bricklayer, as his executor. The John Dodman, the executor, could have been the will writer's eldest son but it seems unlikely as he is not actually mentioned as such. All the children of John are in his will, sons, John, Martin, Matthew, Richard, William (all five getting a property and some land, the last four when they reach 21), daughters, Mary (property), Elizabeth (money) and Ann (money, she is under 22). 

More Martin Dodmans. - The earliest Martin Dodman found so far, buried a wife Phillippa in 1603 at Hindringham. Then he married an Ann and had a son Edmund baptised at Hindringham in 1604 and a  son James in Little Walsingham in 1607. Wife Ann was buried in 1610 and sons James in 1610 and Edmund in 1615.

There was a burial of a Martin Dodman at Stanfield in 1624/25. He left a will dated 1625.  

A Martin Dodman and Cisiley had three children baptised at Stiffkey: Martin 1634, William, 1636, Thomas 1638 and Anne at North Creake in 1649 where Martin Dodman, sen., was buried.  

A William Dodman married in 1619/20 and had a child baptised in Sculthorpe: Gyles 1620/21. He possibly married a second time to an Elizabeth as there is rather a space and had: Elizabeth 1634, Katherine 1636, Richard 1638, Mildred 1639/40, William 1642, Robert 1643/44 (married Frances 1668, lived in Sculthorpe), Phillip 1646 and Martin 1652 (married Ann, lived in Barney). William Dodman was buried in Sculthorpe in 1658 and his widow Elizabeth in 1661.  

At Hunstanton in 1654 a Martin Dodman married Catherine Flood. They moved to Docking and Catherine 1656 was baptised and Richard 1659 baptised and buried. In the same year Martin Dodman was buried.

A Martin Dodman of Docking marrying an Elizabeth Smith in Ingoldisthorpe is connected. They had children in Great Bircham: Sarah, Rose, Mary, Thomas, Martin and Catherine. He was buried in 1842 aged 92 years. This Martin Dodman was possibly a son of another Martin Dodman, and his wife Elizabeth Seaman.