- JOHN RODD, who resides on section 9, Magnolia Township, is
numbered among the
- representative citizens of that community. He was born on
Prince Edward Island, April 15, 1833, and his father was also
a native of the same place. The paternal grandfather, however,
was a native of Devonshire, England., but emigrated to Prince
Edward Island at an early day, where he was engaged in the Government
service.
- Our subject remained under the parental roof until about
twenty years of age, when he went to
- Calais, Me., where he engaged in lumbering for a period of
two years. The exposure incident to that life and the severity
of the climate compelled him to abandon that occupation. He had
already contracted rheumatism in a severe form and by the advice
of his physicians he decided to seek a warmer climate, and in
the fall of 1855, left the port of New York for San Francisco,
Cal. He went by the way of the Isthmus of Panama, and at length
reached his destination with only $2 in money. He soon found
his way to the mining district of Nevada City, where for three
years he was engaged in digging for the precious metal, being
reasonably successful. At the expiration of that time, he went
to the Frazer River in the British Columbia, where he encountered
some interesting and exciting experiences, but the trip was a
failure financially. The climate was severe and provisions scarce.
Mr. RODD having paid the high price of $50 in gold for a sack
of flour. After six months he returned to Nevada with about $1,000
less money than when he started. For the next two years he again
engaged in mining in the Nevada district, when he returned to
Prince Edward Island, visiting his old home and friends. He also
purchased a farm, but his old enemy, the rheumatism, returning,
he sold out and in 1860 came to Rock County, where he has since
continued to reside.
- Two years later Mr. RODD returned to Prince Edward Island,
and on the 10th day of June, of that
- year, was joined in wedlock with Mary A. ESSARY, who was
born at that place. Two children were born of their union - Elvina
L. and John L., the latter is now deceased, and the former is
the wife of L. G. HOLMES, a farmer of Albany, Green Co., Wis.
The death of the mother occurred Feb. 22, 1864, and Mr. RODD
was again married on the 31st day of May, 1867, when Miss Katie
M. MOORE, of Ottawa County, Mich. became his wife. She was born
in Ontario County, N.Y., March 17, 1845, and is the daughter
of Thomas J. and Lydia (CARY) MOORE, the former a native of New
Jersey, and the latter was born in the Empire State. They have
a family of six children, only four of whom are now living -
Frances E., died when about seven years of age; Mrs. RODD is
the second in order of birth; Edwin, who lost his life while
in the West; Marshall is a merchant residing in Lamonte, Mich.;
Wait is a resident of Las Vegas, N.M.; and Lydia M., who is residing
in Michigan. The family came West in 1852 and settled near Rockford,
Ill., where they resided for three years and then removed to
Rock County, locating in Plymouth Township, and subsequently
removed to Albany, Green County, where the death of Mrs. MOORE
occurred in November, 1865. Soon after the death of his wife,
Mr. MOORE returned to Ottawa County, Mich., where he married
again and still resides there.
- Mr. and Mrs. RODD have an interesting family of four children
- May F., Gertie L., Fred W., and
- John Warren, all of whom are at home.
- On his arrival in Rock County, Mr. RODD purchased 150 acres
of land, the foundation of his
- present fine farm, which now comprises 280 acres, highly
cultivated and improved. He engages in general farming and stock-raising,
and is one of the leading farmers in the township. Beginning
life without capital, he has made his way unaided in the world,
and by his own industry, thrift and good management has secured
a comfortable competence. Possessed of an observing eye and retentive
memory, he has gained a large fund of information in his extensive
travels, and is well informed on all the leading questions of
the day. In the spring of 1888 he was elected by his fellow-citizens
to the office of Township Supervisor, and in 1889 was re-elected
without opposition, and is Chairman of that Board, by virtue
of which fact he is also a member of the County Board of Supervisors.
In politics, he is a Republican, and a strong advocate of the
principles of that party. By his honest and upright life, Mr.
RODD has won the confidence of all with whom business or pleasure
has brought him in contact, and is held in the highest regard
by his many
friends. Mr. RODD was reared under the religious influences of
the Methodist Church, and though not a member, he and his family
contribute to that church and are always willing to aid in the
advancement of any movement having for its object the moral or
temporal good of the community.
-
- [Transcriber's note: I think the residence of Waite (Las
Vegas, N.M.) in the last paragraph is actually Las Vegas, N.V.]
-
- Taken from "Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock
County Wis." (c)1889, p. 913-914.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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