Fayette County Genealogy Project

RODERICK
Contributed by Penny Chatfield  <Sodhio@aol.com>
 

"James W. Roderick holds a conspicuous place among the successful and highly respected farmers of the town of Jefferson, Green county [Wisconsin]. Andrew and Lydia (Haden) Roderick, his parents, were natives of Fayette county, Penn. where the father was born July 14, 1803 and mother on July 13, 1803; he died April 17, 1871, and she passed away April 27, 1892. They were married in 1824 and had the following children: Elizabeth (Mrs. J. N. Davis) born in 1825, is deceased; Sarah (Mrs. Joseph Gans), born in 1827, is deceased; Jacob, born in 1829, married Elizabeth Newman, and died Dec. 8, 1895; Jane, born May 9, 1831, married James W. Clemmer, of Green county, and is now deceased; Mary, born Oct. 30, 1833, is the widow of Samuel Newman and lives in Monroe, WI; Lucinda, born June 2, 1836, married the Rev. G. R. Patton, and both are now dead; Lydia, born Nov. 30, 1838, was the second wife of the Rev. G .R. Patton, and now lives at Juda, WI; James W. born April 5, 1843; Miranda, born Nov. 11,1847 married J. W. Blackford and is now living near Albany, Wisconsin.

David Roderick, the grandfather of James W. was a thrifty farmer in Fayette county, Penn. and a member of the Baptist Church. To him were born many children. Andrew Roderick and his family, on their arrival in Monroe, Wis., in the spring of 1846, were in such straitened circumstances that all the family old enough were under the necessity of working out for their board. This continued for nearly two years, when the family was collected on the farm which the father then purchased, and which is now owned by James W. Roderick.

On Dec. 22, 1870, James W. Roderick wedded Miss Hannah E. LaBorde, a daughter of Peter and Phoebe (Nofsker) LaBorde of Juda, Wis., and she has become the mother of six children: Lydia, born July 18, 1872 died March 31, 1874; Ross R., born Nov. 10, 1974, married Miss Edith Hintzmann Feb. 13, 1901, and is living on the homestead farm; Letha, born Oct. 7, 1879, died Jan. 30, 1881; one that died in infancy in 1881; Clara E., born April 8, 1884, is living at home and cultivating a special gift for music; James Park, the youngest of the family, was born May 2, 1887.

Mr. Roderick was reared on the farm, and sought his education at "the poor man's college," the public school.  Beginning as a poor man, he now owns a magnificent farm of 280 acres, with fine dwellings, stock barns, and other modern improvements. He is a Democrat in politics, and a man of fine character. Both he and his wife have been working and efficient members in the Juda Baptist Church with which all the older members of the family are connected. Mr. Roderick has served as chairman of the town, treasurer, and school clerk for more than twenty years. He has always been a sincere advocate of temperance and the fact that for many years no saloons have been licensed in the village of Juda is due as much to his influence as to that of any other individual."

 

Source:  The Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa, and LaFayette Wisconsin. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1901, page 790.

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