A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RODDY FAMILY IN AMERICA
BY JEAN COLE RAINESHEK.
- In 1719, James J. Roddy (Rhody) packed up his family and journeyed - across the Atlantic Ocean from his home in Ireland t the New World, - beginning a tide of migration which would carry the Roddy name all - the way across the United States.
- - Conditions in Ulster had not been satisfactory for many a year. If - the scare rainfall or severe winter frosts didn't kill the crops, then - the small pox epidemic of 1718 or the yearly fevers were a threat. - Whatever their reasons from leaving the security of family and friend, - it took great courage and determination to embark on a long and - hazardous ocean voyage to an unknown continent. But James J. Roddy - was Scot-Irish, and as such he was a rugged, hardy, fearless and self - regarding and knew he could make a go of it in this new and untamed - land.
- Records tell us very little about James J. Roddy, except that he was -an early settler of Pennsylvania (Chester County) and was one of a group of Presbyterians to name their township Donegal in 1722. At the time of his death between Nov. 1733 and Nov. 1734, he lived at Homfeild, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was, by trade, a miller. His eldest son, William, was remembered in his father's will with only one English guinea. to his other two sons, James and Alexander, he left each a mill and property. His wife Mary, unmarried daughter Prudence, son-in-law Joseph Work, and Grandson, James Work were also named.
James J. and Mary (....) Roddy
Children:
1. William Roddy
2. James Roddy
3. Alexander Roddy
4. Prudence Roddy
5. Daughter, name unknown who married Joseph Work
Soon after her father's death, Prudence, who was born in 1710 in Ireland, married to James Hall and lived in Derry (New Londonderry) Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. In 1751 they began the family's southern migration by moving to Iredell County, North Carolina.
In 1734 the agents of the Penn family were told to sell no more land in Chester and Lancaster Counties to the Scot-Irish because of their differences with the Germans, but to make them (unreadable)offers of removal to the Cumberland Valley, further west. Alexander Roddy, James J. Roddy's youngest son, and his family, took advantage of this offer and moved to the west side of the Susquehanna River, building a mill. Later in 1755 they moved to Tyrone Township, Cumberland County, this land was very savage and they were driven out from it by the Indians several times. Each time they returned, finally establishing claim to the land, erecting a mill in the spring of 1763.
Alexander, who had been born in Ireland, married Mary Cander in Pennsylvania.
Children:
1. Mary Roddy m. Robert Cree
2. Rosanne Roddy m. John Montgomery (7 children)
3. Alexander Roddy, Jr. b. 1757 m. 9/16/1783 to Agnes Jameson, daughter of John and Rosanne Jameson of Lancaster County
4. Joseph Roddy m. 1st Nancy Lightner and 2nd Nancy Black Was sheriff of Cumberland Co., Penn. had three sons
5. James Roddy
6. Samuel Roddy
7. John Roddy
All of the sons served in the American Revolution, mostly in Pennsylvania units. John died at Valley Forge.
Alexander Roddy, Jr. and Agnes Jameson Roddy moved to Spartenburg District, South Carolina in 1786. Several of their Scot-Irish Presbyterian neighbors also made the move then, including Alexander's sister, Rosanne Montgomery and her husband and family. The elder Alexander Roddy and several Jameson kin also went. The 500 mile trip from Pennsylvania, through Va. and North Carolina was long and difficult and must have proved too much for the elder Alexander, as he died soon after their arrival.
Alexander Roddy, Jr. (#3) and Agnes Jameson Roddy Children:
1. John Roddy b. 9/1784 in Penn. d. 7/11/1847 m. 1st 4/13/1809 Margaret Moore 2nd Margaret Hill Glanten
2. Ephraim Roddy b. 8/1786 in Penn. d. 1872 in Williamson Co., Tex
3. Rose Roddy b. ca 1788 in S. C. d. 1851 Jackson Co., Ark.
4. Alexander Roddy III b. 1791 in S.C.
5. James Roddy b. 1795 d. 1835 in Tenn.
6. Hall Roddy b. ? d. 1838 never married
7. Robert Roddy died young
8. Elias B. Roddy b. 5/1/1805 d. 1855 m. 12/29/1834 Martha Ann Hill
9. Another son, name unknown, died young.
- Alexander Roddy, Jr.'s family flourished in S. C. , but as time passed, they longed for more space. In 1823, West Tennessee was opened for settlers, and, in 1825, following the deaths of Alexander Roddy III and his young wife from a malignant disease, the family again pulled up stakes and moved to Tennessee. They sold their farms and loaded their belongings into covered wagons and began a journey which would take them through the Appalachian Mountains all the way across Tennessee to new lands and the Hatchie River not far from the Mississippi River.
Tennessee proved not to be the promised land the family had hoped for. the land was swampy and, after several workmen died of malaria in the summer of 1831, Ephraim Roddy loaded his family and possessions on to a flat-boat and drifted down the "Mighty Mississippi" to New Orleans. From there they booked passage on an ocean-going ship bound for Texas. Early in 1832, John Robinson headed a band of some 200 settlers, many of them Scot-Irish Presbyterians who were leaving Tipton County, Tennessee for new land in Jackson County, Arkansas. The remainder of the family (those who stayed behind when Ephraim left), with the exception of James and Rose, joined Robinson's party and located near the present day site of Augusta, Ark. There they established the "family plantation" which was called Walnut Woods. Late in 1834, they were called upon to begin a family cemetery on the plantation when Agnes Jameson Roddy, wife of Alexander Roddy, Jr. died. In 1840 the plantation became the site of the Walnut Woods Presbyterian Church, begun by Rev. John Erwin. Alexander Roddy, Jr. died on 11/21/1840 in Jackson County and was buried in Walnut Woods Cemetery. He was 81 years, 9 months and 16 days old, an advanced age in those days, and he had moved his family 1,200 miles across the continent.
John Roddy, eldest son of Alexander and Agnes Jameson Roddy, was born in 1784 in Pennsylvania. On 4/13/18009 he was married to Margaret Moore, daughter of General Thomas Moore of Spartanburg District South Carolina. Margaret died about 1818, after having three daughters: Nancy Roddy m. ?; Elizbeth Roddy m. Peter Lott in 1843 in Jackson County, and a son, Thomas Roddy. It wasn't until after John's arrival in Arkansas in 1832 that he married again, this time to Mrs. Margaret Hill Glanton. She was a daughter of Joel and Anna Watson Hill, had been married previously to a Mr. Glanton. She and John had two children: Sarah Frances Roddy and James Madison Roddy. James Madison Roddy served as a Confederate soldier, dying on 12/15/1862 from wounds received in the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
John Roddy served in the War of 1812 in South Carolina, attaining the rank of Brigade Major. He was understandably proud of this rank and thereafter went by the title of Major, it even being inscribed on his tombstone in Walnut Wood Cemetery. He died on 7/11/1847 at his home in Taylor's Township, Jackson County, Ark "After a long and painful illness." His will indicated that he had amassed considerable property - a large plantation, a goodly amount of livestock, a mill, cotton gin and press.
Ephraim Roddy, second son of Alexander and Agnes Jameson Roddy, was born 8/1786 in Pennsylvania. He was educated at South Carolina College and admitted to the bar in South Carolina. We know that he served in the War of 1812 in S. C. and that many years later he was also called "Major", but whether he attained that rank in the War of 1812 or in service in some local defense group is not known. He practiced law and farmed in South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. His family's trip from New Orleans to Texas was a frightening experience. A hurricane broke up the ship in the Gulf of Mexico and it was with great luck that they were close enough to shore to escape with their lives. After they moved to San Felipe de Austin, they were driven from their homes by invading Mexican troops. They escaped eastward toward Louisiana and were close enough to San Jancinto to hear the roar of that famous battle of April 21, 1835 when General Sam Houston and his Texans defeated Santa Anna's Mexican troops and gained Texas. He was a delegate to the 1833 convention designed to separate Texas from (?) in Mexico and was a Justice of the Peace, a notary, and a commissioner to lay out the city of (Vrenham?) He argued cases against, and was personal friends with, such famous Texans as Stephen F. Austin, James Bowie, David Crockett and William Travis.
On 1/29/1817, Ephraim Roddy and Harriot Harrison Earle, daughter of Colonel John Earle, were married at her home in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Six Children: (5 listed)
Amaryllis Roddy m. Dr. Thomas Woodlief in 1838 in Washington Co., Tex.
John A. Roddy d. 1840
Rebecca Ann Roddy m. 1847 in Washington Co., Tex. to George Moore Fletcher had seven children and died in 1859 in Lexington, Tex.
Mary Bayles Roddy, died 1858
Eilen (or Eleanor) died 1884
Rose Roddy, only daughter of Alexander and Agnes Roddy, was born 12/23/1788. In 1807 she married John Miller and they had seven children:
Nancy;
Michael;
Alexander;
Wilson;
Betsy;
James;
and Henry Miller
- They moved to Tennessee with the Roddy family and eventually to Jackson County, Arkansas, arriving around 1840. Son Michael Miller was evidently close to his uncle Ephraim Roddy, for he went to Tex. with Ephraim in 1832. James migrated to Texas in the 1870's. Rose Miller died in 1851, and like her children and grandchildren, is buried in Walnut Woods cemetery.
Alexander Roddy III, son of Alexander and Agnes Roddy was born in 1791. In January, 1821 he married Patsy Booker and on October 28, 1821 their son, Thomas Booker Roddy was born. Thomas B. Roddy was left an orphan when his parents died only a few years later, and he lived with his uncle, John Roddy, and other family members, till grown.
James Roddy, son of Alexander and Agnes Roddy, was born in 1795 - and married, in 1824 to Margaret Wood Lewis of Spartanburg district, South Carolina. The next year they moved to Tipton County, Tenn. where they lived until James's death in 1835. James Roddy was a blacksmith by trade. He left five children: Nancy Roddy; Lewis Roddy; Francis Tabitha; Louanna; Alexander James H. Roddy. In 1836, the year following her husband's death, Margaret Roddy moved, along with her children, to (Beam's?) County, Missouri where, in 1842 she remarried to Mr. James Dunn.
Hall Roddy, 6th child of Alexander and Agnes Roddy, was a surveyor. He died in 1838 without marrying in Jackson Co., Ark.
Elias B. Roddy, last child of Alexander and Agnes Roddy, was born 5/1/1805. He married, on 12/29/1834, to Martha Ann Hill, daughter of Joel and Anne Watson Hill, in Jackson Co., Ark. Elias died in 1855. He had six children, but only two of them lived to marry and rear families of their own. One, unnamed son died at childbirth, another, John Joel, died when only three and a half years. William Roddy, the third son, must have died young too, for there is no mention of him. James Alexander Roddy died of dysentery in a Federal hospital in New Orleans in 2/1865 while awaiting exchange. As a Confederate soldier, he was captured in Woodruff County, Arkansas in 1864 and incarcerated at Rock Island, Illinois Federal Prison. Times were bad in Arkansas for Martha Ann Hill Roddy and her two remaining children. There was little money and her husband and grown sons were dead. So, she went with her daughter, Julie, who was married to James W. Hart, to Lavaca County, Texas. In 1875, her son Robert Hutchison Roddy married Maggie Hunt of that county and he took over the management of her family's farm.
- This ends the Roddy Family History written by Ms. Raineshek.
Now, you remember that Prudence Roddy, daughter of James J. Roddy and wife, Mary, married to James Hall and removed to Iredell County, North Carolina. James Hall was born in Ulster, Ireland in abt 1703 He left Ireland in 1720 for America. His mother who accompanied him, died on the journey. He married, about 1730 to Prudence. They remained for several years in Penn., and all but the youngest of their children were born there. In 1751 they moved to Iredell County, North Carolina. Although James Hall's death is generally listed as having occurred in 1760, his will, which is copied in "The Hall Family History" is dated 6/20/1800.
James Hall and Prudence Roddy Hall had ten children:
1. Sarah Hall b. 1732 m. James King (1/6/37 - 1/6/1815) (eleven children)
2. Jane Hall b. 1734 m. 1st Samuel Roseborough (1 child) 2nd Rev. James McEwen (2 children)
3. Margaret Hall b. 1736 d. 4/29/1771 m. Robert Woods (three children)
4. Mary Hall b. 1738 d. 10/23/1776 m. John Archibald (six children)
5. Thomas Hall b. 1739 d. 1800 m. 2/20/1764 Elizabeth Sloan - (fourteen children)
- 6. Hugh Hall b. 1742 d. 1817 m. Margaret King(4/7/46-7/2/1830) - (thirteen children)
- 7. James Hall b. 8/22/1744 d. 7/25/1826 Never Married. A Presbyterian Minister and educator of some reknown.
8. Dorcas Hall b. 1747 d. 2/22/1775 m. William Roseborough (two children)
9. Robert Hall b. 1749 d. 8/31/1797 m. Mrs. Mary Warson
10. Alexander Hall b. 1753 m. Ann Dobson (six children)
Sarah Hall, oldest child of James Hall and Prudence Roddy Hall m. to James King.
Children (11):
1. Prudence King m. Robert Sloan
2. Richard Hugg King b. 7/22/1767 m Mary Ross
3. Elihu King died in infancy
4. Elihu S. King b. 12/20/1773 m. Eleanor Houston
5. Samuel King b. 4/11/1776 m. 1st Cynthia Winslow 2nd Sarah (Kollock) Harris
6. Andrew King m. Elizabeth Nisbet
7. Dorcas King m. Alexander Nisbet
8. Jerusha King m. William Feimster (no children)
9. Margaret Barkley King m. John Feimster
10. Jane King m. J. Brevard Thomas
11. James King died young.
Jane Hall, second child of Prudence Roddy Hall and James Hall m. 1st Samuel Roseborough.
Children:
1. Samuel Roseborough
- - Children:
- 1. Erixena McEwen m. James Adams
- 2. James McEwen died in youth
- Margaret Hall, third child of Prudence and James m. Robert Woods
Children:
1. Prudence Woods
2. James Woods
3. Robert Woods
Mary Hall, fourth child of Prudence and James m. John Archibald
Children:
1. James Archibald 1777-1822 never married
2. Samuel Archibald m. Rachel Belt
3. Prudence Archibald m. Robert Gracey
4. John Archibald died young
5. Elizabeth Archibald m. John Forsythe
6. Margaret Archibald m (....)Tuck
Thomas Hall, fifth child of Prudence and James m. Elizabeth Sloan, daughter of Fergus Sloan.
Children (14):
1. Prudence Hall m. William Stevenson
2. James Thomas Hall m. Rachel Johnston
3. Elizabeth Hall b. 1770 m. Dr. James McCorkle
4. Fergus Hall m. Mary Bell
5. Alexander Hall died young
6. Thomas James Hall b. 2/28/1774 m. Emma Wallis
7. Margaret Hall m. James Hill
8. Mary Hall m. William Smiley Johnston
9. Ann Hall m. Lemuel Dickey Johnston
10. Sarah Hall m. Benjamin Knox
11. Hugh McGrady Hall b. 1786 m. Mary Matilda Crawford
12. Robert Sloan Hall b. 1791 m Anna King
13. Alexander (Sandy) Hall m. Adeline Sharpe
14. William Davidson Hall m Elizabeth Gregg.
Hugh Hall, sixth child of Prudence and James m. Margaret King Margaret b. 4/7/1746 in New Jersey and the daughter of Richard and Margaret (Barclay) King.
Children:
1. Prudence Hall m. Abram Hill (This is my line of descent J.L.H. for more information about it, see "The Hill Connection"
2. Margaret Hall m. Dr. Lewis Fieulleteau Wilson
3. Elizabeth Hall b. 8/19/1774 m. Dr. James McCorkle
4. James Hugh Hall m. Eliza Nisbet
5. Samuel Hall m. Margaret Gregg
6. Richard Hall m. Martha Moore
- 7. Mary Hall m. James Cowan
- 8. Sophia Hall m. Alexander Barr
9. Sarah Hall m. David Adams
10. Dorcas Hall m. 1st Andrew Knox and 2nd Robert Johnson
11. Jane Hall m. Moses Hague
12. McEwen Hall 1784-1785 (twin)
13. Andrew King Hall 1784-1785(twin)
James Hall, seventh child of Prudence and James Hall had no children
Dorcas Hall, eighth child of Prudence and James Hall was born in 1747 - and died 2/22/1775 in Statesville, N.C. She m. William Roseborough.
- Children:
- 1. James Roseborough
- 2. Margaret Roseborough
- Robert Hall, ninth child of Prudence Roddy Hall and James Hall was - born in 1749 in Dauphin County, Penn. He m. Mrs. Mary Warson.
- Children:
- 1. Roddy Hall
- 2. John Hall
- 3. Prudence Hall
- - Alexander Hall was the youngest child of James Hall and Prudence - Roddy Hall. He was born in 1753 in Iredell County, N.C. He - m. Ann Dobson.
- Children:
- 1. Joseph Hall m Dorca Vandiver
- 2. Prudence Hall never married
- 3. James Hall died in youth
- 4. Thomas Hall m. Mary Collins
- 5. Robert James Hall m. Nancy Turner
- 6. Hugh Roddy Hall m. (....)Nisbet
- The Hall Family History by Mrs. T. L. Adams, Speering Printing Co., Athens, GA. 1949. contains 418 pages of lineage of the above Hall family. If you find connections and cannot find the book, contact me via email at [email protected]