Rebecca Ballard

born: 25 Sep 1812, Kentucky
died: 7 Jul 1856, Keokuk Co.,Iowa
bur.: Webster,Keokuk Co.,Iowa, at Sorden Cemetery
spouse: Hugh Hurst ``H.H.'' RODMAN
born: 5 Mar 1807, Jefferson Co., Kentucky
died: 14 Mar 1884
bur.: near Powderly,Lamar Co.,Texas, at Long Cemetery
occu: innkeeper
Children:
William B. RODMAN
John H. RODMAN
Sarah Ann RODMAN
Maria J. RODMAN
James M. RODMAN
Harriet RODMAN
Thomas Rodman -- born: Abt 1844, Indiana.
Mynerva Rodman -- born: Abt 1847, Iowa.
Hugh C. Rodman -- born: May 1850, Iowa.

Pedigree Chart

                      |--------
                      |
           |---------Reuben BALLARD (1748, VA or NC - 1820, KY)
           |          |
           |          |--------
           |
  |------John BALLARD (1779 - 1848, Iowa)
  |        |
  |        |          |--------Abraham BALLARD (1705, VA - 1754, NC)
  |        |          |
  |        |---------Absilla A. ``Assala'' BALLARD ( - )
  |                   |
  |                   |--------Elizabeth SUMNER (1715 - )
  |
Rebecca BALLARD (1812, Kentucky - 1856, Iowa)
  |
  |                   |--------
  |                   |
  |        |---------John COX ( - )
  |        |          |
  |        |          |--------
  |        |
  |------Jinney COX (1775, Kentucky - Indiana)
           |
           |          |--------
           |          |
           |---------Jinney ``Jane'' ( - )
                      |
                      |--------
The 1880 Keokuk Co. history book mentions Rebecca's husband, H. H. Rodman. It says, ``H.H. Rodman settled soon after the original settlers of English River Township in Section 30.'' H. H. had a cousin named H. C., or Hugh Chambers Rodman who also had a wife named Rebecca so it is easy to confuse the two. H.C. Rodman came to Keokuk County in 1845, and his child was the first white child born in Keokuk County. But H.C. ``froze to death some few years after he located in the county.'' (1847 is given as the death year.)

The following is from a talk given by Mrs. Alice Mendenhall at the South English Old Settler's Day held in 1905:

The next to come to the community was Hugh Rodman in 1846, who unloaded his family under the old cottonwood. Soon the blue smoke curled up lazily through the branches as hungry, weary but joyful, they cooked and ate their first supper in the midst of the wild crabapple grove.

A little later Hugh Rodman enlarged his cabin to keep travelers, and it was here that the Thomas Seerley family lived their first winter in Iowa. And here that Alex Moody ``fed and nooned'' and changed the mail. He drove the first mail hack between Sigourney and Iowa City. (He was the father of Sany Moody of Sigourney and St. Louis.)

Now the leaves of the old cottonwood rustle merrily to the laughter and gaiety of a wedding in the cabin of Hugh Rodman. A double wedding, the first in the new settlement. They had grape and elderberry pie for supper and biscuits baked in the Dutch oven before the fire. One couple was George Huxford from New York (who had sailed upon many seas) and Hugh Rodman's blue-eyed daughter, Maria. The other couple was Peter Parnell and Louisa Trimble.

H.H. Rodman was elected South English town trustee in 1852, and H.H. Rodman and wife are named as members of the Methodist Episcopal church which was organized in 1851. In the 1880 Keokuk Co. history, H.H. Rodman is mentioned as one of the original settlers still living (he was living in Missouri).

H.H. and Rebecca Rodman owned part of the land where the town of South English, Iowa was laid out at.

Jerry Morris Mounts (jmounts@indy.net) (jmounts@peoplepc.com) maintains a list of Rodman researchers on the internet. His Rodman page can be found at % http://vax1.vigo.lib.in.us/~\ jmounts/willroda.htm .% His data states that Hugh Hurst Rodman was the son of William and Ann Haden (Oglesby) Rodman.

Census: 1850, English River Twp,Keokuk Co.,Iowa

Sources for this individual: @S155@ @S13@ @S27@ @S146@

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