The Roddy family is of Irish descent. In 1780, Hugh Roddy, grandfather of Daniel F. Roddy, came to America from County Kildare, Ireland, and settled on a farm near Littlestown, Adams County, Pa. About 1820, Mr. Roddy removed to a place near Mount St. Mary's; Frederick County, Md., and engaged in farming. Here he passed the remainder of his life in the cultivation of the soil. Hugh Roddy was married to Margret Philips. They were members of Mount St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. Their children are: 1, Abraham; 2, John; 3, William; 4, Daniel: 5, Catherine (Mrs. Mc-Callion); 6, Mary (Mrs. Mullen); 7, Martha (Mrs. Foreman).

Mr. Roddy's father, Abraham Roddy, was born in 1809, on a place near Littlestown, Pa., and received the education usually given the children of the district. In early manhood he was engaged in furnishing charcoal to the large iron furnaces in Southern Pennsylvania. In 1848, Mr. Roddy bought the home farm near Thurmont, and spent the rest of his life in cultivating and improving it. He was a memberof the Democratic party. Abraham Roddy was married to Hannah, daughter of Henry Rife, a veteran of the Revolutionary War. She was born near Littlestown in 1819. The children of Abraham and Hannah (Rife) Roddy are:

1, Hugh, farmer, married Caroline Eckinrode; 2, John: 3, Martha, a sister of charity, deceased: 4, Catherine, at home; 5, Joseph, deceased, married Laura, daughter of Captain Martin. of Gettysburg, Pa.; 6, Margaret (Mrs. Henry Eckenrode), resides in Thurmont district: 7, Abraham, married Sarah Cole, of Adams County, Pa., resides in Kansas City, Mo.; 8, Mary, at home; 9, James, deceased; 10, Daniel Francis; 11, Anne, married Vincent Sebold, attorney-at-law, Emmitsburg, Md.; 12, Simon, deceased; 13, Frank, married Flora, daughter of Prof. Jourdan, of Mount St. Mary's College. Mr. Roddy was a Roman Catholic. He died at his home near Thurmont, in 1901; his widow died in 1902.

Daniel F. Roddy grew up on his father's farm, near Thurmont, and was educated in the public schools of the district. He remained at home until 1890 when he, and his brother, Frank, went to California, and assumed the management of the hay and grain department of the "Sutter Land and Development Company," an agricultural firm that farmed over 200,000 acres. Mr. Roddy remained with this firm until the death of his father, when he returned to Frederick County, Md. In 1894, one year after the death of his mother, he returned to California, and resumed his position with the Land Development Company. In 1896 Mr. Roddy left California for his native State, where he purchased his present home and engaged in burning lime.

His homestead, "San Marino," a beautiful farm of 200 acres, almost all under cultivation, is situated one mile south of Mount St. Mary's College, one-half mile east of the pike, and three miles from Emmitsburg.

Daniel Francis Roddy was married in Frederick County, April 27, 1897, to Catherine, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Markin) White. Mr. Roddy and his wife are members of Mount St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Roddy is a member of the Democratic party.

Return to index on Emmitsburg names in William's History of Frederick County

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