University of Virginia Library

RODES.

The first of the Rodes name to settle in Albemarle was
John, and his coming occurred in 1749. In that year he
bought from James Armor four hundred acres on the north
fork of Rockfish, and in the conveyance was described as of
St. Martin's parish, Louisa. He also purchased land on
Moorman's River. He died in 1775. His wife was Mary
Crawford, and he left five daughters and four sons, David,
Clifton, Charles and John.

David came to the county in 1756, and lived on the north
side of Moorman's River. Besides managing his plantation,
he conducted a store. He was appointed a magistrate, and
served as Sheriff, probably in 1776 and 1777. He was twice
married, first as is believed to Mary, daughter of Matthew
Mills, and secondly to Susan, daughter of Nelson Anderson.
He died in 1794, and his widow became the wife of James
Kerr. His children, all of whom were born of the first marriage,
were John, Matthew, Charles, Mary, the wife of
Robert Douglass, Elizabeth, the wife of Horsley Goodman,
Nancy, the wife of William Dulaney, Ann, the wife of James
Ballard, Lucy, the wife of Joseph Twyman, Martha, the
wife of Joel Yancey, and Mildred, the wife of William Walden.
The Douglass, Yancey, Walden, and probably Dulaney,
families removed to Kentucky. John died unmarried
in 1823. Matthew succeeded to his father's place. He was
appointed a magistrate in 1816. By becoming security, he
was involved in financial difficulties, and his property was
sold to pay his debts; it was however redeemed by his son
David. He died in 1834. His wife was Nancy Blackwell,
and his children David, Mary, Robert, Henrietta, the wife of
Clement P. McKennie, Gilly, the wife of Robert Guy, Ann,

the wife of Daniel Fishburne, Elizabeth, the second wife of
Nathaniel Massie, Mildred and Judith. David about 1816
was deputy Clerk of the county, and afterward removed to
Lynchburg. In 1822 he married Martha, daughter of Joel
Yancey, of Bedford. General Robert E. Rodes, of the Confederate
army, who fell at Winchester in 1864, was his son.
Robert succeeded to the homestead, was twice married, first
to Margaret, daughter of Richard Duke, and secondly to
Hardenia Williams, of Nelson, and died in 1874.

Clifton first lived at the foot of Buck's Elbow, on a place
he bought in 1769 from Matthew Mullins, and afterward sold
to Cornelius Maupin. In 1773 he purchased from William
Lewis a plantation near Ivy Depot, which he made his home
until 1788, when he sold it to George Nicholas, and not long
after removed to Kentucky. He was a magistrate of the
county, and served as Sheriff in 1783. His wife was Sarah
Waller, and three of his children were married in Albemarle,
John to Jean Stapleton, daughter of Thomas Burch, Dorothy
to David Kerr, and Mary to Joseph Burch, brother of John's
wife, and grandfather of Rev. Dr. J. J. Bullock, and the wife
of Vice-President Breckinridge.

Charles resided where his father first bought, on the
waters of Rockfish. The land now lies in Nelson County.
From his family the Methodist Church in that vicinity is
commonly spoken of as Rodes's Church. He died in 1798.
Mrs. McClunn, who resides near Batesville, is his granddaughter,
and William Rodes, who lives at Brooksville, his
great grandson.

John lived on the south side of Moorman's River, and died
in 1810. His wife was Sarah, daughter of Robert Harris,
and his children Robert, Tyree, Clifton, John, Charles, Mary,
Ann, the wife of John Garth, Henrietta, the wife of Rev.
Bernis Brown, and Sarah, the wife first of William Davenport,
and secondly of Micajah Woods. Robert was a Captain
in the Revolutionary army, and made prisoner at the capture
of Charleston, S. C. He married Eliza Dulaney, and removed
to Madison County, Kentucky. Tyree emigrated to Giles
County, Tennessee. Clifton lived near Ivy Depot on a farm,

which was given him by his father, and which he sold in
1810 to George Pickett, of Richmond. In 1807 he was
appointed a magistrate of the county. He married Elizabeth,
daughter of John Jouett, and was the administrator of the
Jouett estate. After the sale of his property he removed to
Kentucky. John succeeded to the paternal estate south of
Moorman's River. He was also appointed a magistrate in
1807, and served as Sheriff in 1832. He died in 1839. His
wife was Francina, daughter of Bernard Brown, and his
children Sidney, wife of Powhatan Jones, of Buckingham,
Ryland, John D., William, Sarah, wife of Samuel C. Woods,
who emigrated to Missouri, Tyree, Virginia, the wife of
W. C. Smith, Jacintha, the wife of J. Smith, Frances, the
wife of Garland Brown, and Lucy Ann, the wife of James
Payne. Ryland married Sarah Woods, and lived and died
in Nelson. John D. married Mrs. Ann Durrett Morris, and
died without children. William married E. C. Yancey, of
Rockingham, and lived on the old home place, which after
his death in 1882 devolved on his sons Thomas and John
William. Tyree removed to Tennessee.