Historical Association of South Jefferson

Village of Rodman

East Rodman (Whitesville)

Unionville (Zoar)

Table of Contents: 1) Early History of Rodman 2) Rev. War Veterans buried in Rodman 3) Crandall-Hill Cemetery 4) Ross Corners Cemetery

The town of Rodman was established under the name of Harrison from Adams on March 24, 1804. In 1808 the town of divided and the eastern part was named Pinckney and the county-line was changed putting Pinckney in Lewis County. On April 6, 1808 the town was re-named Rodman in honor of Daniel Rodman, a clerk in the assembly. The town is nearly square and measures a little more than 6 miles in length. The general surface is somewhat elevated, and more or less broken by hills, along the waterways, which run in deep gorges. There are several gulfs of great depth and width which provide excellent drainage. The principal streams are the North branch of Sandy Creek & the Gulf Stream. Dairying is the principal industry. The soil is a loam, or sandy and clayey loam, and was originally covered with maple, beech and other varieties of timber. The 1st survey was made in 1798 by Benjamin Wright. The town was divided into 56 lots which were than subdivided. The land generally sold at $3,50 per acre. and opened for settlement in 1801. The 1st settlers were: Anson & Ebenezer Moody; Jonathan, Noah and Aaron Davis; Simeon Hunt; Benjamin Thomas & William Rice. The 1st white child, Walter Harrison Moody was born in 1801, he died at the age of 3 yrs. On 9/2/1802, Timothy Greenley purchased 2,669 acres in the SE part of the town at 18 shillings per acre. Thomas White came in 1802 and settled on Sandy Creek at what became Whitesville (East Rodman). Daniel Todd also came to E. Rodman. In 1803 William Dodge came to Rodman. He was followed by Reuben Smith, John Peck, John Fassett, Jonathan Wyman, John & Nathaniel Utley. In 1804 the following came: Jesse, Smith; Aaron Moody; Horace Townsend; Joseph Nickles; Arnold Stone; Nathan Whiteman; Avery Walsworth; Joseph Dana; Titus King; Thaddeus Case; Leonard Farewell; Joshua Tinney; Johb Vaughan & Leonard Barker.