Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-04-19
JAMES RODMAN, M. D.
FOR TWENTY-Six YEARS SUPER
lNTENDENT OF THE W.
X. L. ASYLUM.
Brief Sketch of His Life and Work.

:
Brief Sketch of His Life and Work.
, The official career of DR.. james
Rodman, Superintendent of The
Western Kentucky Lunatic Asylum
will voluntarily close on Saturday
April Goth. For more than a quarter
of century he has filled this position
with credit to himself, honor to hi:
profession and lasting benefit to tie
State.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE ASYLUM.
The history of The Western Ken
lucky Lunatic Asylum dates back
about 30 years. 1t was opened for
patients in 1874 and the first supern-
J tendent was DR.. Sam'l Amman, long
since dead. lie held the place for
four years. In those days the Super
intendents were elected by the Board
of Commissioners, but the first SUI
perintendent was appointed by Gov.
Powell, the Commissioners being I'M
able to agree. In 1858 DIR. Francis
| G. Montgomery succeeded DIR. Amman
and was Superintendent for two
years only, his official career being
cut short by the total destruction of
}the Asylum building by fire. After
this calamity the office of Superinten-
dent was abolished and DR.. Mont
gomery was made visiting ply sician
for the next two or three years. In
this interval the Asylum had been
rebuilt and in the early part of 1863
the Legislature re-established the Of
flee Of Superintendent and the office
was at once rendered DR.. Rodman by
the Board of Commissioners, com.
posed of Jno. P. Campbell, Juo. d
Gowan, L. r Cook, Geo. Poindexter
and Sam NJ. Bernard, and he has
held the position continuously until
the present time.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
James Rodman was born at New
Castle, Henry county, Kentucky,
March 6, 1929. lie was one of seven
children of John snd Martha Rod
man. His fathers ancestors were
Virginians and his mother, whose
maiden name was Force, was de-
scendant of the Huguenots. His
father died while yet young man,
being al the time of his death State
Senator from the district in which
he lived. His widow was left with
six sous to raise-for one of her chill
dren had died-but she proved her.
self equal to the emergency and
brought up her boys 10 be successful,
honored and respected citizens. She
lived to ripe old age and died in
1888, having exceeded by sixteen
years her allotted three score and ten.
Only three of her children survive
her, Mr.. j. L. Rodman, al
leading merchant of Frankfort, Ken
lucky; Mr.. Thomas Rodman, Presi-
dent of the Farmers Bank of Frank
fort, and the subject of this sketch.
DIR. Rodman received an academic
al education in the schools of his
rative towE and vicinity, and began
the study of medicine while J ct
youth. He graduated from the Uni
versity of Louisville in 1919, before
he was 20 years of age. He at once
began the practice of medicine at
Lagrange, in Oldham county, being
associated with his older brother, DIR.
Hugh Rodman. A year later he be-
gan looking about for a good loca-
ton to hang out his shingle, and f.
nally decided TO make his home in
He came stranger,
but soon identified himself with our
people and formed many warm friend.
ships that still exist. He remained
here for three years and in 1858 re-
moved. to Central Kentucky, where
he was married the same year to
Miss Henrietta Thomson, of Henry
county. La 1860 he was elected SUI
perintendent of the Feeble Minded
Institute at Frankfort, which place
he held for three years, resigning in
January 1868. Au absence of ten
years had not severed the "Penny-
roya." ties formed in his younger
days and his selection as Superin-
tendent of the Western Kentucky
Lunatic Asylum was made with tie
utmost harmony and the place was
rendered him in March 1868. lie at
'nce accepted the position, but did
lot enter upon the discharge of Its
luties until a few months later. lie
pent this interval in visiting the
arious asylums Of the United States
nd Canada in order to thoroughly
himself with the best meth 7
de of treating and controlling the q
isane. On June l, 1868, he resumed II
n official career that has continued
Or nearly 30 years. lie was repeat i
dly reelected by the Board of Com .
lissioners up to 1871, when the law '
'as changed making his office an APP
ointive one. For eighteen years
,e several Governors of the State
ave appreciated his valuable SER :,
ices and he has been successfully re-
ppointed every four years, his pres.
1t term expiring April 90 Three
Ears ago DIR. liodman and his family h
'gan to tire of living in the Asylum.
Q built fine residence in Hopkins
lie and began making his arranOe.