Rotch, Charity Rodman, 1766-1824

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Charity Rodman Rotch (1767-1823) was a Quaker minister from Massachusetts who was an early settler of Massillon, Ohio.

Rotch was born Charity Rodman on October 31, 1766, to Captain Thomas Rodman (1724-1766) and Mary Borden Rodman (1729-1798) of Newport, Rhode Island. Her father's ship was lost at sea mere weeks after her birth. In 1790 Charity married her brother-in-law Thomas Rotch, a merchant from the island of Nantucket. The new couple lived on the island for several months before moving to New Bedford in 1791. There Thomas joined another branch of the family firm led by his older brother William Rotch Jr. The couple's only child was born in New Bedford in 1791, but died before reaching the age of six months. The following fall, Charity had a brush with smallpox. Though she survived, her health remained poor for the rest of her life.

Late in the year 1800 the Rotches moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where Thomas operated several factories. He and Charity also continued as active Quaker ministers, a role they had both occupied since living in New Bedford.

Rotch's continued poor health, exacerbated by New England's cold winters, led the couple to move to Ohio late in 1811, where they settled in Stark County, Ohio. They founded the town of Kendal (later absorbed into the city of Massillon) in 1812, which attracted a number of other Quaker families from the east coast. The couple were deeply involved in the area's religious life as active participants in their local Quaker meetings and Ohio Yearly Meeting. By 1820 they were also taking part in the local Underground Railroad.

Late in 1823 Thomas died of bilious fever. Charity's health continued to decline, and she died almost a year later on August 6, 1824. She left the majority of her estate to the establishment of the Charity School of Kendal (1829-1906), fulfilling a longtime dream to provide education for orphans and indigent children.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Rotch, William. William Rotch papers, 1793-1833. Sturgis Library (Barnstable, Mass.)
referencedIn Joshua Evans papers, ca. 1788-ca. 1804. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
creatorOf Hoskins family letterbook, 1729-1863 Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
creatorOf Rotch-Wales papers Ohio History Connection, Ohio Historical Society
referencedIn Rotch family papers, 1764-1947 New Bedford Whaling Museum
creatorOf Rotch family. Rotch family papers, 1684-1968. Library of Congress
creatorOf Rodman-Rotch Family Papers, 1763-1865. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
founderOf Charity School (Kendal, Ohio) corporateBody
acquaintanceOf Collins, Esther Roberts Hunt, 1751-1820 person
sibling-in-law of Dean, William, 1775-1846 person
acquaintanceOf Evans, Joshua, 1731-1798 person
sibling of Fisher, Hannah Rodman, 1764-1819 person
sibling-in-law of Fisher, Samuel Rowland, 1745-1834 person
auntOrUncleOf Fisher, Thomas, 1801-1856 person
sibling of Hazard, Anna (Rodman) person
correspondedWith Mott, James, 1788-1868 person
sibling-in-law of Rodman, Elizabeth Rotch, 1757-1856. person
sibling-in-law of Rodman, Elizabeth Rotch, 1757-1856. person
sibling of Rodman, Samuel, 1753-1835 person
sibling of Rodman, Sarah, 1764-1793 person
sibling-in-law of Rotch, Elizabeth Barker. person
child-in-law of Rotch, Elizabeth Barney, 1735-1824 person
sibling-in-law of Rotch, Lydia Scott, 1782-1863 person
sibling-in-law of Rotch, Mary, 1777-1848 person
spouseOf Rotch, Thomas, 1767-1823 person
child-in-law of Rotch, William, 1734-1828 person
sibling-in-law of Rotch, William, 1759-1850 person
correspondedWith Routh, Martha Winter, 1743-1817 person
correspondedWith Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813 person
acquaintanceOf Todd, Eli, 1769-1833 person
auntOrUncleOf Wharton, Deborah Fisher, 1795-1888 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Massillon OH US
Newport RI US
Hartford CT US
New Bedford MA US
Subject
Antislavery movements
Chronically ill
Lay ministry
Quakers
Quaker women
Quaker women ministers
Occupation
Clergy
Quakers
Quaker women
Women clergy
Activity

Person

Birth 1766-10-31

Death 1824-08-06

Female

English

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