OF A CERTAIN PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY. 71 



XI. CONTINUATION OF LINE E. 



Let us consider first the mating of III-ll, Chart B, of the Rode fra- 

 ternity with III-47, Chart A. She was born in 1845 and died about 

 1882, of typhoid malarial fever. She was always considered defective ; 

 could not learn at school, and showed little judgment in the care of 

 her family and home; was in the habit of begging for her children and 

 was also charged with practices which throw doubt on the paternity 

 of some of her children. It is said that her marriage was the result of a 

 momentary impulse. Walking along a country road, she encountered 

 two of the Rode boys and said to one of them, "come on, let's get 

 married." He, however, refused, but his companion, who was III-ll, 

 stepped up and in the slang phrase of the day remarked, "I'm your 

 huckleberry," and they went straight away and were married. 



They lived on the 17 acres of ground which was her share of her 

 father's farm, where, it is said, her husband sometimes succeeded in 

 raising a fair crop. Whenever he did so, he would buy up two or three 

 decrepit horses to winter on the crop and die in the spring. When 

 designing people tried to get possession of this land at too low a figure, 

 a committee of well-meaning citizens interested themselves in having 

 a guardian appointed for him, but when it came out in the hearing 

 that the best of them had occasionally been worsted by him in a bar- 

 gain the prdject was abandoned. While grossly defective in judgment, 

 he still showed a certain small cunning which his fellow-citizens 

 might have outwitted had they considered it worth while. 



Their three sons (IV-123 to 125) fell ill of scarlet fever. Two died 

 and the eldest was a little better when the mother insisted on taking 

 him out in the rain to visit her mother. This brought on a relapse and 

 his death. She died of typhoid malaria fever, and the father assuming 

 no responsibility for the care of the three surviving children, they were 

 taken to the county farm. He wandered about, living part of the time 

 at the county home and part of the time with relatives. In 1906, was 

 committed by the county commissioners to a hospital for the insane, 

 where he died 1913. Following is the diagnosis and later history as 

 submitted by that institution: 



"Patient admitted , 1906, from the C. Home; aet. 63, single, farmer: 



diagnosis, chronic mania. The statement on admission was as follows 'The 

 first symptoms of insanity noticed 6 months ago. He would cut off the manes 

 and tails of colts. Has threatened to kill some of the inmates of the county 

 home. He seems to have grandiose delusions. One brother had apoplexy; 

 several brothers are in the county home. For about three years after admis- 

 sion his health was good; mentally was cheerful, contented; conduct was 

 fairly good, although his manner was silly; was occupied constantly in out- 

 side work. His health then began to fail gradually and he was unable to work 

 at times. He was frequently seen mumbhng to himself and he collected a 



great deal of rubbish in his room. He died , 1913, cause gangrene of 



right lung and chronic interstitial nephritis." 



