William Henry “W.H.” Roddis (1844-1920) was born in Troy, New York, on January 5, 1844 and moved as a child to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. W.H. Roddis graduated from the Milwaukee Academy and was active in Milwaukee real estate. W.H. Roddis married Sara Louis Denton (1846-1926), daughter of Reverend and Mrs. Jonas Denton, in Mendham, New Jersey. They had two children, Hamilton (1875-1960) and Frances Mary (1877-1952), who were born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. W.H. Roddis and his family moved to Marshfield in March 1894, and he became active in the lumber business as manager with the Hattenberg Veneer Company. By 1897, W.H. bought majority stock in the Hattenberg Veneer Company and changed the name to Roddis Veneer Company. W.H. served as President until his death on November 6, 1920. Along with the business in Marshfield, W.H. served twenty-six years as senior warden at St. Alban's Church, as alderman of the 4th ward, and mayor of Marshfield. Along with managing a home, Sara L. served in the St. Alban's Guild and the Marshfield Woman's Club. She died in Marshfield on June 23, 1926.
Hamilton Roddis (1875-1960) left school at UW-Madison in 1899, and joined the Roddis Veneer Company as secretary, finishing his law degree by mail. In 1903, the company expanded into lumber products and the name was changed to Roddis Lumber and Veneer Company. On July 7, 1908, Hamilton married Catherine Sarah Prindle (1882-1964) in Kirksville, Missouri. Catherine was born in Chicago, Illinois on August 15, 1882, to Jason R. Prindle and Isabella Arents Hedenberg Prindle. Catherine attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and graduated in June 1906. Catherine taught high school English and German in the Elkhorn, Wisconsin Public Schools from 1906 to 1907. Hamilton and Catherine had six children: Mary Isabella (born 1909), Sara Frances (born 1909), Catherine Prindle (born 1911), Augusta Denton (born 1916), William “Bill” Henry (born 1917), and Ellen Cecilia (born 1923). When W.H. Roddis died in 1920, Hamilton became President of Roddis Lumber and Veneer Company and both he and his sister, Frances M. inherited their father's interest. Hamilton and Catherine P. lived in Marshfield and went to Pompano Beach, Florida some winters. Hamilton was active in the Episcopal Church, severed as alderman of the 4th Ward from 1912-1917 and 1920-1921 and after World War II served on the Water Advisory Board. Catherine was active in the Marshfield chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), past State DAR president and founding member of DAR Officers Club, charter member of St. Alban's Altar Guild, and member of Marshfield Woman's Club.
In 1948, the Roddis Lumber and Veneer Company changed its name to Roddis Plywood Corporation. Hamilton remained President until his death on March 27, 1960 and in August 1960 the Roddis Plywood Corporation was sold to Weyerhaeuser Company. Catherine lived in Marshfield, Wisconsin and traveled to Florida in the winters until her death there on April 15, 1964.
Frances Mary Roddis (1877-1952), attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduating from the College of Letters and Science on June 1902. She did post-graduate work at the University of Berlin in Germany and traveled in Europe where she collected postcards of her travels. Frances taught school between 1905 and 1908 in Elkhorn and Mondovi, Wisconsin. Frances inherited a house in New Orleans, Louisiana from her aunt, Mary A. Roddis in May 1925, so spent winters in New Orleans and summers in Marshfield from 1926 until 1945. While in Marshfield Frances was a member of the Marshfield Woman's Club and St. Alban's Altar Guild. Frances retired to Pasadena, California in 1945 and died in her home there on June 13, 1952.
Mary Isabella, Sara Frances, Catherine Prindle, Augusta Denton, William “Bill” Henry, and Ellen Cecilia corresponded with each other and their parents while in school, traveling and after marrying. William “Bill” Henry served in the Navy during World War II, and corresponded with his family during the war. Mary Isabella married Gordon Robert Phelps Connor and Sara Frances married Henry Stewart Jones both on May 14, 1909 in Marshfield. Catherine Prindle married Robert Thomas Beggs on June 20, 1936 in Marshfield. All the Roddis children worked and/or held shares in the Roddis Plywood Corporation, along with Robert T. Beggs.
The following chronology reflects papers found in the collection and is incomplete:
- William Henry Roddis married Sara Louis Denton
- Francis Mary Roddis (1877-1952)
- Hamilton Roddis (1875-1960) married Catherine Sarah Prindle (1882-1964)
- Mary Isabella (1909-) married Gordon Robert Phelps Connor
- Sara Frances (1909-) married Henry Steward Jones
- Catherine Prindle (1911-) married Robert Thomas Beggs
- Augusta Denton (1916-)
- William “Bill” Henry (1917-)
- Ellen Cecilia (1923-)
- Jason R. Prindle married Isabella Arents Hedenberg
- Catherine Sarah Prindle (1882-1964) married Hamilton Roddis
- Lucy Adelaide
- Miriam E. married Granville B. Waller
- Edith Isabella
- Richard H. married Amy
- Legore married Irma
- James Prindle married Mary
- Dora Baxter
