San Diego County Biographies
 
DR. JOSEPH RODES

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


of San Diego, is a native of Philadelphia, born October 15, 1863. His father, 
Mr. James Rodes, also a native of Philadelphia, was born in 1827, and has been 
in the furniture business nearly all his life. The Doctor's grandfather, Joseph 
Rodes, was of German descent, but born in Philadelphia. Margaret (Stewart) 
Rodes, the Doctor's mother, was born in Philadelphia in 1830. She was a woman of 
rare natural talents; the daughter of James and Sarah (Potter) Stewart, the 
latter from the line of Potters, of which Bishop Potter of New York is also a 
descendant.
        His father and mother were married in 1860, and had three children: 
Aline, born September 7, 1861; Maree, born January 22, 1866; and Joseph. The 
latter spent his boyhood days in Philadelphia, where he attended the public 
schools. In 1882 he began to study medicine with Dr. A. R. Thomas, dean and 
professor of anatomy in the Hahnemann College of Philadelphia, and continued 
with him five years. In 1884 he entered the above college, and graduated with 
high honors in 1887. He then engaged in the practice of his profession in 
Philadelphia, and shortly became assistant surgeon to Dr. William B. Van Lennep. 
During the following two years he served as chief of the dispensary staff, 
associate physician to the nervous, eye, and venereal out-patient departments of 
the Hahnemann Hospital; assistant demonstrator of anatomy, and assistant to the 
clinics, in the Hahnemann College; also pathologist to the Children's 
Homoeopathic Hospital.
        Late in 1889 he came to San Diego for rest and to see the country, and 
has now decided to remain here, to engage in the practice of his profession. He 
has established himself in rooms 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Bon Ton Building (Sixth 
and D streets), where he has most exceedingly well equipped offices. He is a man 
of culture and ability, the author of numerous medical essays and a member of 
the Episcopal Church. He will doubtless be quite an accession to the already 
able medical profession of San Diego.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  171