Elam Bodman

SOURCE: "History of Champaign County, Illinois with Illustrations," 1878

SURNAMES: BODMAN, CHURCH, DAY

 

ELAM BODMAN. John BODMAN is supposed to have come to America from Holland in 1640. The record in the old South Church, Boston, shows the baptism of his children in 1645; nothing is known of what has become of them, except Joseph. He lived in Westfield, Massachusetts, in 1681, lost his first wife there in 1685, and in 1687 he married Mary CHURCH. daughter of Capt. CHURCH, of Pequot notoriety. He died in 1711, leaving six children. Deacon Samuel BODMAN son of Joseph, married in Hatfield, Massachusetts, and died in 1773, leaving seven children. Two of the sons left families. Joseph BODMAN, the grandfather of the subject of our present sketch, moved to Williamsburg, Massachusetts. He married Esther FIELD; the first child was born in 1764. They had three children. He died September 3rd, 1818, at Williamsburg, aged 87 years. The grandmother died November 26th, 1820, aged 86 years.

William BODMAN, better known as squire Bill, brother of the grandfather of the subject of the present sketch, was a prominent man in his locality. He represented the town in the general assembly of the state at Boston. Joseph Bodman, the grandfather died, leaving four sons and two daughters. Joseph and Luther were the only children who left families. Luther, the father of the subject of the present sketch, was born July 20th, 1781, and married Clarissa DAY, in the year 1805, in Williamsburg, Mass. Luther, the father, died March 20th, 1866, in Williamsburg, at the age of 84 years. His wife, Clarissa, died two years before, aged 80 years. By this union there were seven children. Six of whom have survived the parents.

Elam, the subject of our sketch is the third son, and was born August 2d, 1812, in Massachusetts, and removed to Ohio in 1838, and studied in Pickaway, Ohio, in the year 1841, and commenced the practice in July, 1844, in Mt. Sterling, Madison county. He remained there until the year 1854, when he removed to Monticello, Piatt county, where he engaged in farming for two years. About this time the town of Bement was laid out; he went there and resumed the practice of his profession. He was the first physician in the town, and remained there until 1862, when he removed to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he entered the service as Surgeon to the 30th Indiana Infantry.

He was also surgeon during the Mexican war, having been commissioned by Gov. Tom Corwin, of Ohio. After his return from the service, he remained in Indianapolis until 1868, when he removed to Sidney, Champaign county, and engaged in the practice of medicine and the drug business, where he still resides. He is Republican in politics, and cast his first vote for Henry Clay in 1836, joined the Republican party upon its formation, and has remained with it ever since