Hugh Ellsworth Rodham

Hugh Ellsworth Rodham was born on April 2, 1911 in Scranton Pennsylvania to Hugh Rodham, Sr, and Hannah Jones. He was raised like any other child of Welsh descendents that worked in the coal mines. He graduated high school and went on to Pennsylvania State University on a football scholarship, in which he played for the Penn State Nittany Lions team. he also joined the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. He graduated in 1935 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education.

After college, he worked for a short time with his father's employer, Scranton Lace Company. However, he wanted more and without asking permission from his parents, hopped on a freight train and headed for Chicago. He went to work selling drapery fabrics throughout the Midwest as a traveling salesman. He sent the money he earned back home to his parents.

While making a sales call at a textile company in 1937, Hugh met Dorothy Emma Howell. After a long courtship, they were married in 1942. He enlisted in the United States Navy where he earned the status of Chief Petty Officer while stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Station. He was in charge of training sailors before they were sent to the Pacific Ocean during World War II.

After the war, Hugh became a successful textile supplier beginning with Rodrik Fabrics and later opening a fabric print plant on the North Side of Chicago.

Hugh and his wife Emma had three children, Hillary born October 26, 1947, Hugh born in 1950, and Tony born in 1954. During 1950, the family moved to Park Ridge, Illinois, a wealthier suburb of Chicago. However, they still held ties with Scranton Pennsylvania where all three of their children were christened and they spent every summer at Lake Winola.

In 1964, Hugh became very interested in the presidential campaign and especially the viewpoints of Barry Goldwater. From this time forward, Hugh was a steadfast Republican and was noted as saying after his daughter, Hillary, married Democrat Bill Clinton that he never gave up hope that Bill would join him in the Republican Party.

Hugh Ellsworth Rodham passed away on April 7, 1993 at the age of 82. He was buried at the Washburn Street Cemetery in Scranton, Pennsylvania.