Hodges Family History
Hodges Early History
The surname of HODGES was originally a baptismal name 'the son of Roger' an ancient personal name which was of English origin It was also used as an occupational, the worker on the land, a labourer. Early records of the name mention Hogge (without surname) 1208 London. Edward Hodges of County Lancashire, was recorded in 1377, and William Hodges was documented in County Durham in the same year. Johannes Hodgeson was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. The name was taken early to Scotland by settlers, and Thomas Hodgis who was the Burgess of Glasgow in 1487, appears to be the first of the name on record there.
Our Hodges family came to America from Wales. They migrated to Pennsylvania in 1776, then through the Carolina's and the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky, eventually to Indiana. In the early 1800’s the Hodges families were among the first settlers of Warrick County, Indiana. Gentry Hodges (1803-1864) settled in the area that was to become Owen Township perhaps as early as 1815-1818. Warrick County was formed in 1813, this area was little more than a wilderness at the time. It’s size is exactly twenty-four sections or square miles.
The Hodges family settled in Section 20 on a 40-acre plot of land. It is believed that the Hodges family home was on this farm, owned by Gentry Hodges. A plat map of Owen Township in 1880 shows Gentry’s sons W.F. Hodges and John Hodges as owners of the land. (William Franklin Hodges and John Hodges were the brothers of James Barnette Hodges). Close neighbors at the time were the Gentry, Leslie and Shelton families.
The first organized church was of Baptist denomination (More than likely General Baptist). It occupied a log church house on the land owned by John Leslie were he and his wife and most likely members of the Hodges family were members of.
The Shiloh Cemetery in Owen Township, Warrick County, Indiana contains many graves of Hodges family members. The graves are located in a long line in the center of the cemetery. Nancy Hodges appears to be the first family member buried there in 1844, the daughter of Gentry and Polly Hodges. Many relatives of the Lee family are also buried there.
Source:
Yesterday and Today, The Family of James Samuel Hodges, Sr. Compiled by Ruth Hodges McGregor and Harold Lee Hodges, Winter 1999
Yesterday and Today, The Family of James Samuel Hodges, Sr. Compiled by Ruth Hodges McGregor and Harold Lee Hodges, Winter 1999