DR. V. D. ROODS
The medical fraternity of Anita, consists of Doctors V. D. Rood, J. E. Sansom, E. E. Major, T. B. Beatty and R. Davis.
V. D. Rood, M. D., son of D. B. and Eliza (Hines) Rood, was born in April, 1842, in the State of Vermont. He was one of a family of eight children, five daughters and three sons, and was brought up on a farm. In 1861 he enlisted in company H, of the Second Vermont Volunteers. He was at Centerville at the time of the battle of Bull Run, and participated in the Peninsula campaign. At Savage Station he was wounded, taken prisoner and sent to Libby prison, where he remained five weeks. He was then released, joined his command and went to Newport News, where he was wounded and sent to McClellan hospital. Here he commenced the study of medicine, which he afterward pursued at Fairfax institute two years. He then entered the office of Dr. C. F. Halley, of Fairfax, of whom he received instruction for two years. In the meantime he took a course of lectures at Burlington University, and graduated from that institution in 1867. He then commenced the practice of his profession at Hyde Park, Orleans county. Dr. Rood was married in 1869, in White House, New Jersey, to Miss Sarah C. Voorhees. In the summer of 1870, he came to Iowa and began practice. In addition to his practice he is running the largest hardware store in Anita, carrying a stock of six thousand dollars. He also deals in wagons, farm implements and machinery and everything to be found in a first class hardware establishment. Doctor and Mrs. Rood are the parents of five children, four of whom are living--Roscoe, Grace, Edson and Vernon. Dr. Rood came to the county poor, but is now in possession of a competency. He is a member of the medical society and of the G. A. R. and A. O. U. W.
Contributed by Lisa Varnes-Rex from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pp. 406-407.
