John Ellis Rodley (February 2, 1852 – December 2, 1919) was the fourteenth President of the Chico Board of Trustees, the governing body of Chico, California from 1897 to 1899. He was born February 2, 1852, in Galashiels, Selkirkshire,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, the son of Edward Rodley and Sarah Ellis. His father Edward was a manufacturer of wool. His mother Sarah died in Scotland. The family emigrated to the United States in about 1868, and settled in

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. Although, he was still very young at the time, John began his study of

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

under Dr. Hugh Falconer in Scotland. He continued his studies in America at

Missouri Medical College Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) is the medical school of Washington University in St. Louis in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1891, the School of Medicine has 1,260 students, 604 of which are pursuing a medical degree with o ...

(also called McDowell Medical College) in St. Louis from where he was graduated in 1881. He began to practice medicine in Lebanon, where he resided until 1884. He moved to St. Louis, where he continued his practice for four more years, where he was on the Missouri Pacific Hospital, the railroad hospital. He also served as surgeon for the

Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...

. In 1888, Dr. Rodley left Missouri for

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

and located in Chico. In Chico, he practiced medicine, and served on the Chico Board of Trustees, and as its President. He owed four farms, where he raised grains, fruits and nuts. In 1899, Rodley was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of perjury in the witnessing of a forged will offered for probate. He was granted parole in 1906.Journal of the Senate and Assembly
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodley, John Ellis 1852 births 1919 deaths American orchardists American people convicted of perjury Physicians from Missouri California city council members California Republicans Mayors of Chico, California People from Galashiels Scottish emigrants to the United States California politicians convicted of crimes 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American Episcopalians Prisoners and detainees of California Washington University School of Medicine alumni