1899 – 1902
Edmund Rodman, our eighth president of the New Bedford Port Society, comes from a famous local family that left quite the legacy between our city and church.
Edmund was born over two hundred years ago in New Bedford in 1824. Since his family was already well established into the community, Edmund had no trouble whatsoever integrating and making a name of his own. Wanting to expand his skillset, Edmund attended Haverford College in Pennsylvania in 1839 where he was educated on a great deal of subjects such as business, trade, and more. It was here that he found his appreciation for education and ended up serving fourteen years on the school committee of New Bedford, two of which he was chairman.
Outside of his obligations at school, Edmund shared a wide range of interests. His experience led him to candle manufacturing, dealing in whale oil, becoming an oil broker, and especially an artist. Being captivated by our state’s charm, Edmund produced a variety of oil paintings such as this piece titled “Massachusetts” that dates back to 1878.
His dedication and fascination of the area showed and just a little over twenty years later, Edmund was elected the next president of the New Bedford Port Society. To this day, we owe a plethora to Edmund and his contributions that have shaped the Seamen’s Bethel into the historic church we all know and love on Johnny Cake Hill.