Pueblo County Biographies

Pueblo County, Colorado
AARON ROOD

Contributed by Karen Mitchell.

Among the farsighted and energetic business men of Pueblo whose enterprise is a factor in the substantial commercial development of the city is Aaron Rood, the president of the Rood Candy Company, in which connection he has built up a trade of substantial proportions. He comes from the Atlantic seaboard, his birth having occurred in Windham county, Counecticut, on the 1st of June, 1845, his parents being Jesse and Permelia (Brainard) Rood. The mother is still living at the very venerable age oŁ ninety-five years, but the father has passed away. Aaron Rood was quite young when the family home was established in Illinois, where he acquired his education in the public schools. In fact, he was only two and a half years of age at the time of the removal, so that he has been reared in the west and has become imbued with the spirit of western enterprise and progress. He completed his public school course by graduation from the high school of Byron, Ogle county, Illinois, and he started out in the business world as an employe in a dry goods store of Rockford, Illinois, but soon after he entered commercial circles the country became involved in civil war and he could no longer content himself to remain quietly at home while other young men were battling for the Union on the soil of the south. He joined the army, becoming one of the boys in blue of Company B, Ninety-second Illinois Infantry, under command of Kilpatrick. He joined the army on the 23d of February. 1864, and was connected therewith until the 23d of July, 1865, serving as corporal at the time of his discharge. Following the close of hostilities Mr. Rood returned to his home with a most creditable military record and was engaged in the hardware business in Illinois for a few years, retaining his residence in that state until 1872, when he removed to Colorado. He at first located at Boulder, where he resided for thirteen years, and then became a resident of Pueblo, where he has since made his home. He was at first connected with the cracker manufacturing business but sold out to the American Biscuit Company, with which he remained as Pueblo representative for nine years. In the meantime the Union, American and National Biscuit Companies were consolidated and have since done business under the name of the National Biscuit Company. Mr. Rood was thoroughly acquainted with every branch of the trade and wisely and successfully controlled the interests of the corporation in Pueblo. Severing his connection with the National Biscuit Company in order to engage in business on his own account, he organized the Rood Candy Company in 1900 and has since developed a business of extensive proportions, his being one of the important productive enterprises of the city. Something of the volume of his trade is indicated in the fact that he now employs one hundred people and makes shipments all over the country. He holds to the highest standards in the excellence of his product. The company occupies a large brick plant which is thoroughly equipped and Mr. Rood, familiar with every branch of the business, gives general supervision thereto, and his careful management, his spirit of enterprise and his comprehensive knowledge of the trade have been the salient factors in the growing success of the undertaking. On the 1st of January, 1869, Mr. Rood was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Sanford, who passed away on the 1st of May, 1904, leaving a son, Jesse A., who is the secretary and treasurer of the company. Mr. Rood belongs to the Central Christian church and he also has membership in Pueblo Post, No. 8, G. A. R., thus maintaining pleasant relations with his old military comrades, with whom he delights to meet and recall incidents connected with the Civil war. He was commander of Pueblo Post for two years and was senior vice commander of the department. He has been closely associated with the development of Colorado for many years, and his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. He is justly accounted one of its honored pioneers, its representative citizens and progressive business men of the present day. History Of Colorado Illustrated Volume III Chicago The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1918

to the Pueblo County Index Page.