 His father had a long history of public service, including stints as postmaster of Detroit, sheriff of Wayne County, Michigan, and as a member of the Detroit City Council.The younger Codd attended the public schools in Detroit and graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1891 with a Bachelor of Arts.While attending Michigan, Codd played for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team as a pitcher from 1888 to 1892.