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From the book entitled: History of Cook County, Illinois--: being a general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits; from the earliest settlement to the present time, Volume 1
Editors: Weston Arthur Goodspeed, Daniel David Healy
Publisher: The Goodspeed historical association, 1909

Carey W. Rhodes, a member of the law firm of Mayer, Myer, Austrian & Platt, is a representative of that class of Americans who have achieved success through hard work, persistence and natural ability. Born on a farm near West Union, Adams county, Ohio, September 3, 1869, Mr. Rhodes is one of six children, all living, born to the marriage of Eli F. and Martha (Mahaffey) Rhodes. John Rhodes, his grandfather, was a pioneer of Adams county, Ohio, where he engaged in farming until the breaking out of the Civil war. Although advanced in years, he carried a musket and fought shoulder to shoulder with the men in blue until peace was declared. He died finally from the effects of his military career. Eli F. Rhodes was also a farmer of Adams county, Ohio, and following in the footsteps of his father, served the Union cause from 1861 to 1865. He was a member of Company H, 173d Ohio volunteer infantry, holding the rank of corporal, and participating in the battles of Shiloh, the engagements in and around Chattanooga and other important campaigns. He died September 7, 1897, preceded by his wife February 18, 1887.

Carey W. Rhodes is of Scotch ancestry. His early years were passed on the home farm and attending public schools, and when sixteen years of age he started in life for himself as a country school teacher. He continued teaching in country and town seven years and during this time took special instruction in the Normal school held at West Union, the National Normal University at Lebanon, and the Ohio Normal University at Ada. It was during this period that he also took up the study of law under the direction of A. C. Patten, now probate judge at Washington, C. H., and at odd times secured considerable legal practice in the justice courts. June 11, 1896, he was admitted to the Ohio state bar, and the fall of 1897 came to Chicago to establish himself in the practice of his chosen profession. His total assets at this time consisted of $47 cash, plenty of pluck and confidence in himself and a determination to succeed. To win success for himself in a city already overpopulated with many of the ablest lawyers of the country, required careful research, hard work and ability, and the burning of the midnight oil. He has succeeded and ranks among the really capable lawyers of the city. Having completed a post graduate course in the law department of Lake Forest university, he was graduated therefrom with the degree of LL. b: in June, 1899. For a time succeeding his arrival here he was employed in a general utility capacity with the old firm of Moran, Kraus & Mayer, and later became one of the trial lawyers of the firm. His ability and faithfulness were recognized by his admission as a member of the firm in June, 1908, and as such he has since continued. Mr. Rhodes was admitted to the supreme court of the state of Illinois April 20, 1908. In politics he is a Republican, but owing to the exacting duties of his practice, exercises only the right of citizenship by casting his ballot for what he considers the best interests of the country. He is a member of the Illinois State and Chicago Bar associations, and is a. thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine of Medinah Temple, Chicago. October 16, 1899, he married Nellie L. Robbins and their home is at 920 Montrose boulevard.