The Back Rhodes of Our Genealogy
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James J. Rhodes (1833- ), son of Samuel F. Rhodes (1787-1860), son of
Hezekiah Rhodes (immigrant from Germany)
From: History of Wayne County, Indiana (Chicago: Interstate Pub. Co., 1884),
p. 418-419.
James J. Rhodes was born Oct. 31, 1833, in Preble County, Ohio, the youngest
son of Samuel F. and Jane (Jones) Rhodes. He was ten years old when his
parents moved to Wayne County, Ind., and at the age of eighteen years he
left his home to learn the saddler and harness-maker's trade at Whitewater.
He served an apprentice of two years, after which he worked as a journeyman
till 1857. He then carried on the business for himself till the breaking out
of the war. He enlisted Nov. 18, 1861, as a private in Company C,
Fifty-seventh Indiana Infantry, and served for three years. He was honorably
discharged Nov. 19, 1864. He was married March 20, 1858, to Lydia, daughter
of A. b: and Nancy (Perkins) Elliott, by whom he had two children - James E.
E. and one who died in infancy. Mrs. Rhodes died Jan. 13, 1865, and Dec. 13,
1866, Mr. Rhodes married Mrs. Susan (Sasser) Call, a daughter of William
Sasser, of Randolph County, Ind. They were the parents of seven children -
Oliver M., Orville E., Samuel A., and four who died in infancy. After his
return from the war Mr. Rhodes worked at the millwright's trade and in a
saw-mill nearly two years. He has followed farming and stock-raising on his
present farm since his marriage in 1866. In politics he is a Republican and
he and wife belong to the Christian Church. His father was born in Vermont,
June 22, 1787, the youngest son of eleven children of Hezekiah Rhodes, who
came from Germany and served in the Revolutionary war with three of his
sons. The family settled in New York State when Samuel was a boy, and in
1805 the latter came to Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1811 he married a daughter of
James and Jane (Lee) Jones, the former a Captain in the war of the
Revolution, who died while in the service. Samuel Rhodes served an
apprenticeship of seven years at the boot and shoemaker's trade, and
afterward became prominently identified with the business interests of
Cincinnati as a tanner and a boot and shoe manufacturer, which occupation he
followed until 1825. He then resided on a farm in Preble County, Ohio (where
the town of El Dorado is now situated), until 1843, after which he moved to
Whitewater, Ind., residing there till his death, July 5, 1860, at the age of
seventy-three years. In politics he was a democrat. His wife died Dec. 17,
1862. They were members of the Universalist church. Of their eleven children
nine lived to maturity, and two sons and two daughters still survive.
Additional census records:
1850 Census, Wayne Co., Indiana, Franklin Township, M-432, Roll 180, p. 257:
Dwelling 102, Family 102: Samuel F. Rhodes, 62, shoemaker, estate $175, born
Vermont; Jane Rhodes, 57, born Kentucky; Aaron Rhodes, 19, laborer, born
Ohio; James Rhodes, 16, born Ohio; Sarah Rhodes, 25, born Ohio.
1860 Census, Wayne Co., Indiana, Franklin Township, M-653, Roll 308, p. 137:
Dwelling 952, Family 967: James A. Rhodes, 26, saddler, real estate $500,
personal estate $75, born Ohio; Lydia Rhodes, 22, born Indiana.
1870 Census, Wayne Co., Indiana, Franklin Township, M-593, Roll 370, p. 341:
Dwelling 209, Family 213: James Rhodes, 36, farmer, real estate $3,000,
personal estate $650, born Ohio; Susanna Rhodes, 30, keeping house, born
Indiana; James E. Rhodes, 8, at home, born Indiana; Oliver M. Rhodes, 3,
born Indiana.
1880 Census, Wayne Co., Indiana, Franklin Township, T-9, Roll 321, p. 11:
Dwelling 188, Family 201: James Rhodes, 46, farmer, (disease of) lungs, born
Indiana, parents born Ohio; Susan Rhodes, 42, wife, keeping house, born
Indiana, parents born North Carolina; Elmer Rhodes, 18, son, farmer, born
Indiana, parents born Indiana; Ollie Rhodes, 12, son, born Indiana; Orville
Rhodes, 6, son, born Indiana; Samuel Rhodes, 2, son, born Indiana.
