From: Landmarks of Orleans County, New York
Edited by: Hon. Isaac C. Signor, Assisted by: H. P. Smith and others
Published: d: Mason & Co., Publishers, Syracuse, N. Y. 1894
Rhodes, Nathaniel P., was born at Sand Lake, Rensselaer county. N. Y., in 1800 (died November 8, 1890), and was a son of Walter Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes came to Orleans county in the spring of 1834, and purchased a farm a half mile east ot the Transit Church in the town of Murray. Daniel Rhodes, his brother, had come to the county several years previous and settled a short distance west in the town of Gaines. Both brothers were musicians and accomplished fife players, being members of a military band; this band accompanied Captain Achilles and his company of volunteers to Elmira in 1861, which joined the regiment of (Colonel) afterwards General Slocum; the colonel tried to induce them to go with his regiment to the seat of war, but they being men of advanced age declined the offer. They next heard of the regiment was they had taken part in the battle of Bull Run. Mr. Rhodes's widowed mother lived in his family about forty years, and died at the ripe age of 101 years. Richard Rhodes. a younger brother, settled in Chautauqua county about 1830, and in 1850 came to Murray, and afterwards removed to Illinois. Nathaniel P. Rhodes married a daughter of the Rev. Alderman Baker in 1828, and they were the parents of ten children, nine of whom are still living, viz.: Martha, Walter, Sarah, Mary, Eliza, Nathaniel, Josephine, Lorenzo and Selecta, Franklin (deceased). Nathaniel Rhodes was born in 1843, and with the exception of two years has always resided in Murray. He is a Democrat and has served his town as assessor from 1885 to 1891, and supervisor in 1891 and 1892. Mr. Rhodes was married, February 14, 1866, to Miranda Salisbury of Murray, and they have two children: Arthur and Nettie. Daniel Rhodes was born in 1802, he married Emaline King, and they had two sons and three daughters, viz.: William, Silas, Mary, Maranda, and Laura; William was a singing teacher of note and they all were accomplished musicians.