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The Back Rhodes of Our Genealogy

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FROM: History of Cook County, Illinois From the earliest period to the present time.
BY: A. T. Andreas
Published: A. T. Andreas, Publisher Chicago 1884.

Richard Silas Rhodes was born in Providence. R. I., November 5, 1843. His father's name is Georce A. Rhodes, and his mother's Lavinia (Colwell) Rhodes. George A. Rhodes was a son of Richard Rhodes. who was a Captain in the American Army of the Revolutionary War, and in the War of 1812 was Captain of an American privateer. George A. Rhodes moved with his family from Providence to Chicago, in 1854, settling down on the present site of the Palmer House. He afterward moved to 158 North State Street, where he resided until the great fire. Richard S. Rhodes in the meantime attended both day school and Sunday-school where the Chamber of Commerce now stands, and prepared for college, In 1868 he began the business of book publishing, in which business he is still engaged. having published numerous books and pamphlets. When fifteen years old he became partially deaf, and suffered considerable inconvenience from this affliction. After experimenting for a number of years he discovered the principle upon which the audiphone is based, by holding his watch between his teeth, observing that he could hear it tick more plainly than when he held it to his ear. The invention of the audiphone was the result of this discovery. Many thousands of these instrninents are now used and in all parts of the civilized world. Sir. Rhodes has been most active in building up the suberban village of River Park, having built there the first houses, laid the first sidewalks, graded the first streets, planted the first trees, built the first church, and procored the establishment of the post office.

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