William H. Rhodes. As proprietor of the Sunrise Stock farm, comprising
230 acres, situated near Manhattan, in Riley County, Kansas, William H.
Rhodes occupies a prominent place among agriculturists in this part of
the state, the products of his farm because of their standard merits
having a wide distribution. Mr. Rhodes was born in Atehison County,
Kansas, March 31. 1869, but was reared in Marion County, Kansas. His
parents were John M. and Martha (Kuhn) Rhodes.
John M. Rhodes was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and died in
Marion County, Kansas, in 1914, when aged seventy-nine years. His
father, Christian Rhodes, was born in Germany and after coming to the
United States lived always in Pennsylvania. John M. and Martha (Kuhn)
Rhodes were married in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and came to
Kansas in 1866. They located first in Atehison County but four years
later removed to Marion County, and there Mrs. Rhodes yet lives, being
now aged eighty years. Mr. Rhodes for forty-
four years successfully carried on farming and stock- raising, a quiet,
industrious man, a good neighbor and a valued citizen. In politics he
was affiliated with the republican party. Both he and wife were members
of the Presbyterian Church. They had four children: Christian E., who
is a banker at Elmo, Kansas; William H.; Mary E., who is the wife of H.
H. Banker, who is a merchant at Brownsville, Texas; and J. Frank, who
is a farmer and stock- raiser on the old homestead in Marion County.
William H. Rhodes was reared to be a farmer and very early, on his
father's homestead, began to learn the practical details that are a
necessary equipment for success in this vocation. He obtained a common
school education but on the farm he has learned more than the books of
his boyhood could teach him, for it is a fine training school. Mr.
Rhodes has shown its worth by developing into one of the most accurate,
careful and enterprising farmers and stockraisers in Riley County. For
fifteen years he successfully operated a fine stock farm in Marion
County, near Tampa, which he sold in 1908, coming then to Riley County
and purchasing his present farm situated near the Kansas State
Agricultural College and now known as the Sunrise Stock Farm. He raises
exceptionally fine stock consisting of Percheron horses, Hereford
cattle and Berkshire hogs.
In 1908 Mr. Rhodes was married to Miss Viola Cromer, who was born in
Illinois, and they have two children: Aileen and Harlan. They are
members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Rhodes is not active in
politics but votes the republican ticket and is a dependable citizen in
lending his influence, when occasion arises, toward forwarding
enterprises promising to advance the general welfare.
Footnote on William H. Rhodes by John Rhodes,
()
:
I am a great-grandnephew of William H. Rhodes and knew the gentleman. There are a number of errors in this 'biography'. His father was John Metz Rhodes, born 21 Feb 1837 in Franklin Co., PA, died 14 Jan 1916 in his home on Clear Spring Farm 7 miles NW of Tampa, Marion Co., KS.
The father of John Metz Rhodes was Christian Rhodes, born and died in Franklin County, PA (3 Dec 1811-16 Dec 1859).
Christian Rhodes, son of Jacob and Barbara Rhodes of Letterkenny Twp., Franklin Co., PA was not born in Germany. It is said the ancestors of our Rhodes family were from Germany and were originally named ROTH.
William H. Rhodes and Viola Cromer were married ca. 1896. They had four children, two of whom died in infancy or as very small children.