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The Back Rhodes of Our Genealogy

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From: Landmarks of Rensselaer County
By: George Baker Aaderson
Published By: d: Mason & Co. Publishers Syracuse, NY 1897

Whyland, Willis W., was born in Rochester, N. Y., in 1866. He is a very popular and enterprising young man, a son of Calvin Whyland, who was born in Poestenkill, Rensselaer county, January 1, 1824. He was one of thirteen children, ten sons and three daughters, born to Leonard Whyland, of Holland descent, and grandson of the original Whyland who came to America, and was a farmer by occupation. Calvin, the father of Willis W., was reared on a farm and when young was engaged at different times in the nursery, grocery and laundry businesses, the latter of which he followed successfully for thirty years, beginning in Troy in 1869. He made his home for a number of years at Saratoga. In 1876 he went to New York city and engaged in the laundry business, where he remained for two years, then he removed to Berlin and erected the present laundry. Under his supervision the business steadily increased, and he increased the building proportionately until the present large structure was erected; the business gives employment to about sixty people. He was a Mason and an energetic and enterprising man and had the good will of the community. His wife was Mary Rhodes, born in Sand Lake and daughter of Daniel (an agriculturalist in Orleans county, N. Y.) and Emeline (King) Rhodes. Their children were Mrs. Emma Sharp of Michigan, Herbert, Mrs. Cora Greene of Berlin, and Willis W. Mr. Whyland died March 22, 1891, and his wife survives him and resides in the village of Berlin. Herbert is a traveling salesman and is a member of the Berlin Chess Club and of the Royal Arcanum Lodge. Willis W., since his father's demise, has carried on the laundry business very successfully, the work being mostly on new shirts. He is a member of the Berlin Chess Club. Mrs. Whyland, his mother, is one of five children, two sons and three daughters. Her father, Danie Rhodes was born in Berlin, April 4, 1805. He was one of seven children born to Walter, who was also a native of Berlin, born about 1775, and was probably the second or third generation from the first Rhodes who came from England to America in 1744.

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