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The Back Rhodes of Our Genealogy

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From: "Lynn in the Revolution", by Howard Kendall Sanderson, Part II, Published in 1909, by W. B. Clarke Company, Boston, page 218-221.

JESSE RHODES,-son of Ignatius and Sarah (Merriam) Rhodes, was born May 24,1759; married by Rev. Mr. Roby, November 16,1783, to Love Newhall, daughter of Allen and sister of Daniel A. B. and Charles; children, Jesse, Loue , Salley, Betsy, Huldah, Allen. He died January 3. 1891. He was a deacon of the old First Church, and lived on Boston Street. The old house, torn down / ! about the year 1884, stood a little back from the corner of Boston Street, on the easterly side of Cedar. The land was formerly the old Witt place, but in the course of years came into the ha& of Mr. Rhodes. It was one of the oldest houses in town, and had the long sloping roof. Its timbers were of oak, and it was built in a most substantial manner:
His military record is given as follows: Private, Captain Addison Richardson's company, Colonel Wade's regiment; entered service July 19, 1780, three months, eleven days; regiment detached from Essex County militia; travel 240 miles home; also private, Captain Simeon Brown's company, Colonel Jacob Gerrish's regiment of guards; service, April 9 to July 3, 1778, three months, two days; also July 3 to July 14 same year; rolls dated at Winter Hill.-Mass. Rolls.

JOHN RHODES,-son of Hezekiah and Abigail, was born January27, 1753, and died in the army in 1776.

JOHN RHODES,- son of Ignatius and Sarah (Merrian) Rhodes, was born August 6, 1750; married by Rev. Mr. Treadwell, December, 11, 1777, to Lydia Farrington; children, Joseph, Sarah, Ezra, Elizabeth.  He lived in Breed's End according to Pratt, and died June 10, 1826, aged seventy-seven. His wife, Lydia, died April 15, 1815.
He was in Captain Rufus Mansfield's company, and responded to the alarm of April 19, 1779. Buried in the old Western Ground, with marker and stone at his grave.

JOSIAH RHODES,--son of John and Hannah Rhodes, was born in Lynn, July 45, 1738. A Josiah, Jr., and Rebecca Tarbox were married by Rev. Mr. Roby, April 6, 1781; children, John, Rebecca, Lydia, and Betsey. Josiah was buried in the old Western Burial Ground, October 28, 1834. In the list of burials no age is given, it simply being stated that he was "very old." The following is given from a sketch by Mr. B. F. Newhall, of Saugus: "For many years there have stood by the river in East Saugus old mills. In 1796 the manufacture of chocolate was begun in them, and continued very successfully for a long time. In 1805 or 1806 the premises were leased to Amariah Childs, then one of the most prominent men in the town. During the War of 1812 the mill was overwhelmed with orders and the price of chocolate rose to a very high figure. One of the most amusing things connected with this old chocolate manufacture was the pretended art or skill indispensable to a successful issue. This was believed to be a secret possessed by only here and there an individual. Even the persons who carried on the manufacture did not pretend to any knowledge of the art. It seemed to be a general concession by the public that the science of manufacture was known to but few. The grand magician of that early day was Josiah Rhodes, nicknamed 'Slim Cesar.' He exercised the most unlimited control over the whole establishment. So arbitrary was he in the exercise of his pretended skill that scarcely any one dared to look at the chocolate in process of manufacture. The roaster and stirring kettle were objects forbidden by him to be examined by the ignorant world. I well remember with what veneration I used to look upon this aged, cadaverous veteran. The smoke of the roaster could be seen curling up over the fire, but none had the courage in his presence to smell the forbidden odor. Occasionally a small, mysterious, white powder, from a clean piece of white paper, would be cast into the roaster or the kettle, in a mysterious and magical manner, completely blinding the eyes of the uninitiated. Such was the dignity and haughtiness attendant upon the exercise of his skill, that he rarely ever smiled or spoke when thus engaged. Even his employers scarcely dared to ask a question. Men who labored years under him never dared to raise a pretence of knowing anything. Such were the mysteries of the trade in olden times."
The Pension Office gives the following Revolutionary record : Private, Captain Daniel Galeucia's company, 1775, three months; private, Captain Cox's company, 1778, two months; private, Captain Buffinton's company, Colonel Jacob Gerrish's regiment, 1778, three months; private, Captain Ebenezer Richardson's company, Colonel Wade's regiment, July or August, 1780, three months. Allowed a pension from August 14,1832.

SAMUEL RHODES,-probably son of John and Hannah (Rhodes) Rhodes, was born in Saugus, July 13, 1753. He was in the company of Captain David Parker on the 19th of April, 1775. On October 14, 1777, he enlisted in Captain North's company, and entered the northern army. On April 30, 1780, he was in camp near Morristown, in a regiment under Colonel Iienry Jackson. He was married by Rev. Mr. Roby September 12, 1781, to Hannah Shillaber, and had children,-Hannah, Sarah, Lydia, Polly Rebecca, Jane, and Content. He lived on the road then called " Back Lane," now known as Winter Street, between East Saugus and Saugus Centre. The street was appropriately named, for the old people were accustomed to say that the snow did not melt there until July. He lived there until about 1800, when he removed to Danvers, where he died in 1816.

THOMAS RHODES,-son of Ignatius and Sarah (Merriam) Rhodes, as born in Lynn, February 13, 1747; married by Rev. Mr. Treadwell, April 23, 1778, to Anna Ireson, daughter of John and Azuha Ireson, born May 25, 1754. He was a private in Captain Rufus Mansfield's 4th Lynn company which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; two days' service at that time, but may have seen further service. His homestead after the Revolution was on Western Avenue, in the house now just
 across the tracks of the Boston & Maine Railroad, on the left toward Breed's Square. He built the house over a hundred years ago, and died there, February 9, 1838. His wife died September 42, 1815, and both are buried in the old Western Burial Ground, where a marker and stone have been erected to his memory. His children were Thomas, John, Anna, William, Edward, and Sally. His grand-daughter, bliss Hitchings, who occupies the house (1904), remembers him well. He was a man of considerable education, and one whose advice was often sought in matters of importance. He was a farmer, and a constant attendant at the Old Tunnel Meeting-house. His farm extended from South Street to Walden and Summer. The old musket which he probably carried on the day of the Lexington alarm is still preserved in the house in which he lived. In personal appearance he was a man of medium height, of light complexion, was smooth-shaven, and had white hair. In his last days he broke his hip, and from that time his health gradually failed. In his mill he mentioned his land and buildings, and his pew in the Orthodox Meeting-house, which he valued at forty dollars.

WILLIAM RHODES,-son of Ignatius and Sarah (Merriam) Rhodes, was born August 10, 1752, and may have been the William who married Eunice Hutchinson, August 29, 1775, and had the following children: William, Richard, Joel, Jesse, John, and Thomas.
He was a private in Captain Rufus Mansfield's 4th Lynn company which marched on the alarm of April 19,1775; service, two days.


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