Thanks to Phillip Wayne Rhodes of the Jones Memorial Library
in Lynchburg, Virginia for bringing us this data.
Check out their website at www.jmlibrary.org.
Form: Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois: Historical and
Biographical (Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., 1884) p. 244-245.
Henry RHOADS, farmer and hardware dealer, is a native of Muskingum County,
Ohio, born January 31, 1824, the son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Slater)
Rhoads, the eldest in a family of four children, and is of German, English
and Irish descent; German on his father's side, and a mixture of the
English and Irish on his mother's side. The father of Mr. Rhoads was born
in Pennsylvania, and his mother in Virginia. His father was a soldier in
the war of 1812, and was at Hull's surrender.
When the subject of this notice was five years of age, his parents left
Ohio and came to Vermillion County, Ind[iana], and then removed to Coles
County, Ill[inois], and there the parents died, father in May, 1858, and
mother in April, 1864.
In 1850, the subject of this sketch came to Cumberland County [Illinois],
and settled at Greenup, and began clerking in the store of Brewer &
Ficklin. In 1853, he began the mercantile business in Greenup, and there
remained six years, and then came to Toledo; came to this town November
20, 1860, and here has lived ever since. He was married December 9, 1855,
to Miss Margaret E. Shull, daughter of Michael Shull. Mrs. Rhoads was also
born in Ohio.
To this marriage was born five children, viz.: Laura, William, John B.,
Robert S., and Brother, of whom all are deceased except John B.
Mr. Rhoads is a Democrat, and in 1860, was elected Sheriff of Cumberland
County. In 1863, he was elected Treasurer, and in 1866, he was elected
Sheriff for a second term. He has taken an active part in politics. He is
a member of the Masonic Fraternity; made a Mason about 1871. In 1881, Mr.
Rhoads began the hardware business in Toledo, and this he still continues.
Mr. Rhoads is one of the pioneers of Cumberland County, and one of its
most respected citizens. He has many friends, but no known enemies. He is
one of those plain, common, every day kind of men in whom the honest will
always find a benefactor.
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1860 Census, Cumberland Co., Illinois, M-653, Roll 172, p. 768 [Greenup
Precinct] Dwelling 767, Family 768: Henry Rhoads, 35, merchandizing, real
estate $4,400, personal estate $3,000, born Ohio; Margaret E. Rhoads, 29,
born Ohio; William R. Rhoads, 1, born Illinois; Olive Strader, 18, born
Indiana.
1870 Census, Cumberland Co., Illinois, M-593, Roll 214, p. 261, [Prairie
City in Sumpter Township] Dwelling 52, Family 52: Henry Rhodes, 46,
farmer, real estate $15,000, personal estate $1,500, born Ohio; Margaret
Rhodes, 38, keeping house, born Ohio; John b: Rhodes, 9, born Illinois;
not named Rhodes, 3/12 (male), born April 1870, Illinois.
1880 Census, Cumberland Co., Illinois, T-9, Roll 184, p. 573 [Prairie
City] Dwelling 230, Family 230: Henry Rhodes, 56, retired merchant, born
Ohio, father born Pennsylvania, mother born Virginia; Margaret Rhodes, 48,
wife, keeping house, born Ohio, father born Virginia, mother born Ohio;
John b: Rhodes, 19, son, at school, born Illinois, father born Ohio,
mother born Ohio; Harriet Green, 44, boarder, mantua maker, born Illinois,
father born Indiana.