From: A History of Northwest Missouri

David B. Rhodes was reared in Virginia and there attended the public schools until reaching the age of eighteen years, at which time he started to learn the trade of carpenter, an occupation which he followed for ten years. He was married in 1856 and in 1858 partially gave up carpentering and engaged in farming, which he followed in Virginia until 1868, and in that year came to Ray County. Here he settled on a farm in Section 35, Grape Grove Township, purchasing ninety-six acres of land on which he carried on farming and stock- raising up to the time of his death. During the period of the Civil war, .Mr. Rhodes lived in the "burned district" of the Shenandoah Valley, and suffered considerable loss by reason of the ravages of warfare, but his courageous spirit and determination did not allow him to become discouraged, and in after years he was able to accumulate another fortune and to die in comfortable circumstances. He was one of the substantial men of his section and one who could be implicitly relied upon to perform conscientiously and well the duties of citizenship. He and his wife were consistent members of the German Baptist Church and wherever known were highly respected and esteemed.

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