Oren Ashford Rhoades

1871 - 1917  (46 years)

• Name	Oren Ashford Rhoades  [1, 2, 3]
  Birth	20 Mar 1871	Sheldon, Sacramento County, California   [4]
  Gender	Male
  Death	29 Nov 1917	Merrillan, Jackson County, Wisconsin   [5]
  Burial	2 Dec 1917	Oakwood Cemetery, Merrillan, Jackson County, Wisconsin   [5, 6]
  Person ID	I482	Nicholas Rhoades
  Last Modified	15 Mar 2022

  
  

  Father	Perry Mathias Rhoades,   b. 22 Sep 1838, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois d. 1924, Browntown, Green County, Wisconsin (Age 85 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Julia Ann Trickle,   b. 24 Nov 1845, Green County, Wisconsin d. 1926, Merrillan, Green County, Wisconsin (Age 80 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	4 Mar 1863	Green, Wisconsin   [7]
  Family ID	F2	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Myrta Sisson,   b. 17 Feb 1874, Hawleyville, Page County, Iowa d. Aft 1953, Probably Illinois (Age > 80 years)
  Marriage	Between 1 and 10 Dec 1892	Browntown, Wisconsin   [8]
  Notes	Witnesses to the marriage were George Yeazel and Mannie Forsythe, name of person pronouncing the marriage was George Michael.
  Children	1. Zetta Marie Rhoades,   b. 18 Jul 1898, Wisconsin d. 8 Mar 1995, Palm Springs, Riverside County, California (Age 96 years)  [natural]
  Last Modified	15 Mar 2022
  Family ID	F1	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Oren Rhoade's occupation was listed as sawyer on his marriage contract. His father, Perry Mathias Rhoades, opened a saw mill after he got out of the military in the Civil War, most likely teaching the profession to Oren. Wisconsin Leader, Merrillan, Wisconsin, front page, Friday, Dec. 7, 1917 OREN RHOADES DROWNS UNDER ICE On Thanksgiving day as Oren Rhoades was crossing the ice near the power house he fell through and was drowned. No one saw him, no one heard his cries, and no one knew it until a couple of hours later. It is customary for the village to have lights on Thursday forenoon. On this day Mr. Rhoades worked at the power house until 12:00. He was to eat his Thanksgiving dinner with his brother, Oliver, living on the Waller farm south of the village and no doubt was on his way when the accident occured. On not arriving at Oliver's until long after the dinner was supposed to be served, Oliver walked across the same path that Oren would have taken to get to his house. He crossed the ice a few feet below where Oren fell through and noticing something that looked like a stump and yet did not, Oliver went there and found the object to be his hat. His gloves were also lying near. Not dreaming that his brother was under the ice, he walked on to the house which he found closed and locked. It dawned upon him that perhaps he had fallen through and taking a fish pole he went back and could feel his body. He immediately gave the alarm and many people went down from the village to assist. His body was found about thirty feet from the shore and about seven feet deep. Just how he came to fall torough (sic) will never be known, and all probabilities are only guesses. The body was taken to the undertakers rooms and prepared for burial. The funeral was held from the church Sunday afternoon and was largely attended, the remains were laid to rest in Oakwood cemetery. Oren Rhoades was born March 20 1871, at Sheldon, California. At the age of two years he came to Wisconsin where he lived until the time of his death, Nov. 29, 1917. He leaves to mourn his death three children, two daughters and one son, Mrs. Loyd Granger and Mrs. Ray Conners, of Browntown, and Kenneth, of Merrillan, also his father and mother and five sisters and three brothers, Mrs. Phoebe Brown and Mrs. Owen Divan, of Jefferson, Iowa, Mrs. O.J. Frysbie, of Eau Claire, Mrs. James Williams, of Edgemont, S. Dak., and Mrs. James Faubel, of Midland S. Dak., and Walter of Browntown, and Oliver and Barney of Merrillan. For several years Oren has been employed by the village as electrician at the power house and always gave valuable service. His son Kenneth will move to Browntown and make his home with his sister. CARD OF THANKS We wish to express our sincere thanks to our friends and relatives for their kindness and sympathy in the death of our father. Mrs. Fray Granger Mrs. Zetta Conners Kenneth Rhoades Many thanks to Mary I. Murray-Woods of the Jackson County History Room at the Black River Falls, Wisconsin, Public Library, for finding, copying, and sending me the above article. From a journal kept by Zetta Rhoades in the 1980's: To Myrta and Oren Rhoades a daughter Zetta Marie on July 18-1898. Wisconsin Myrta nee Sisson. Oren, son of Julia and Perry Rhoades. Perry-source of golden honey, of maple syrup and sorghum molasses. Grower of apples, plums, cherries, grapes and berries. Teller of wonderful stories. Julia-maker of feather-light bread and cake, sweet butter and many tasty treats. Weaver of carpets and mats. Maker of soft amber colored soap that smelled like roses. These good people made my childhood something sweet to remember to the age of nine. After that something best forgotten. Oren my father. A man who whistled and sang all day-who taught me to waltz when I was eight years old. Until he divorced my mother-he took his children and left his hometown and never returned. Became a man who would sometimes weep. Given to sudden bursts of temper-and violent headaches. In 1916 on Thanksgiving day he was going to his brothers for dinner. In attempting to cross the frozen Black River he broke through the ice and was drowned. He was fourtytwo years old. I loved him so much. (Note that Oren Rhoades died in 1917, and was 46 years old.)

  
  

• Sources

  [S7243] 1900 Census, Cadiz Township, Green County, Wisconsin, Microfilm Roll T623-1789, Green County, Wisconsin, Cadiz Township, Broomtown Village, Enumeration District 117, sheet 1, line 73. Oren Rhoades, Head of house, white male, born March 1871, age 29, married 8 years, father born in Wisconsin, mother born in Illinois, occupation day labor, can read, write, and speak English, rents home, lives in a house rather than farm. The listings also include his wife, Myrta, and daughters, Fray and Zetta. Line #1 of the same page is his father, Perry Rhoades, and his family. Line #58 is Edward Trickle. [S7323] 1880 Census, Cadiz Township, Green County, Wisconsin, T9-1428 page 37D. Son of Perry, single, male, white, age 10, born in California, living at home. [S7260] 1910 Census, Merrillan Village, Jackson County, Wisconsin, T624, 1713, ED 71, page 13A. Oren Rhoades, male, white, age 36, divorced, born in California, father born in Illinois, mother born in Wisconsin, speaks English, occupation laborer, odd jobs. [S6934] Wisconsin Leader (newspaper), Friday, Dec. 7, 1917, Front page. Oren Rhoades was born March 20 1871, at Sheldon, California. [S7115] Death certificate of Oren Rhoades. [S6934] Wisconsin Leader (newspaper), Friday, Dec. 7, 1917, Front page. The funeral was held from the church Sunday afternoon and was largely attended, the remains were laid to rest in the Oakwood cemetery. [S7208] Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, (Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co. 1901), 814-815. On March 4, 1863, Mr. RHOADES was wedded to Miss Julia TRICKLE [S7064] Marriage records, Green County, Wisconsin, No. 231, page 129. 1. Full name of husband: Oren Rhoades 2. Name of father of husband: M.P. Rhoades 3. Name of mother of husband before marriage: Julia A. Trickel 4. Occupation of husband: Sawyer 5. Residence of husband: Browntown (Wisconsin) 6. Birthplace of husband: California 7. Full name of wife previous to marriage: Mertie Sisson 8. Name of the father of the wife: William A. Sisson 9. Name of the mother of the wife before marriage: Mardain Rogers 10. Birthplace of wife: State of Iowa 11. Time when marriage was contracted: Dec. 1st 1892 12 The place, town or township, and county, where the marriage was contracted: Browntown, Wis. 13. The color of the parties: White 14. By what ceremony contracted: Civil 15. Names of subscribing witnesses: Geo. Yeazel 16. Name of person pronouncing marriage: Geo. Michael 17. Residence of person last named: Browntown, Wis. 18. Date of certificate or affidavit of marriage: Dec. 1st 1892 19. Date of registration: Dec. 10th 1892 20. Any additional circumstances: (none)