Progressive men and
women of Kosciusko County, Indiana: to which is appended .By B.F. Bowen
& Co. page 310-311.
John
Rhodes, an
enterprising farmer and highly respected citizen of Monroe township, is
a son of David and Anna Rhodes and
dates his birth from April 30, 1857. The father, a native of
Pennsylvania, was taken when about eight years old to Seneca county,
Ohio, at that time a new and comparatively undeveloped country, and
there grew to maturity amid the strong inj fluences of the pioneer
period. When a young man he married a German girl by the
name of Anna Beigh, daughter of one of the early settlers, and
immediately thereafter hegan housekeeping on a partially cleared farm
where he lived until failing health induced him to look around for a
more favorable location in which to raise his family. Learning that
northern Indiana held out encouraging inducements, he disposed of his
farm in Ohio and in January. 1840. came to Kosciusko county, settling
in what was then Clay township, where he purchased forty acres of
woodland which he at once hegan to improve. In due time he cleared and
had in cultivation a fine little farm upon which he lived and prospered
for many years, earning the reputation of a quiet and substantial
citizen whose name was always respected and whose word in any business
transaction was as good as his bond. He reared a family of nine
children, and departed this life on the 9th day of February, 1899.
after a continuous residence of nearly sixty years on the place where
he originally located; his wife preceded him to the other world, dying
in the year 1884. The following are the names of the children born to
this excellent couple, viz.: Enoch. Mary, Delilah, Sarah A., Melinda,
Harvey, Jemimah. Ann and John.
John
Rhodes first saw the light of day in the home farm in Clay (now Lake)
township, and
being the youngest of the family was exempt from much of the hard work
required to bring the place to a state of tillage. He attended of
winter seasons the district schools in the neighborhood and when old
enough busied himself with such labor as he could perform, growing up
strong of limb and with an independence of spirit characteristic of the
true son of the soil. His older brothers, reaching manhood's
estate, began life for themselves, leaving
to him the
care of the farm and until his twenty-sixth year he remained under the
parental roof looking after his father's interests.
About
1883 Mr. Rhodes began
working by the month as a farm laborer and continued in that capacity
for a period of five years, husbanding his earnings with scrupulous
care with the object in view of engaging in agriculture upon his own
responsibility when' a favorable opportunity presented itself. On the
1/th day of February, 1889, he was united in marriage to Miss j Lenora
Hoagland-. daughter of J. R. Hoagland, one of the well-to-do farmers of
Monroe township, and shortly thereafter set up a domestic
'establishment on the farm in Monroe township where he has since lived.
His previous training and habits of industry eminently fitted him for
the vocation which he selected for a life work and it was not long
until he had earned the reputation of a careful and judicious farmer,
bringing his place to a high state of cultivation and making a number
of substantial improvements. He now owns! one hundred and twenty acres
of valuable land, on which is one of the finest private residences in
the township, his home being comfortable in ail its appointments as
well as attractive to the eye. In addition to general farming, Mr.
Rhodes raises
considerable live stock, investing the greater part of his income in
this way and seldom fails to realize large profits from his business
transactions. He is a very careful man, exercises prudence and
forethought in what he undertakes and his sound judgment enables him to
prosecute to successful issue any enteq>rise to which he
addresses
himself. Taking an interest in political affairs, as all good citizens
should.
he is rather independent in the matter of voting, usually casting his
ballot for the candidate best qualified, though in the main supporting
the principles of the Democratic party.
Mr.
Rhodes has
the name of being an honest and upright man of the strictest integrity
and right nobly ha.s he earned the wholesome reputation which is his.
Quiet and unassuming in demeanor, with an agreeable personality, he is
widely and favorably known and belongs to that sturdy class of citizens
who by actions rather than words exercise a beneficial influence upon
society and form the basis of the community's progress and prosperity.
He is a firm believer in revealed religion and at the present time is
inclining to the belief of the United Brethren church, with which he
contemplates soon placing his membership. In his good work he is ably
assisted by his faithful wife, a most estimable lady of many virtues,
known and respected throughout the neighborhood for her sterling
character and zeal in the cause of religion and morality. Mr. and Mrs.
Rhodes have one child, a
daughter, Nellie Rose, whose birth occurred on the 17th day of October,
1897.
