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The Back Rhodes of Our Genealogy

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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.

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