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Leidigh H. Rhodes, a well known and prosperous farmer of Franklin township, Portage county, Ohio, was born in Medina county, Ohio, December 12, 1843, a son of Frederick and Barbara (Hausley) Rhodes.

George Rhodes, grandfather of Leidigh H., was born in Pennsylvania, was a farmer by occupation, and was among the early setters of Stark county, Ohio. To his marriage with Miss Margaret Smith there were born seven children, of whom three are still living, viz: Frederick, Joseph and Polly—the last being the wife of Henry D. Daley. The deceased were named Sallie, Magdalen (Mrs. Henry Wenderhoof), Hannah and David. The father of this family died in February, 1843, when sixty years of age, but his widow survived until 1872, when she expired at the advanced age of eighty-five years—both in the faith of the Lutheran church, of which they had long been faithful members. The father of George, and the great-grandfather of Leidigh H., bore the name of Frederick, was a native of Germany, and came to America some time in the' latter part of the eighteenth century, had a family of six children, and eventually came to Ohio, where his death took place in 1820, at' a very advanced age.

Frederick Rhodes, father of Leidigh H. Rhodes, was born in Stark county, Ohio, January 13, 1816. He was educated in the sub-. scription schools of his native county and has nearly all his life been engaged in farming; although for about twenty-two years he has operated a threshing machine. December 8, 1842, he married Miss Barbara Hausley, a daughter of Levi and Mary (Luman) Hausley,. and to this union were born eight children, of whom the following five are still living: Leidigh H., whose name opens this biography; Mary,wife of George Meachem; Lewis; Catherine, who is married to John Newton, and Frank, who is employed by the Standard Oil companyat Cleveland. The deceased were named Daniel, who died in 1859, aged two years; Henry,- who was aged fourteen years at his death in 1862, and Annie, who was married to J. B. Wilcox, and died in September, 1896, at the age of thirty years.

In 1859 Frederick Rhodes bought his present farm in Portage county, on which he settled in 1860. Here he lost his wife in 1881,1 who died at the age of sixty years, a devout and earnest Christian, a faithful wife and devoted mother, and a kind neighbor. Mr. Rhodes is a consistent member of the Lutheran church, and now, at the age of eighty-one years, is remarkably well preserved, with the exception of his eyesight, which is beginning to fail.

Leidigh H. Rhodes was reared to farming and remained with his father until tivgntyj years old, when he took charge of a farm on his own account; in 1882 he settled on his present place, which is known as the Celery farm, one and one-half miles from Kentinas much as he devotes about one-third of his place to the cultivation of this edible, growing the finest in the state of Ohio. He has been very fortunate in his farming, which has been his occupation through life, with the exception of three years, during which time he was employed on the Atlantic & Great Western railroad as brakeman.

Mr. Rhodes was united in marriage, December 23, 1863, with Miss Catherine Gross, born July 8, 1838, a daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Flickinger) Gross, and this union has been blessed with three children, viz: Amanda A., wife of H. Reidinger; F. E., who married Miss Lillian Kreager, and Charles E., who graduated from the Kent high school, and at present makes his home with his parents. In politics Mr. Rhodes is a republican, and for eight years has filled the office of town supervisor; his religion is that of the Lutheran church, of which he and wife have been members for many years.

Christian Gross, father of Mrs. Rhodes, and his wife, Elizabeth Gross, were both natives of Portage county, and to their marriage were born four children, viz: Elizabeth, John, Priscilla and Catherine (Mrs. Rhodes). The father died at the age of seventy-three years, and the mother, aged seventy-five—both in the faith of the Dunkard church.

Mr. Rhodes and family stand very high in the social circles of Franklin township, and Mr. Rhodes is individually very popular with his fellow-citizens, who esteem him for his thoroughly upright course through life.

Title: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Portage and Summit Counties, Ohio
Contributor: A.W. Bowen & Co
Publisher: A.W. Bowen & Company, 1898