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Biography of Henry Rhoads

Thanks to Phillip Wayne Rhodes of the Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, Virginia for bringing us this data.  Check out their website at www.jmlibrary.org.

Form: Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois: Historical and Biographical (Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., 1884) p. 244-245.

Henry RHOADS, farmer and hardware dealer, is a native of Muskingum County, Ohio, born January 31, 1824, the son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Slater) Rhoads, the eldest in a family of four children, and is of German, English and Irish descent; German on his father’s side, and a mixture of the English and Irish on his mother’s side. The father of Mr. Rhoads was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother in Virginia. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was at Hull’s surrender.

When the subject of this notice was five years of age, his parents left Ohio and came to Vermillion County, Ind[iana], and then removed to Coles County, Ill[inois], and there the parents died, father in May, 1858, and mother in April, 1864.

In 1850, the subject of this sketch came to Cumberland County [Illinois], and settled at Greenup, and began clerking in the store of Brewer & Ficklin. In 1853, he began the mercantile business in Greenup, and there remained six years, and then came to Toledo; came to this town November 20, 1860, and here has lived ever since. He was married December 9, 1855, to Miss Margaret E. Shull, daughter of Michael Shull. Mrs. Rhoads was also born in Ohio.

To this marriage was born five children, viz.: Laura, William, John B., Robert S., and Brother, of whom all are deceased except John B.

Mr. Rhoads is a Democrat, and in 1860, was elected Sheriff of Cumberland County. In 1863, he was elected Treasurer, and in 1866, he was elected Sheriff for a second term. He has taken an active part in politics. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity; made a Mason about 1871. In 1881, Mr. Rhoads began the hardware business in Toledo, and this he still continues. Mr. Rhoads is one of the pioneers of Cumberland County, and one of its most respected citizens. He has many friends, but no known enemies. He is one of those plain, common, every day kind of men in whom the honest will always find a benefactor.

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1860 Census, Cumberland Co., Illinois, M-653, Roll 172, p. 768 [Greenup Precinct] Dwelling 767, Family 768: Henry Rhoads, 35, merchandizing, real estate $4,400, personal estate $3,000, born Ohio; Margaret E. Rhoads, 29, born Ohio; William R. Rhoads, 1, born Illinois; Olive Strader, 18, born Indiana.

1870 Census, Cumberland Co., Illinois, M-593, Roll 214, p. 261, [Prairie City in Sumpter Township] Dwelling 52, Family 52: Henry Rhodes, 46, farmer, real estate $15,000, personal estate $1,500, born Ohio; Margaret Rhodes, 38, keeping house, born Ohio; John B. Rhodes, 9, born Illinois; not named Rhodes, 3/12 (male), born April 1870, Illinois.

1880 Census, Cumberland Co., Illinois, T-9, Roll 184, p. 573 [Prairie City] Dwelling 230, Family 230: Henry Rhodes, 56, retired merchant, born Ohio, father born Pennsylvania, mother born Virginia; Margaret Rhodes, 48, wife, keeping house, born Ohio, father born Virginia, mother born Ohio; John B. Rhodes, 19, son, at school, born Illinois, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio; Harriet Green, 44, boarder, mantua maker, born Illinois, father born Indiana.
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