The Rhodes Family in America

Gc M. L

929.2
R34602r
V . 1 , no . 3
1920
1735873

REYNOLHS HISTORICAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 1833 01415 9922

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2010 with funding from

Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

http://www.archive.org/details/rhodesfamilyinam13rhod

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PROGRESS NUMBER

February, 1920

Volume I Number 3

The Rhodes Family

in America

PUBLISHED BY

Nelson Osgood Rhoades

1208 Merchants Nation^^a^^I^.
Los Angeles, California

Khoades

PUBLISHERS OF FAMILY HISTORY
BALTIMORE, MD. LOS ANGELES, CAL.

1^

=11

Copyright, 1920

by

NELSON OSGOOD RHOADES

PURPOSE

To secure the cooperation of all the members of the family in

the preparation of a history, biography and genealogy

of all branches of the family in America

and their foreign ancestory.

Published Three Times Each Year
Subscription Fifty Cents Per Year

1735873

The Rhodes Family in America

"The virtue of a people is tested by the degree of honor it bestows
upon its dead."

ANNOUNCEMENT

Colonial Families of the United States
of America

The publisher of the "Rhodes Family" has recently acquired the
business and copyrights of the Seaforth Press, of Baltimore, Mary-
land, through which his publications will hereafter issue.

The Seaforth Press owns the copyrights for the COLONIAL FAM-
ILIES OF THE UINTED STATES OF AMERICA, founded and edited
by Mr. George Norbury Mackenzie, now deceased. This work will
hereafter be edited and published by Nelson Osgood Rhoades.

The COLONIAL FAMILIES OP THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA was founded in 1907 and has now published six volumes
8vo., averaging 700 pages each. Its seventh volume is on the press
and will be distributed at an early date; the eighth, ninth and tenth
volumes are in the course of preparation.

This is the most extensive and authentic work published in the
United States devoted exclusively to well authenticated pedigrees and
family coats-of-arms. The published volumes contain over 700 com-
plete pedigrees of American families whose ancestors settled in
America prior to the Battle of Lexington in 1775, the recorded history
of more than 1200 immigrant ancestors of these families and more
than 150,000 names other than those subject of the pedigrees.

The volumes are handsomely bound and fully indexed. They con-
stitute invaluable works of reference for libraries of public and pri-
vate character and all institutions and societies interested in the sub-
ject of the life history of the Nation.

Full sets of these books are found in over 200 libraries of the
world and incomplete sets in above .300 others. Requests for infor-
mation will be gladly attended. Volume vii, now on the press, will
contain one long line descended from Henry Rhodes, of Lynn, and
another of descent from Zachariah, of Rhode Island.

(3)

PROGRESS NOTES

Detached line Number 1, Bulletin 1, has been definitely identified
as descendant from Henry, of Lynn: Henry, Samuel, Obadiah, Oba-
diah, Benjamin.

The detached line Number 2, of Asa Rhoads, referred to in Bulle-
tin No. 1, has been located, also, as a branch of Line No. 2, Henry,
of Lynn. Asa went into Vermont in 1814 and contributed a large pos-
terity to the genealogical tangle of the tribe of Rhodes in that state.
The discovery of his ancestry has greatly aided in clearing away the
Vermont confusion. The genealogy of his line is now in our files,
subject to the call of interested parties. Asa's family resided in the
vicinity of Sudbury.

Detached line No. 4, Bulletin No. 1, Solomon Rhodes, has been
identified as descendant from Henry, of Lynn.

Principal line No. 10, Bulletin No. 1, Alexander Rhodes, of Con-
necticut, has been worked back another generation to William "Roods,"
his father, who may be the immigrant ancestor, — not yet conclusively
finished.

Another and much more numerous branch of the Vermont family
has been traced to ancestry reaching to Zachariah of Rhode Island.
William of Warwick, 1772, went into Vermont before 1800, raised
thirteen children who contributed a progeny to Vermont tribe. A
few of their descendants remain in the vicinity of Richmond. The
genealogy of this branch may now be referred to in our files.

From this family a valuable contribution has come to our hands,
consisting of thirty-six volumes of manuscript diary written by H.
Nelson Rhodes of Richmond, from 1850 to 1886. This is one of the
most excellent works of the kind in existence. Painstakingly writ-
ten, it is fairly teeming with the vital statistics of Vermont from 1800
to 1886, and is a most interesting contribution to Vermont Vital His-
tory.

From the same source we have the ledger of William Rhodes,
Warwick, 1772, and covering the accounts of the family from 1790 to
1850, kept in the handwriting of its owners. Containing, as it does,
personal accounts with the principal citizens of Vermont during that
period, it also has the autographic signature of most of them, signed
from year to year at the close of their accounts, in approval thereof; —
a valuable collection entirely at the disposal of lineal descendants
who may care for photographic reproductions.

Not much remains to be done in Vermont. From 1760 to 1830
practically every branch of the eastern family of Rhodes sent one
or more of its members to the Vermont frontier. They were quickly
isolated and lost communication with parental firesides. The second
and third generations pushed to more remote western frontiers, all
eastern ties were broken, and ancestral knowledge lost. Later gen-

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1735873

erations, awakened to an interest in family history, pursuing the
thread of their descent through the past, were disheartened on reach-
ing Vermont by the confusion of so many different families of the
same name and, as a rule, abandoned the search. Gradually the con-
fusion is being cleared away and a clean genealogical trail opened
from the western frontiers to the New England firesides.

The writer spent two months of 1919 touring Vermont, New Hamp-
shire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York,
searching town, county. Church, cemetery and probate records of the
Rhodes family. In the State of Vermont, every known record of the
above character was examined and transcripts made of all pertinent
matter. Less complete v/ork was done in the remaining states, but
a very large amount of material, as yet unclassified, was secured.

From Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads, one of America's most celebrated
botanists and collector of rare books, we have received a number of
parchment deeds, originals, covering Rhodes family transactions in
England from 1538 to 1650, also some volumes from the library of
John Rhodes, of London, from one to two hundred years old. Mr.
Rhoads is descended from line No. 3, John, of Wingreaves. He is the
owner of the old "Franklin" Bookshop, of Philadelphia.

THE SPELLING OF THE NAME

The following forms have been found in various records, to-wit:
Rod, Rode, Rods, Rodes, Road, Roads, Roades, Rhode, Rhod, Rhods,
Rhodes, Rhoad, Rhoades, Rood, Roods, Rodez, de Rodez. Many of
these forms result from lack of education on the part of record
makers, others to corruptions made to meet the fancy of individuals.
The original ancestors of all the various branches of the family
spelled it Rod, Rods, Rode or Rodes. Many theories have been
advanced to account for the origin of the name. No one theory yet
advanced can satisfy all the considerations involved, but the Rhodes
books, when published, will give the various arguments and such
tangible proofs as exist.

COATS OF ARMS AND CRESTS

With the next number we will begin publishing the various coats-
of-arms and crests employed by various branches of the family in the
past, together with their history and a discussion of authorities for
their use.

In the same number publication will be begun of the final gen-
ealogy of the various branches of the family.

And it was North Carolina that accounted for the greatest number
of the Rhodes family prior to 1850. In that state much work is to be
done and the working elements are few. Early records were largely
lost and information must be sought from private sources. The Caro-
lina family consists largely of descendants from one source — the
original immigrant, and the confusion of family lines is not so great
as in other states.

(5;

Miss Mary A. Rhoades, of Los Angeles, has contributed some very
extensive notes and family statistics of an important branch of the
Carolina descendants which opens the way to interesting fields of
investigation in that state.

EXTRA NUMBERS OF THE BULLETIN

Numbers of the Bulletin thus far published may be had as fol-
lows: Number one, fifteen cents per copy; number two, twenty-five
cents ppr copy; number three, twenty cents per copy. A limited
number of full sets are still available at fifty cents for the three copies.

THE PRESENT GENERATION

Progress of the campaign for securing communication with the
living members of the family points strongly to the conclusion that
not less than fifty thousand living members exist in the country, about
ten thousand of adult age. Communication is now had with one
thousand adult members, representing about five thousand persons
of all ages.

Readers of the Bulletin are urged to an examination of telephone
and other directories, and every other available means of securing
names for transmittal to this office. You are likewise urged to send
biographies of all known persons bearing the name.

(6)

Line No. 3, John Rhodes, of Wingreaves

A CENTENARY FIRM OF THE RHODES FAMILY

J. E. Rhoads & Sons — Tanners
Philadelphia, founded in 1702

John Rhoads, of Derbyshire, England, came to America in 1699, with his
youngest son Joseph, and purchased land in Marple Township, Delaware
County (then Chester County), Pennsylvania. On his death, in 1791, he lefi
this land to his son Joseph, who according to family tradition, established a
tanyard thereon in 1702.

(1732) Joseph Rhoads died in 1732 and his widow, Abigail Owen Rhoads,
continued the business with the help of her youngest son, James. An ancient
ledger in the possession of Miss Caroline N. Rhoads, of Bryn Mawr, is full
of transactions in hides, bark and leather, on the part of Joseph Rhoads
and his widow. In this we find an entry as early as 1723.

(1743) On coming of age, in 1743, James Rhoads inherited the tanning
business, as shown by court records referring to the division of his father's
estate.

(1778) On the death of James Rhoads, in 1778, his son Joseph Rhoads,
succeeded to the business. The present Joseph Rhoads. brother of the mem-
bers of this firm, has in his possession a ledger covering business transac-
tions of Joseph Rhoads, 2nd, in bark, hides and leather, from 1784 to his
death.

(1809) Joseph Rhoads, 2nd, died in 1809, leaving the tanning business to
his sons, George and Joseph Rhoads — Joseph being the grandfather of the
present members of the firm. They carried on the business on the same site
until 1861, when it was taken over by Jonathan E. Rhoads, son of Joseph,
who carried it on until 1868, when he sold the old homestead and tannery.

(1868) The ancestral tanning business was continued by Jonathan E.
Rhoads in a tannery purchased by him in Wilmington, Delaware.

(1877) Jonathan E. Rhoads went into business with Thomas McComb, as
the firm of Rhoads and McComb. and engaged in currying and the manufac-
ture of leather belting. Near this time he sold his tannery.

(1887) The firm of Rhoads and McComb was dissolved and Jonathan E.
Rhoads took into partnership, in the same business, his son, John B. Rhoads,
under the firm name of J. E. Rhoads and Sons.

. (1888) Another son, George A. Rhoads, entered the firm.

(1889) The firm of J. E. Rhoads and Sons opened a store at 229 North
Third Street, Philadelphia, John B. Rhoads having charge.

(1890) The store was removed to 229 Market Street.

(1893) The store was removed to 239 Market Street.

(1894) In 1894, a third son, William E. Rhoads, was admitted to the firm,
and a year or two later the headquarters of the business was removed to
Philadelphia, W. E. Rhoads taking charge of the department of credit and
finance, while John B. Rhoads managed the selling department and G. A.
Rhoads the factory at Wilmington, Delaware.

(1906) A branch store was opened in New York City.

(1907) Under this arrangement the business grew and prospered, until it
was necessary to find larger quarters at 12 North Third Street, the present
location.

(1909) A branch store was opened in Chicago.

(1911) On September 20, the firm met with a severe loss in the death of
John B. Rhoads.

(1914) Jonathan E. Rhoads, though remaining a partner, had not actively
participated in the management of the business because of his advancing
years. On September 14, 1914, after a life full of years of useful service,
Jonathan E. Rhoads, then in his eighty-fifth year, was gathered to his eternal
reward.

(1915) The business is still prospering in the hands of George A. and
William E. Rhoads.

(7)

Line No. 7, John Rhodes, of Providence, Rhode Island

Regarding the ancestry of this line historical record is clear and no
question has ever been raised. The old stone marking the grave of the
immigrant is located in the cemetery at Westerly, Rhode Island, and carries
the inscription: "Here lyes the Bodye John Rhodes, Esq., who d. March 3,
1746, ae. 75, grandson of Sir Godfrey, of Yorkshire." His descent is shown
in full in Volume i. No. 2. His descendants have a record remarkable for
professional and military distinction. Prominent as defenders of the Crown
prior to the Revolution, they gave the force of their influence and men to
the cause and struggle for independence and have had military representa-
tives in every subsequent war of the country.

Major General Charles Dudley Rhodes, of the General Staff College, at
Washington, has achieved a distinction in the late war which should bring
a thrill of pride to every bearer of the name in this country. As a result of
his services, he was made a Knight Commander of the Bath by Great
Britain, at the close of the war. Thus have the responsibilities of Knight-
hood conferred by Britain on his ancestors been satisfied through the descend-
ant after more than four centuries.

He graduated from the Columbian University, Washington, D. C, in
1885, and from the United States Military Academy, in 1889. He later became
an Honor Graduate of the School of the Line at Port Leavenworth, and of
the General Staff College at Washington. He served in various grades of
the cavalry and the staff, through the Sioux Indian War of 1890-91, the Span-
ish War, the Boxer Rebellion in China, the Philippine Insurrection and the
World War, in which latter war he reached the grade of Major General,
and commanded the 42nd (Rainbow) Division.

For gallantry in action in the Philippine Insurrection, he was awarded
by his Government the Distinguished Service Cross; for distinguished con-
duct in the World War, the Distinguished Service Medal by his own Gov-
ernment, the Order of Knight Commander of the Bath by Great Britain,
and the Order of Commander of the Legion of Honor by France, — the two
last being on account of services as High Commissioner of the United
States to the Permanent International Armistice Commission, at Spa, Bel-
gium.

Major General Rhodes' line of descent is:

I.

II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.

FRANCIS RHODES.

Justice Court of Common Pleas, reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1585-

1591.

m. (1) Elizabeth Sanford. From this union came the "Bellair"

line with its entailed estates. Also the Barony of "Barlboro" and

its estates and the Sturton line which gave us our Mar>'land and

Virginia families, to be given in a later number.

m. (2) Mary Charlton, and had amongst others:
Sir Godfrey Rhodes (his sister EHzabeth m. the Earl of Stafford).
Sir Edward Rhodes, who had
John Rhodes, of Rhode Island, who had
Captain Simon Rhodes, who had g,

Simon Rhodes, who had «'*'

Dudley Woodbridge Rhodes, who had
Dudley Woodbridge Rhodes, who had
Charles Dudley Rhodes.

ARMS:

RHODES OF GREAT HOUGHTON

Arms — Argent, a lion passant guardant
gules inclosed by two acorns between
two bendlets azure, cotised ermines.

Crest — A cubit arm holding a branch of
acorns or, or fructed azure.

(8)

NEW ZEALAND BRANCH

William, brother of John (IV), above, sent one grandson, William, to
New Zealand where he established a long line. William's brother, Benjamin,
came to America. The New Zealand family has

ARMS:

RHODES OF NEW ZEALAND— KIPPAX

Arms — Azure, on a bend wavey argent
plain calisted or, a lion's gamb proper
between two acorns of the field.

Crest — A dexter arm erect, vested azure
cuffed argent, charged with an acorn
or, and grasping a fern sapling of New
Zealand eradicated proper.

EUGENE MANLOVE RHODES

A most interesting historical line has been developed in recent months
in New Jersey. The original ancester of it has not been found but it was
closely related to the Quaker line of the late 1600, and is believed to have
come from Pennsylvania, John of Wingreaves. It furnished a lineage of good
men, active and patriotic, who left many marks of their existence in the
State of New Jersey.

A living descendant of this line of Eugene Manlove Rhodes, the author,
who was born in Nebraska, in 1869, son of Hinman and Juha (Manlove)
Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes has been extraordinarily successful in the writing of
stories of the West. Certainly no living writer has equaled his portrayal of
Western character and customs, and the charming romance and fiction
which he uses as a means of communicating these ideals to his readers is
of the most charming and literary character. Those who have not already
read his "Good Men and True," his "Brandsford in Arcadia" and his many
stories of the West, have a real pleasure before them.

WILLIAM HENRY RHODES

To those not already acquainted with his writings, it ia a pleasure to
introduce the subject of this paragraph, who was bom in North Carolina in
1822, a son of Col. E. A. Rhodes, a Consul to the Republic of Teras during a
most interesting period of history. His works are now rare and very much
appreciated. Our readers will enjoy his "Indian Callows" and other poems
and many of his other writings published through the Caxton's Book, San
Francisco, 1876. He was killed by robbers in California in 1852.

SAMUEL RHOADES — STATESMAN

A product of the line of John, of Wingreaves. the subject of this para-
graph is one of the most prominent men of the name participating in the
affairs of the Revolutionary period. He was a member of the Continental
Congress. He was bom in Philadelphia, and was a grandson of John Rhodes
the immigrant. In early life he was a carpenter by trade and became a
wealthy builder in the city of Philadelphia where he was member of the
city council, and was later mayor of that city. The historical articles of
which he is made the subject are most interesting and may be found in
the historical archives of Pennsylvania and most of the otandard libraries.

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CORNELIA HARSEN RHODES

No better display of character has been found in the descendants from
Rhodes ancestors than through the life of this authoress. Daughter of John
Harsen and Annie G. Rhodes, misfortune took her eyesight in infancy. She
received thorough classical education at her home, through the "Point"
system, learned to operate a typewriter and engaged in authorship. Her
stories, mostly written for young people, are amongst the most popular of
those published by American writers. She has been a prolific writer and
not a story of all she has written but will engage the entranced attention of
the reader, regardless of their age. Our readers are advised to become
acquainted with her "Only Dollie," "The Children on the Top Floor," "The
Little Girl Next Door," "Silver Linings," Polly's Predicament," "How Barbara
Kept Her Promise," "Victorine's Book," "Little Queen Esther" and many
others. She wrote under the name of "Nina Rhodes." She was born in New
York City in 1863 and is descended from Henry Rhodes, of Lynn.

* * * *

WILLIAM CALDWELL PLUNKETT RHOADES

None of the branches of the Rhodes family have been without their chap-
lain, prominent clei'gymen having been common to most of the lines and
having preached many faiths, but all with an inspiration which seems to
have left its mark upon the generation regardless of religious differences
of opinion. The subject of this sketch was born in New York in 1845, a
(lescendant of Henry, of Lynn. Educational honors came to him as a student
and afterwards as a worker in many of the standard colleges of the country.
He filled many pulpits, preaxhing from Ohio to Brooklyn. New York, where
his pastorage was long and of a very notable character. Many of his sermons
are to be found in theological and other libraries of the country.

* * * *

BRADFORD RHODES

Few branches of the family are without their bankers, notable of that
calling is Bradford Rhodes, born in Pennsylvania in 1849, who for many years
edited the Rhodes Journal of Banking; active in financial affairs first of
Pennsylvania and later of New York, he became one of the authorities on
national finance. His writings on this subject are to be found in most of
the libraries.

* * * *

JOHN HARSEN RHODES

Of equal note in the banking and investment world was John Harsen
Rhodes, born in New York City in 1869, who married Annie Gardner Wheel-
wright. Conservative in banking, a close adherent to the New England idea
of honor and exactitude, his principles were impressed upon the financial
circles of the east in which he was a moving spirit for so many years. His
mantle fell upon his son, of the same name, who is following closely in the
footsteps of his father.

* * * *

JAMES FORD RHODES

To the Zachariah line we are indebted for the greatest living historian
in the United States. He was born in Ohio and after a preliminary education
in that state was a student at the University of Chicago, University of the
City of New York, traveled extensively abroad, studying in Paris and Berlin,
afterward engaging in the iron industry. He has "been a prolific writer of
American history and has been honored by most of the historical and literary
societies of the United States and foreign countries as a result of his liter-
ary productions. His "History of the United States from the Compromise
of 1850," in four volumes, was awarded the Loubat Prize of 3000 marks by
the Berlin Academy of Science.

One of his most interesting historical works was a volume issued during
the present war covering the period of our Civil War history. Read them all.

* • * *

And so we might go on indefinitely with introduction of men and women
of the name who have had their part in the varied affairs that have gone
to make up the great commonwealth of the United States, but such is not
the purpose of these Bulletins and the above short sketches are only given
to stimulate the attention of those members of the family who have not
heretofore come in contact with the works of its representative meinbers.
They are given with the assurance that, with every new acquaintance they
make from amongst the active working members of the family, new interest
in the subject of their history will be developed, and historical contributions
will come to our hands for use in compiling the complete history.

(lo;

COMPLETED WORK

The compilation of the Rhodes Family History has progressed
to the following point, to-wit:

First — About forty volumes of 200 pages each, letter-size and
typewritten, "Rhodes Notes," have been completed, bound and indexed.

Second — One volume of organized genealogy of the descendants
of Henry Rhodes, of Lynn, about 1000 pages, has been completed and
the work is not finished.

Third — One volume of about 500 pages of organized genealogy of
the descendants of Zachariah Rhodes, of Rhode Island, has been
completed; work not finished.

Fourth — Six volumes of from 100 to 200 pages each of organized
genealogy of the families of John of Wingreaves, Rhodes (Rodes)
of Virginia, Rhodes of North Carolina, John Rhodes of Providence,
Alexander Rhodes of Connecticut and John Rhodes of Scaresdale,
New York.

URGENTLY NEEDED

Rhodes addresses, dates, places and biography — of every living
Rhodes, regardless of age or line. Consult your local directories and
those of other places accessible to you, both telephone and commer-
cial, and let me have the lists.

Also old records, deeds, photographs, transcripts of bibles, coats-of-
arms, traditions and personal contributions of historical matter.
Stories of old family houses are interesting and useful.

(11)

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134-140 S. Hill St.
Los Angeles