Benjamin F. RHODES

RHODES, MAIN, WOODS, KERNER, HOWE, MASON, ILER, CHAMBERS, ADREON, MCCOLLOUGH, CHRISTENSEN, DOURTE, PETERSON, SPOOR

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/1/2014 at 13:08:54

Benjamin F. Rhodes, who maintains an office and engages in general engineering in Swea City, was born in North Greenbush, Rensselaer county, New York, on the 23d of June, 1863, and is a son of Godfrey Brimmer and Eliza Jane (Main) Rhodes, also natives of the Empire state. The mother was born at Bath-on-the-Hudson, Rensselaer county, on October 14, 1819, and there she was married on the 17th of October, 1838, to Mr. Rhodes. She was descended in the maternal line from one of the old colonial families. Her mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Ann Woods, was born at Bath-on-the-Hudson, New York, on September 21, 1797, and on the 16th of April, 1816, she became the wife of Sheldon Main, and to them were born eight children. Mrs. Main passed away in her native town on the 15th of July, 1864, and was there laid to rest. She was the only child of James Gardner and Elizabeth (Kerner) Woods, who were married at Bath-on-the-Hudson in 1797. He was born at Marlboro, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, on the 23d of May, 1773, and passed away at Bath-on-the-Hudson on October 17, 1845. His father was Alpheus Woods, who was born in England on the 28th of February, 1727, and died in America in 1794. He married Melicent Howe, and to them were born twelve children. The American branch of the Woods family trace their descent from one Benjamin Woods, whose birth occurred on the 5th of January, 1691, supposedly in England. The conjecture is that he died in America on September 19, 1740. His wife’s name was Elizabeth and to them were born eleven children. With the exception of the wife of James Gardner Woods, Elizabeth Kerner, the family is of pure English extraction.

Of the marriage of Godfrey Brimmer and Eliza Jane (Main) Rhodes, were born thirteen children, as follows: James Henry, whose birth occurred on the 22d of July, 1839, and his death on August 15, 1875; Theodore, who was born on November 2, 1840, residing in Rensselaer and Bath-on-the Hudson, New York; Elizabeth, who was born on the 26th of February, 1842, became the wife of David E. Mason, of Watervliet, New York, and died February 5, 1912; Sarah Catharine, who was born on the 31st of January, 1844, and died on March 15, 1845; Harriet Lucretia, who was born September 7, 1845, and passed away on the 1st of May, 1882, the deceased wife of Martin O. Iler; Godfrey Edgar, whose natal day was the 14th of September, 1847, now residing in Astoria, Long Island, New York; Victor Delano, who was born on the 28th of June, 1849, of Albany, New York; Edmund Hertzel, whose birth occurred on the 6th of October, 1851, a resident of Osage, Minnesota; Eliza Jane, who was born on December 3, 1853, and died on the 6th of December, 1860; Sarah Rheuena, who was born on the 25th of October, 1855, and died January 10, 1861; Emma Eugenie, whose natal day was July 3, 1858, the deceased wife of Joseph P. Chambers, her death having occurred in 1907; Laura Esther, who was born on the 13th of July, 1860, the wife of Thomas McKinsie Adreon, of Pontiac, Illinois; and Benjamin F., our subject. The family resided in the state of New York until 1870, when the parents removed to Illinois, settling in Livingston county, where the father, who was a farmer, continued his agricultural pursuits. Ten years later, the mother, who was in ill health returned to her native town, where she passed away. The father was living in New York state at his home town, at the time of his death.

Benjamin F. Rhodes was a child of seven years when he removed to Illinois with his parents and a youth of seventeen when he returned to the state of new York with his mother. At the usual age he began his education and after completing the course of the common schools studied education and after completing the course of the common schools studied for three terms in the Northern Illinois Normal & Business College at Dixon, that state. He remained in New York for five years after his mother passed away, and then returned to Illinois. Having been reared in the country he was thoroughly familiar with the work and duties of an agriculturist and for a time thereafter worked out as a farm hand, but later he took up tiling and drain work. In 1901, he came to Iowa, locating at Clarion, and has since made his home in this state. He was ambitious and desirous of utilizing his ability to better advantage, and, realizing the need of a broader education in order to do this, subsequently began the study of engineering in the Scranton School of Correspondence. He began his course in 1901, completing it in four years, at the expiration of which time he came to Swea City and opened an office. As he is both efficient and practical, as well as trustworthy and reliable, he has succeeded in building up a lucrative business in drainage work and general engineering, and is highly regarded throughout the community.

On the 3d of July, 1909, Mr. Rhodes was married to Mrs. Clara Ophelia McCollough, a daughter of George and Eliza (Christensen) Dourte. The father, who was of French and German extraction, was born in Germany on the border of France, and there he was likewise reared and educated. He was a musician of more than average ability and at the age of fourteen was a member of a band in the emperor’s army, and he subsequently became the leader of a large orchestra in Germany. His entire life was devoted to the study of music and in his earlier years he composed a number of pieces, which met with ready sale. He came to America in 1852, first locating in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Four years later he continued his journey westward to Hardin county, Iowa, which remained his place of resident until 1887. In August of that year he started to Logan county, Nebraska, with the expectation of thereafter making that his home, but he was taken ill en route and on October 4, 1887, passed away at the residence of his son, John Dourte, in Lugan county, that state. The mother was born on the Island of Romsoe, Denmark, of which her father was the overseer, on the 26th of July, 1835. At the age of twenty-one years she was married to Martin Peterson, and to them were born three children. They made their home in Denmark until his death in 1864, and soon thereafter she came to America. In 1867, she was married to Mr. Dourte, and to them were born four children of whom Mrs. Rhodes is the eldest. In order of birth the others are as follows: George, who resides near Denver, Colorado, where he engages in the music business and is also president of the Dourte Valveless Pump Company of Longmont, Colorado; C. Granville, who is an importer and breeder of fine horses in Swea City; and Carrie, the wife of C. W. Spoor, a barber of Swea City. About seven years after the death of her husband Mrs. Dourte came to Swea City, where she passed away on the 8th of March, 1909.

Mr. Rhodes is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mrs. Rhodes of the Baptist, and she also belongs to the Ladies Guild. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and they both belong to the Rebekahs. She is also a member of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union and the Thursday Club. Mr. Rhodes is held in high regard in Swea City, where he has resided for seven years, and is numbered among the town’s representative citizens. He is a man of laudable ambition, high principles and unquestionable integrity, as is manifested by his business transactions and so conducts his affairs as to retain the respect of those with whom he has dealings.

History of Kossuth County [Iowa], Benjamin F. Reed, 1913, Volume II, page 402.