Jacob Frederick Rhodes (abt. 1836 - 1907)

Born about 1836 in Lansing, Tompkins County, New York

Ancestors

Husband of Sally Ann (Bower) Rhodes — married about 1855 (to 1881) in Tompkins County, New York

Husband of Mary Ann (Croft) Rhodes — married about 1881 in United States

Descendants

Died 6 Nov 1907 at about age 71 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States

Biography

Jacob Frederick Rhodes was born about 1836. He was the son of Henry Rhodes and Marilda (Ludlow) Rhodes. ^{[1] [2]}

About 1855, he married Sally Ann Bower. It’s presumed they made their home in the old Rhodes homestead in Lansing, New York, based on an article about his grandfather’s clock. ^[3]

Talking about clocks reminds an exchange that Mr. Jacob F. Rhodes, of Lansing, has something remarkable in that line. It is one of those old fashioned clocks, probably about six feet long, and well proportioned. It has, at the top, “a painted ship on a painted ocean,” very well done, both the ship and the ocean. And at every new moon, promptly on time, “the rising moon begins to glower” that beautiful ship, and sea out ow’re. We don’t know how it is done; but the moon puts in an appearance once in four weeks, just in the nick of time, sailing up majestically over ship and ocean. It was brought into Lansing in the year 1794, by Mr. Rhodes’ grandfather, and has descended as an heir loom, regularly, down to its present owner, always going with the homestead. It attends strictly to business, never having stopped but once since the year of grace 1794, and then only because it run down. – Auburn Daily Bulletin, February 8, 1875

Jacob and Sally had four children: Mata and Nellie who were teacher, Henry “Hinter”, and Fred D. Rhodes. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}

Jacob Rhodes was an upstanding citizens and active in church and political activities. He was a graduate of the State Normal College at Albany, New York, Class of 1866. ^{[9] [10]} However, in 1881, he became the talk of the town.

A Lamentable Affair – During the past few days Lansing has been pretty thoroughly stirred in regard to a sad case of desertion and alleged elopement. The details of the affair, which are pretty generally as well as locally known, are mainly as follows: Tuesday Oct. 4th, Jacob F. Rhodes left his home with the expressed intention of going upon a business trip, stating to his family that he would soon return. Ithaca was made the starting point. Upon the day following, Mrs. Bruyen B. Labar, of North Lansing, left her home ostensibly for a visit among friends in Genoa village. Upon reaching said point upon the train she paid her fare to Auburn, and has not been seen or heard from since. Her husband expecting her to be gone several days did not become uneasy at her prolonged absence until the early part of last week. He went to Genoa on Wednesday, and finding she had not been there, returned and went to Rhodes’ Thursday, and found that his family had received a letter from him from a city in Connecticut, stating that he had left Lansing and all in it, forever. Also that for many years he had taken no comfort with his wife, who is a mute, and that being despondent was obliged to accept either alternative, commit suicide or leave the country, and he had chosen the latter. The letter contained no allusion to the woman referred to, but from circumstances there is little doubt but that they are together. The general impression is that Rhodes has for some time contemplated this move and has been preparing for it; having turned considerable produce from the farm, stock and other salable commodities into money. It is supposed that he has taken several thousand dollars with him. Most of his smaller indebtedness he settled. The farm is encumbered by mortgages. As is pretty well known he was prominent in the M. E. Church, in various organizations, Sunday School and educational work. The lamentable affair is of course the subject of much comment. There is much sympathy expressed for the wife and children so willfully deserted, and for the husband whose hearthstone has been rendered desolate. – The Groton NY Journal, October 20, 1881

Jacob Rhodes and Mary Ann (Croft) LaBar ended up in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. Records indicate a post office was established in Multnomah County on January 15, 1883, with Jacob F. Rhodes the first postmaster. City directories show Jacob was also a teacher in Portland. ^{[11] [12]}

Jacob and Mary had a daughter Marion Evelyn Rhodes, born October 23, 1886 in Portland. ^[13]

Before 1900, Jacob was visiting his brother John Henry Rhodes in Little Falls, Minnesota.

J. F. Rhodes, of Portland, Ore., brother of J. H. Rhodes of this city, arrived in the city yesterday accompanied by his wife and daughter, for a visit. – Little Falls Weekly Transcript, Friday, March 4, 1898

By 1900, they were in Davenport, Iowa, where he was a school teacher. Mary’s birth was listed as November 1845 in New York and his daughter was referred to as Mary E. Rhodes, born October 1886 in Oregon. ^[14]

In 1903, they shipped their household goods to Grey Eagle, Minnesota. They were also in Swanville, Morrison County, Minnesota, where Jacob was referred to as Professor J. F. Rhodes. ^{[15] [16]}

Jacob Rhodes died November 6, 1907 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Word was received Tuesday that Jacob F. Rhodes, formerly principal of school here, was dead at LaCrosse, Wis. He is well known here and his wife has the sympathy of their many friends. – Little Falls Herald, Little Falls, Minnesota, Friday, December 6, 1907, Page 8.

In 1910, Mary Rhodes was in Waupun, Wisconsin where her daughter Marion was teaching school. ^[17]

The last record found for Mary and Marion was in 1915 in the Little Falls Minnesota newspaper, saying that Mrs. J. F. Rhodes and daughter Mary were returning to St. Cloud after spending the holiday with friends in Little Falls. ^[18]

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can anyone contribute more?

Sources

1. ↑ U. S. Federal Census: 1850, Lansing, Tompkins County, New York.
2. ↑ Middle name, Frederick: son, Fred D. Rhodes obituary; East Hampton NY Star, Thursday, June 14, 1956.
3. ↑ Mother’s maiden name: Fred Rhodes obituary, East Hampton Star, Thursday, June 14, 1956.
4. ↑ U. S. Federal Census: 1860, Groton, Tompkins County, New York.
5. ↑ New York State Census: 1865, Lansing, Tompkins County, New York.
6. ↑ U. S. Federal Census: 1870, Lansing, Tompkins County, New York.
7. ↑ New York State Census: 1875, Lansing, Tompkins County, New York.
8. ↑ U. S. Federal Census: 1880, Lansing, Tompkins County, New York.
9. ↑ Closing exercises Tweddle Hall, February 1, 1866 “Jacob F. Rhodes, North Lansing”; Albany Express, Friday, February 2, 1866.
10. ↑ An Historical Sketch of the State Normal College at Albany, New York and a history of its graduates for fifty years, 1844-1894; Albany, New York.
11. ↑ Willsburg, Oregon (Clackamas County) History.
12. ↑ U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Portland, Oregon Directories, 1890-1891; online database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT.
13. ↑ Birth based on 1900 census “Oct 1886” and Oregon delayed birth records: Oregon Deaths, 1842-1952 and Delayed Births, 1844-1914; database with images, FamilySearch, Jacob Frederick Rhodes and Mary Ann Croft in entry for Marion Evelyn Rhodes, 23 Oct 1893; citing Birth, Multnomah, Oregon, United States, 23 Oct 1893, state and county archives, Oregon; FHL microfilm 2,259,054.
14. ↑ U. S. Federal Census: 1900, Davenport, Scott County, Iowa.
15. ↑ Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905; 1905, Morrison County; online database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT; John Rhodes.
16. ↑ Little Falls Herald, Friday, October 9, 1903, page 8.
17. ↑ U. S. Federal Census: 1910, Waupun Ward 3, Doge County, Wisconsin.
18. ↑ Little Falls Herald, Little Falls, Minnesota, Friday, January 1, 1915; Page 5.