Daniel Rhoads

I started the Rhoades research with Daniel John Rhoads.  He is my 2xGreat-grandfather.  In the possession of my Uncle is a box with a treasure trove of family documents and artifacts.  Among these artifacts was Daniel’s funeral cards.  There were two different versions, one for a funeral held in Omaha, Nebraska where he died at the home of his youngest son, the second from a funeral held at Fort Wayne, the place where he lived most of his life.  These funeral cards had written contributions from several writers, likely his surviving siblings’ attempt to record their family.  Among the information recorded were the names of his parents, John Rhoads and Mary Wible or Wiggle (maybe Weigle).  Also identified were his siblings, sorted by who was still living and who had already passed on.

What I know about Daniel is as follows:

Daniel John Rhoads, son of John Rhoads and Mary Wible/Wiggle/Weigle was born August 22, 1840 in Ohio.  In Daniel’s Civil War pension application he specifically says Stark County, Ohio, though no record of birth has been located.  His family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana when he was 10 years old.  It is in Aboite township where his father, John, purchased a farm just west of Fort Wayne, and raised his family.

He joined the Union Army at Fort Wayne, Indiana in February 1865, serving in the 152 Indiana Infantry Regiment, Company G.  The war ended shortly after, on May 9, 1865, and he returned home.

Back at home, he married (1) Minerva Harper by 1868, daughter of John and Sarah Harper.  The Harpers lived on the neighboring farm in Aboite Township.  Daniel and Minerva had 1 son, Daniel Minerva Rhoads, who was born December 28, 1868 and died August 18, 1869.  Minerva died some time before 1870, possibly around the same time as infant, Daniel.

He married (2) Mary L. Fellows, widow of Mr. Meiser on April 28, 1873.  They had one son, Clarence Walter Rhoads, born June 20, 1874 and died March 24, 1959.  Clarence inherited the Rhoads’ Aboite farm and there raised a large family.  Mary L. Fellows died November 10, 1878.

He married (3) Rosetta W. Johnson, the daughter of James F. Johnson and Elizabeth Madden, on August 12, 1887.  She was born on February 17, 1851 at St Marys township, Adams County, Indiana.  She had been married twice previously, first to James Truman or Trumain and had two children and second to George Crum.  Rosetta died December 18, 1927 at the family farm in Aboite township.

Daniel and Rosetta had two sons, one of whom we descend from.  Daniel died March 5, 1931 in Omaha, Nebraska where he had been living with his youngest son.  He was transported by train back to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he was laid to rest next to Rosetta at Lindenwold Cemetery.

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