James William Rhode (1940)

BREHENY, BRICKER, JOHNSON, LEWIS, PICKARD, RHODE

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 7/1/2007 at 08:35:31

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, May 8, 1940

J. W. RHODES DIES

Earlham--(Special)--May 5th--

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at three o'clock at the Welch funeral home for J. W. Rhodes who died Monday night in Des Moines. Mr. Rhodes was 89 years old at the time of his death. He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. George Bricker, Miss Vade Rhode and Miss Halla Rhodes all of Des Moines.

Mr. Rhodes practiced law here for many years, retiring in 1931 soon after which he moved to Des Moines. He was the oldest member of the Madison County Bar association at the time of his death.

Rev. Cecile Latta had charge of the funeral, and music was furnished by a mixed quartette. Burial was made in the Earlham cemetery.
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Earlham Library Obituary Collection
Earlham, Iowa
April 1940

James William Rhode, son of John and Catherine Pickard Rhode, was born in Salem, Henry county, Iowa, March 11, 1851 and passed away at Des Moines, April 29, 1940, having attained the ripe old age of 89. He was the youngest of two sons in a pioneer family of Friends, his parents moving from Indiana when Iowa was still a territory and Salem only a tiny Quaker settlement.

He received his elementary education in a log school house, later attending Howe's Academy in Mt. Pleasant. When Whittier College was organized at Salem, Iowa, he was a member of the first class. He was graduated from Whittier in 1869 and soon began teaching a country school. After teaching a short time he entered Earlham College at Richmond, Indiana, and began the study of law. After attending college, he together with his father and brother entered a claim in western Kansas. Here on the great western plains he herded cattle and hunted buffalo.

He returned to Iowa and married Eliza J. Johnson of Van Buren county in 1873. They lived together to celebrate their golden wedding and also their fifty-fifth wedding. Mrs. Rhode died in 1932.

Mr. Rhode began teaching a country school--later becoming principal of the Hillsboro school. About 1879 he moved to Ft. Madison, Iowa, where he completed the study of law in the law office of Judge Casey. He was admitted to the bar about 1880, and practiced law continuously until he retired in 1931 because of ill health. He moved to Earlham in 1900 and to Des Moines in August, 1933. He was the oldest member of the Madison County Bar.

Few attain the age of 89 as did Mr. Rhode surrounded by all his children, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren.

The children are: Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Bricker, Misses Vada and Halla Rhode.

The grandchildren: Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Al Byrne, Mr. and Mrs. Edw. Breheny, Mr. and Mrs. Dayle Bricker.

The great grandchildren: Denny and Terry Byrne.

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