Rhodes, Edwin Earl 1846-1899 and two wives with families

RHODES, RHOADS, TOTMAN, HANDY, CALVERT, TITUS

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 12/28/2021 at 14:22:51

Rhodes, Edwin Earl 1846-1899 and two wives Alice Handy and Rosalie Totman with families.

This story was taken from the ‘Rock Valley Records & Recollections’ book (p. 66) written about 1976 in honor of the two hundredth birthday of our nation. It was a revision of the history written by Lottie Thomas in 1955. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society and some research notes were added.

Edwin E. Rhodes, usually known as Ed Rhodes, was born in Wisconsin in 1846. His father was a hunter and a trapper and made three trips to California in the 1849 Gold Rush. On the last trip, which occurred when Ed was just a small boy, he was killed by the Indians and was never heard from again.

Ed was raised in Wisconsin, where he married Alice Handy. One daughter was born to them. When daughter, Allie, was born, Alice died. Ed then married Rosalie Totman, my grandmother. They had three children: Frankie, my mother, Jessie, and Edwin, Jr. Jessie was the first white baby born in the locality now known as Rock Valley. She was born in 1879, and Edwin, Jr. was born in Rock Valley in 1882.

Ed Rhodes had the pioneer spirit. He decided to take his wife and his two little daughters, Allie and Frankie, and his widowed mother, Nancy Rhodes Calvert, in a covered wagon to the new prairie country of Nebraska. He planted the fields. The grasshoppers came in droves and ate up his crop, and as a result, he became discouraged and took his family back to Wisconsin. About 1877, he heard that a railroad was being built in western Iowa and then took his family and mother to Iowa and settled in what is now Rock Valley.

He built a building there, opening a general store in one half of it and living in the other half. He was the first postmaster and merchant in Rock Valley. The town was then called Rhodes Corners, and named after him. His store was where Frank’s Market is now. He lived in Rock Valley seven or eight years, and then moved to Mitchell, South Dakota.

Some of the Handys owned a hotel called the Handy House on Main Street in Rock Valley. The Handy who owned the hotel was the father of Ed Rhodes’ first wife. (See the obit if Homer Marvin Handy Sr. 1827-1912 for more Handy family information)

Ed Rhodes’ mother, Mrs. Calvert, who came with him to Rock Valley, remained town the rest of her life and is buried near the entrance gate of the Rock Valley Cemetery.

Ed Rhodes later moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and died there in 1899 at the age of fifty-five years. He is buried in Sioux City.

(Revision of history written by Laurena Stewart in 1955. She was the granddaughter of Ed Rhodes.)

RESEARCH Notes :
In the 1850 census of Grant Wisconsin, Edwin born 1846 Wisconsin was the son of J. F. Rhoads 34 born New Jersey in 1816 and Nancy M Rhoads 35, born Mass. 1815. he was 4 years old. Living with them as (boarders were Franklin Simmons 13, and George Simmons 8.)

In the 1860 Census of Glen Haven Grant Wisconsin, Edwin Rhodes age 13 was living in the residence of George Calvert family. Possibly as a servant.
In the obits of Sioux County, is listed
Calvert, Nancy M. died 26 Sep 1895 89 yrs mother buried Valley View Cemetery Rock Valley IA. (mother of Ed Rhodes (1846) as indicated in family story.)
Cemetery records lists Nancy M. Calvert born 1816 died 26 Sep 1895 Rock Valley IA.

Find a Grave has her death date as 26 Sep 1893.
The Iowa Index of Hull Apr 21, 1893 under Rock Valley news – Mrs. Calvert has been quite sick the last week. No further news on her condition.

In the 1880 census Nancy Calvert was 65 born abt 1812 or 1815 lived in Rock Valley, IA was a widow born in Massachusetts, head of house, living with her daughter Harriet Calvert age 17 born WI.

In 1860 living in Glen Haven Grant WI were George Calvert 58 wife Nancy 43 Calvert Children Richard 15, Thomas 20, Martha 13, Jane 11, Geroge 8. Edwin Rhodes 13, was listed separately as with another family.

According to information one daughter Harriet Lenora Calvert found on ancestry.com her mother was Nancy M. Titus Calvert. Suspect Nancy may have been the second wife of George Calvert. (Her first husband was J. F. Rhoads)

Nancy Titus was born 29 Jun 1812 Foxborough, Mass died 26 Sep 1895 or 1893. Husband George Calvert, daughter Harriett Calvert Boggess 1864 died 3 March 1920 Sioux County IA.

Edwin’s first wife was Alice Handy born Sep 4, 1851 NY died 29 Oct 1870 Mr.Hope Grant County WI, her parents were Home Marvin Handy Sr. 1827-1912 and Ann Maria Chamber 1830-1924.

The children of Ed Rhodes and wife Rosalia Adeline Totman are as follows
1.Alice E. Rhoads 1870 Wisconsin (could be the child of Ed’s first wife)
2.Frankie Rhoads 1873/1878 Wi died 1968 Kenton OH Mrs. James Loveridge
3.Jessie Rosalia Rhodes 1879 WI died 1972 Long Beach CA Mrs. Elmer Elvin Austin, also Mrs. Harvey Darlington Sharp
4. Edwin Earl Rhodes 1882 Rock Valley IA died Nov 1874 Sioux City IA

Submitter hopes the above notes are correct and distinguishable to the family readers.

OBITUARY OF ED RHODES
Sioux County Herald of Nov 15, 1899
A telegram was received Thursday announcing the death at his residence in Sioux City, of Ed Rhodes, on of the pioneers of Rock Valley. His relative left on Friday to attend the funeral which took place Saturday.

DEATH OF MRS. Ed Rhodes Sr. Rosalia Adeline Totman Rhodes Wilson, Darlington - no obit found
The family account on Ancestry.com states she was born 15 Apr 1854 Cassville, Grant, Wisconsin and died 8 Jan 1920 Pierre, South Dakota Her grave marker per Find A Grave is in Logan Park Cemetery Sioux City IA.
Her parents were named as Jonathan Totman 1820-1887 and Nancy Elizabeth Monroe 1820-1888.

Marriage records - Found that Rosalie Adeline Totman Rhodes married in 24 Dec 1901 at Storm Lake IA to Wm. C. Wilson.

Marriage record of Rosalia Adeline Totman 1854-1920 to Harry/Frederick Darlington abt 1852.. married Aug 1912, she lived at Pierre SD at time of her death.

No picture of the Rhodes was found in local archives. If anyone has a picture please scan and forward to our page coordinator.