Justus M. Rhoads (1845-1907)

RHOADS, RHOADES, HEMINGWAY, BERRY, JOSTEN, ANSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 4/21/2017 at 23:42:23

From Nevada Representative February 27, 1907

The death of Justus Rhoades formerly of Nevada, Ia. reported in Denver. More extended notice will be given later.

From Nevada Representative March 1, 1907 (front page)

Pioneer Department

DEATH OF JUSTUS RHOADES.

Justus M. Rhoades who was well known to the pioneers as one of the brightest boys of this community, died suddenly at Denver on Thursday of last week. He was riding to his business on his bicycle, stopped to console with a widow who had recently lost her husband, remounted, rode a short distance had fell heavily, striking his head. He died in a few moments, and his death is ascribed to heart failure but may have been the result in the first instance of faintness and then of the blow received in his fall.

The Rhoades family came to Story county in 1865, locating first at Story City, where the father was the first postmaster, and removing in the spring of 1857 to Nevada. Here they resided in what has now for many years been the Gretsinger property, and here the father, who was a carpenter, died in 1867 as the result of a fall from a building. There were several children, of whom the brightest were the boys, Justus, otherwise "Jut", and Halsey and heir elder sister, Mrs. Laura A. Berry. "Jutt" so far as is known began active life as carrier for this paper when it was the "Story County Advocate," in the first year of its publication by its first editor, Mr. Thrall; and soon afterwards he became an apprentice in the office and learned the printer's trade. From this office he graduated to that of the State Register; from there he went to the war, returning there after the war. In due time he became a publisher on his own account and was the editor of the Jefferson Bee for a long series of years. From Jefferson he went to Denver; but like most men when once printers, he was always a printer, and he was on his way to the printing office when he fell.

"Jut" Rhoades was a man of ability and character, and his death will be much regreted by all who knew him in the old days in this part of the country. It was fifty years ago that he started with this paper and probably forty five years ago; that he removed to Des Moines but the family remained here and he was frequent visitor for quite a number of years longer. After the family removed to Boone or scattered elsewhere, he was still a familiar figure in political conventions and we remember that he was actively on the ground when Captain Head of his county was elected speaker of the general assembly twenty-one years ago. He was an active man of the world and one of the brightest that Nevada has ever turned out. Some further information concerning him is contained in the following extract from the Jefferson Bee of this week:

Justus M. Rhoades was born at Pierpont, Ohio, on April 8, 1845, and was 61 years, 10 months and 13 days old at the time of his death. With his family he located in Story county, Iowa, in 1856, later going to Des Moines, to pursue his vocation of a printer, and then enlisting in the war of the rebellion. His "war diary" shows that he obtained his discharge on Thursday, June 29, 1865, after prolonged illness in an army hospital, and a later entry tells that he began work for Frank W. Palmer on the Iowa State Register November 29, of the same year. He continued with the Register under Palmer, the Mills Bros. and the Clarksons until the spring of '71, when he went to Colorado locating at Black Hawk, where his elder brother, Alonzo, was living. He remained in Colorado till the winter of '71-'72, when he again removed with his family to Iowa, selecting Jefferson as his home, and securing a half interest in The Bee from Al Swaim. He later bought out the latter's interest. In the early seventies Mr. Rhoades was appointed postmaster at Jefferson. This office he held continuously till November 1, 1885, when the change of national administration prompted his resignation. About a year previous he had disposed of The Bee property to an old fellow-worker at the "case," Mr. E. B Stillman in 1890. Mr. Rhoades and family removed to Denver, where they have since resided and where he had been engaged in his chosen profession, that of printing, until his death.

Mr. Rhoades was united in marriage on the 23d day of February, 1867 to, Miss Augusta E. Hemingway, at Des Moines, and to this union were born four sons and one daughter, Frederick H., of Chicago, Charles G. and Frank P. of Denver, Justus Alonzo, who died in 1891, and Mrs. John Josten of Brooklyn, New York. The widow and surviving children were all permitted to be present at the funeral. Justus M. Rhoades was a devoted husband, a kind father, a good friend and a true man.

Mr. and Mrs. Rhoades celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on the third day of this month, the occasion being one of the happiest of their lives. They spent the day with their son, Chas. G. Rhoades, and, during the happy hours, were made recipients of a purse of gold sufficient to defray their expenses in the coming Knights Templar Triennial, at Saratoga, New York, a trip they had been actively planning for all the month. In addition to this remembrance their daughter, Mrs. Josten, obtained and presented them, canceled, the mortgage which had been upon their home since its purchase a few years ago.

Since the above was put in type a letter had been received from Mrs. Laura Berry, sister of Mr. Rhoades, which letter gives come additional information. The old home was, as stated at Pierpont, in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and the parents were F. W. and Mary Gould Rhoades. Mrs. Berry notes the arrival of the family in Story county in 1856 and save of her brother Justus, now deceased:

"The Nevada old timers will remember the young lad who began the printer's trade with R. R. Thrall, when what is now the Representative was the Story County Advocate, as the writer remembers. Later he was one of the Iowa State Register printers. When the time came for enlistment to the army he was counted among the Iowa soldiers. In 1867 he was married to Augusta E. Hemingway, five children being born to them, four now living and all married. Going to Denver for permanent residence in 1890 form Jefferson, Iowa, where he had been post master and partner in the publication of the Jefferson Bee, he at once established himself in his chosen business, soon becoming known as one of the best of Denver's printers. Death came without warning from paralysis of the heart nerve. The funeral was under the auspices of the Masonic Order of which he was an honored member. The surviving members of his family are H. M. and R. W. Rhoades brothers, and three sisters, Miss T. S. Rhoades, Mrs. Mary E. Anson, and Laura A. Berry, all residents of Denver excepting Mrs. Anson whose home is near Monta Vista, some three hundred miles from Denver."