Samuel Lewis Rhodes

RHODES SEARS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/14/2010 at 00:15:07

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Samuel Lewis Rhodes
By Robert W Thom

S L Rhodes’ father came from Rome, New York, and settled in Grinnell, Iowa. S L Rhodes was born in Pennsylvania, and came to Grinnell with his father. In later years, S L had a farm near Grinnell, but in 1888, heeding the words of Horace Greely, the Editor of the New York Times, ‘Go West, Young Man, Go West’, he moved to Correctionville and homesteaded what is known as the Law Place (SE ¼ of Section 29, Twp 88, North Range 42, West of Prime Meridian, 160 acres). His wife was Adelaide Sears from Grinnell.

In 1888, his daughter, Carrie, married Charles E Woolridge, Contractor from Correctionville. Later on, S L moved to Paoni, Colorado, permanently.
Excerpt from a letter from Carrie to her Grandfather.
‘Dear Grandfather,

‘We cannot know why Papa left our lovely home and farm back there and came to this God-forsaken place where as far as the eye can see, nothing but six to eight foot high prairie grass. One space we crossed had burned off and we rode across miles of black grass stubble ‘Prairie Fire’, Papa said.

‘We herd as far as Cushing Village ‘Penrose’ as far north as we can just see a new town called Washta. It’s an Indian name. Whisman’s Store is there and the stagecoach stops there and at the coach stop in Correctionville. We are out there all day every summer, rain or shine. Why didn’t Mama and Papa have more boys instead of so many girls, I wonder? Some days we roast and some days we froze. We carry long leather whips. It’s all in a days work….’
Excerpt from letter of Spring 1889:

‘Papa brought two handsome young men from Correctionville, who are going to show us how to make brooms. They are building a shop and brought the needles and thimbles that fit in the palms of the hands and the vise that holds them for sewing.

‘I am going to tell you a secret Grandpa. I have always gone barefoot to save my shoes, but when I saw that one on the wagon seat with Papa, I hid behind the rain barrel until they go out of sight and I slipped inside and put on my boots and no more bare feet.

‘Anyway, we are going to make brooms from broom corn and straw and will be the first broom factory in the territory.’ (Carrie married this young man, Charles Woolridge, when she was nineteen and Charles’ brother, Jack married Leona Lasher Law who lived on the next place south.

‘This house is so full with Ma and Pa and fourteen kids. We have three sets of twins and the baby Little Lillie is growing.’