Henry Alvin Rhoades was born 20 August 1883 in Mercer, Mercer County, Missouri to Richard Alvin Rhoades and Chloa Melvina Leasure. Frances Mary “Fanny” Wright was born in Topsy, Mercer County, Missouri to Marion Frances Wright and Gabriella Amizette Michael. Henry and Frances were married in Topsy, Mercer County, Missouri 22 September 1904, by Robert Miller, Justice of the Peace. The marriage was recorded in Princeton, Mercer County, Missouri by Schuyler King. Frances was under the age of eighteen, and her mother (signed as Gay Rhoades) gave assent to the marriage. (Gabriella “Gay” had married John Wesley Jones, then Richard Alvin Rhoades, father of Henry in 1902).

In the 1900 census, Henry lived in Mercer County, Missouri, with his father, Richard Alvin Rhoades, a widow with five children in the home; Henry Alvin, Dora Jane, Leeta Mae, Levi Everett and Homer Clellan. This was the second time his father lost a wife. His first wife, Yerrina Frances Garrett died in childbirth of twins 05 April 1881. She left him with three small children; Saphronia Agnes, Lila Isabelle and Albert. One daughter, Mary Elizabeth died in infancy and twin daughters, Irene and Chloe, died at birth. By the 1910 census, Henry and Frances were living in Medicine Township, Mercer County, Missouri and had three children; (Claude Shelby, Leeta Mae and Wilvia Faye). The Draft Registration card, dated 12 September 1918, shows Henry Alvin Rhoades farming for J.F. Watson and Sons and living in Harris, Sullivan County, Missouri. It states he was short, medium built with brown hair and grayish brown eyes. The 1920 census has the family listed in Medicine Township, Mercer County, Missouri with nine children, (Claude Shelby, Leeta Mae, Wilvia Faye, Ira Everett, Clifford, Eleanor Melvina, Wayne Alvin, James Urcel and Floyd Willard). When the 1930 census was taken, the couple were in Grant Township, Dekalb County, Missouri with twelve children; (Ira Everett, Clifford, Eleanor Melvina, Wayne Alvin, James Urcel, Floyd Willard, Frances Ruth, Max Floy, Coda Ray, Cecil Clyde, Wanda Irene and Naurene June). Wilvia Faye had died 04 May 1923 with a bowel obstruction, due to adhesions and appendicitis. Claude Shelby had died 30 June 1925 from a fractured skull as a result of an auto accident. They were both buried in Lebanon Baptist Cemetery, in Hemple, Dekalb County, Missouri. There were three children born after 1930; (Elizabeth Viola, Jean and Jackie Don) making a total of eighteen children.

Leeta Mae was married before 1930 to Sherman Clyde Phillips (by whom she had two sons and one daughter). Ira Everett was a prisoner of war, liberated 08 June 1945 and had never married. Clifford married Alma Fern Burchett and had two sons. Eleanor Melvina “Susie” married later in life and had no children. Wayne Alvin married Constance Evangelina Baker and adopted a son and a daughter. James Urcel was married a short time to Blanche Standish, before marrying Maxine Faye Dunham, by whom he has three sons and two daughters. He later married Mary Jane Dixon, no children. Floyd Willard “Bob” married Dorothy Lee “Dot” Young and had four sons. Frances Ruth married John Donald Dyas and had two sons and two daughters. Max Floy married Hazel Rolland and had two daughters, then married Mildred in later life. Coda Ray married Paula Jean McNatt and had one daughter. Cecil Clyde married Dorothy Elizabeth Hanks and had two sons and two daughters. Wanda Irene married Russell McNatt and had one daughter, then married Melvin E. Archer and had four sons and three daughters by this marriage. Naurene June “Renie” married Edward James Hill and had one son and two daughters. She married three more times with no children, to Homer Clayton “Hap” Lyons, Charles Roney and James F. Hasney. Elizabeth Viola “Betty” married Marvin D. Archer. She married second to Thurman Lee Mott and had two sons. She married Lloyd Green and Eugene Bridges later in life. Jean married Raymond Eugene Smith and had six daughters. Jackie Don married Diane Lee Young and had one son and one daughter. He married Carolyn Ann Cheek and had two sons and three daughters.

Henry Alvin Rhoades died in Cameron Hospital, Cameron, Clinton County, Missouri 29 September 1952 of cardiac failure and arteriosclerosis. Frances Mary Wright Rhoades died 01 April 1966 at her home in Hamilton, Caldwell County, Missouri of cerebral hemorrhage and hypertension. She also suffered with diabetes mellitus and had one leg amputated, below the knee due to gangrene.

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