Mercer County, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Richard Alvin Rhoades was born 28 March 1846 in Mercer, Mercer Co., Missouri to Phantley (Faunt LeRoy) Rhoades and Sarah Elizabeth Stice. Phantley was born 11 Feb 1817 Muhlenberg Co., KY, the son of Daniel Rhoades and Barbary Cockrum and died 05 May 1907 Mercer Co., MO. Sarah was born 15 Sep 1820 Boone Co. (now Shelby Co.) Missouri, a daughter of Peter Stice and Charlotte Wainscott and died 30 March 1908 Mercer Co. MO.

Richard is shown in the 1850 Mercer Co., MO census as Richard Roads age 4 in home #338 on page 339B. In 1860, home 531/531 he is shown as Richard Rhodes age 14 in Newtown, Mercer Co., MO. By 1870, Richard is shown as Richard Rhodes age 23 in home 91/96 Princeton, Mercer Co., MO with wife Yerrina 20 IL and daughter, Mary E. 1 MO. Mary E. was born 29 Nov 1869 and died 1870 after the census. She was buried in the Harris Cemetery, tombstone is now illegible. Yerrina Frances Garrett was born 30 Oct 1850 Macon, Mason Co., IL to Joseph Joel Garrett and Anna Eliza Garrett, who were first cousins. Joel was son of John Bowater Garrett and Patience Ann Walker. Eliza was a daughter of Joshua Welcome Garrett and Mary Cox. Richard and Yerrina were married 02 Jul 1867 Menard Co., IL.

Richard and Yerrina Rhoades moved to Kilbourne, Mason Co., IL before the 1880 census, where they lived near her brother, Jacob “Jake” Garrett. Richard and Yerrina had six known children: Mary Elizabeth, Saphronia Agnes, Lila Isabell, Albert and twin daughters, Chloa and Irene. Yerrina died in childbirth of the twins on 05 Apr 1881. She is buried in Kilbourne Cemetery, apparently with the twins, both stillborn.

Saphronia Agnes Rhoades was born 08 March 1871 in Putnam Co., MO and died 29 July 1980 in Richmond, Ray Co., MO at age 109 years. She was married to Franseway Franklin Leasure and to George Thomas Kitchen. Lila Isabell Rhoades was born 01 Jan 1875 in Kilbourne, Mason Co., IL and died 29 Jan 1958 in Snohomish Co., WA. She was married to Stephen David Ackles. Albert “Reverand Bert” Rhoades was born 13 Aug 1877 Kilbourne, Mason Co., IL and died 24 Sep 1972 in Princeton, Mercer Co., MO. He was married to Eva Ellen Fisher.

After the death of Yerrina “Rena”, Richard took his children and returned to Mercer Co., Missouri to a home next door to his parents. On 21 Jul 1882, Richard married Chloa Melvina Leasure, a daughter of John L. Leasure and Martha Jane Niccum. She was born 30 Sep 1854 in Decatur Co., IN and died 07 Oct 1899 in Mercer Co., MO. She is buried in Harris (Odneal) Cemetery on the Sullivan/Mercer County line. Richard and Chloe had five children: Henry Alvin Rhoades, Dora Jane Rhoades, Leeta Mae Rhoades, Levi Everett Rhoades and Homer Clellan Rhoades.

Henry Alvin was born 20 Aug 1883 in Mercer, Mercer Co. MO, married 22 Sep 1904 in Topsy, Mercer Co., MO to Frances Mary Wright, daughter of Marion Frances Wright and Gabriella Amizette Michael. They had eighteen children. Henry died 29 Sep 1952 in Cameron, Clinton Co., MO and Fanny died 01 Apr 1966 in Hamilton, Caldwell Co., MO.

Dora Jane was born 15 Mar 1886 in Buffalo, Dawson Co., NE and married 13 Oct 1900 to Lewis Sylvestor Donelson. She died 17 Feb 1971 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., MO. Leeta Mae was born 11 Jan 1889 Mercer Co., MO and married Oct 1904 to Joseph Franklin Todd. She died 03 Jul 1968 in Galt, Grundy Co., MO. Levi Everett was born 28 Oct 1894 Mercer Co., MO and died 12 Dec 1973 in Galt, Grundy Co., MO. He was married 22 Nov 1913 to Ellen Leona Brassfield. Homer Clellan was born 26 Oct 1894 Mercer Co., MO and died 04 Dec 1975 in Spickard, Grundy Co., MO. He married 06 Feb 1918 Mercer Co., MO to Goldie Mantlo.

On 02 Sep 1902, Richard married Gabriella Amizette “Gay” Michael Jones. She was born 14 Jan 1875 in Mercer Co., Mo to Andrew Michael and Matilda Frances Kesterson. Gay was married five known times. Her first marriage was to Marion Frances Wright, by whom she had two known daughters, Frances Mary Wright and Maud Wright. She then married John Wesley Jones and had two daughters, Catheryn Ann “Kate” Jones and Chloa Tilda “Tillie” Jones and one son, Cecil Cumberland “Jack” Jones. Her third marriage was to Richard Alvin Rhoades, by whom she had two daughters, Stella Odessa Rhoades and Opalean Iva Rhoades. Stella was married to Harley Sampson McKern on 27 May 1920 and is still living at age 102. Opalean was married in 1921 to Raymond C. Coon and in 1935 to John Wendell Peters. She died 08 Feb 2005 in Albia, Monroe Co., IA. After the death of Richard Alvin Rhoades on 15 Jan 1921, Gay married twice more. One was to a John Hardman and the other was to a Mr. Tague, according to the name on her tombstone. However, we have not found a record of this marriage, nor a first name.