Charles Roth Rhoades

Military Service: Civil War. Source: Memorial and Biographical Record .... Butler, Polk, Seward, York and Fillmore Counties Index 2 - Pennsylvania, United States

Charles (Roth) Rhoades was born in Roaring Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA on the 6th day of April 1840. Parents were Jesse and Anna (Hauch/Hawk) Rhoades. Charles was an only child.

His father, Jesse, died when Charles was only 6 years old. His mother remarried a Mr. Knittle at some point.

In 1863 he enlisted in Company E, Thirtieth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for six months, and assisted in driving Lee out of the state. The following year he joined Company M, of the Third Pennsylvania regiment, and remained in active service until the close of the war, taking part in the engagements in and around Petersburg and Richmond. He was wounded in front of the latter city.

On receiving his discharge, Mr. Rhoades returned to Pennsylvania, and in that state was married December 25, 1870, to Miss Mary J. Hartley, a daughter of Sebastian and Margaret (Unger) Hartley, both natives of Pennsylvania.

In 1872 Mr. Rhoades emigrated to York county, Nebraska, and took up a homestead on section 2, Thayer township, on which he erected a sod house that continued to be the home of the family for eight years, when it was replaced by a comfortable frame residence. He began breaking and cultivating his land with an ox team, and to the further development of his farm he has devoted his energies until he now has one of the best places of the locality. In religious faith he and his family are Lutherans, and in political sentiment he is independent, always voting for the man whom he believes best qualified to fill the office. Although he has faithfully served as a member of the school board for many years, he has never cared for political preferment, and he enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him.