A member of one of the best known families in Macoupin county,
William W. Rhoads, of Brighton, has possessed excellent opportunities of
becoming acquainted with business methods and has been highly successful
in the conduct of financial affairs. He was born near Plainview, May 13,
1872, and is now entering upon the prime of life with prospects of
advancement which point to large activities in years to come.
His parents are Isaiah and Mary A. (Meehan) Rhoads, the former of whom
was born at Rhoads Point, now Medora, and the latter in Iowa. Josiah
Rhoads, the great-grandfather of our subject and his brothers Rev.
Jacob, John, Jesse, father of Colonel W. C. Rhoads, of Civil war fame,
and Rev. Samuel Rhoads, were natives of Kentucky and the founders of the
family in Macoupin county. They entered government land in Macoupin and
Jersey counties, locating their homes across the line in Jersey county,
and were the first settlers in that portion of the state now known as
Jersey and Macoupin counties. The place of their location was afterward
named Rhoads Point in their honor. The family has for many years been
noted for its religious faith and has contributed eleven ministers to
the Baptist church. Edmund and John Y. Rhoads, uncles of our subject,
were very liberal in their contributions to worthy causes and
contributed thousands of dollars to religious and charitable work. John
V. Rhoads was especially noted for his liberality and at one time had as
his guests the entire Apple Creek Baptist Association, which consisted
of several hundred persons.
Isaiah Rhoads, the father of our
subject, was born in 1844 on the old Chisholm farm, just across the line
separating Macoupin from Jersey county. This place was a part of the
original Rhoads homestead. The family acquired many hundred acres of
land just north of Rhoads Point and there established the family home,
when Isaiah was in his early boyhood. The latter engaged in farming and
about 1900 removed to Granite City in order to carry forward under more
favorable conditions the education of his children. He and his wife are
now living at that place. They are both members of the Baptist church
and have been prominent factors in the erection of the new church built
at Granite City.
Amidst the environment of country life William
W. Rhoads spent his youthful days. His attendance at school was limited
to about two years as the family was not in flourishing financial
circumstances and his services were needed upon the home farm as soon as
he was tall enough to handle a hoe or guide a plow. Through an innate
perseverance he has overcome the early obstacles to intellectual
advancement and by reading and study has become one of the best informed
men in the community. He received only a few lessons in grammar and
physiology at school but he became a teacher and in the course of an
experience of three years as a schoolmaster proved himself to be quite
proficient in those two branches. He worked as a farm laborer at
fourteen dollars per month, paying seventy-five cents per month for
laundry. When it was necessary for him to practice rigid economy he did
not hesitate to do so, and upon arriving at the age of twenty-nine years
he entered the timber business, with which he has ever since been
connected, being now one of the large operators in this line. In order
to give an idea of the magnitude upon which he carries forward his work
it may be stated that he has furnished mining timbers for seventy-five
mines and recently sold one million square feet of lumber. He is the
owner of extensive timber land in five counties of the state and also
conducts sawmills. Since 1903 he has maintained his business
headquarters at Brighton.
On February 14, 1910, Mr. Rhoads was
married to Miss Alice T. Moores, a daughter of Frank and Mertie (Kelsey)
Moores, the latter being the eldest daughter of John Kelsey, the pioneer
settler of the Kelsey family in Brighton township. Mrs. Rhoads was
christened in the Episcopal church but attends the Methodist Episcopal
church. Politically Mr. Rhoads is a stanch supporter of the democratic
party and ever since he reached voting age has been very active in the
advancement of its interests. He was elected clerk of Polk township at
the age of twenty-one and has frequently been reelected to the office.
Since 1904 he has been a member of the county board of supervisors, with
the exception of one term when he was defeated. This is the only defeat
he has ever experienced in a political campaign, but at one time was
given a tie vote when a candidate for clerk of Polk township. He has
served as a delegate or alternate to the county conventions of the party
ever since he reached his majority and has been sent to the state
convention as a delegate many times, having also occupied a chair as
alternate at the national convention.
Although Mr. Rhoads is not
a member of any religious denomination he is a teacher in a Sabbath
school and has been connected with Sabbath school and church work for
the past fifteen years. He is a sincere believer in fraternal
organizations and is a member of Hibbard Lodge. No. 249, A. F. & A. M.;
Brighton Lodge No. 366, I. O. O. F.; and of the Encampment, being also
connected with Plainview Camp, No. 1365, M. W. A. He has passed through
all the chairs in the latter organization and has also filled all the
chairs in the subordinate lodge of Odd Fellows, being at the present
time acting past grand and secretary of the lodge. He has through life
exhibited the qualities of perseverance, integrity and adherence to
principles of truth and justice which have been leading characteristics
of the honored family of which he is a representative. He has made
friends wherever his name is known and, judging by what he has
accomplished, there are large possibilities before him in years to come.
He is gifted with sound business judgment and as his methods are
eminently sane and practical he has apparently built upon a safe and
secure foundation. His friends, who are many, have the utmost confidence
in his continued advancement.
Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 625-627.
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