Frank Rhodes was born to Ward A. and Mary M. Rhodes in 1919. He was born at home since hospitals were not used for delivering babies. He had one brother and two sisters: Floyd, Nellie, and Elizabeth. In the early 20s, his parents bought their first vehicle. He remembers riding in a buggy only once with his parents; he was probably about three years old. Of course, since they didn't have electricity yet, they used oil lamps and lanterns. He went to school at New Erection for most of his schooling; however, one year he went to Dale Enterprise because there were too many students for one teacher in the two-room schoolhouse. (The older ones were transferred to Dale Enterprise). He went to school through the seventh grade. However, this was not the end of his education. After he had children and they were asking him questions that were beyond him, he took a high school correspondence course and received a certificate for it. Frank was raised on a farm. On their farm, they had cows (sold cream), a few hogs, and poultry. Ward's poultry house was bigger than anybody else's in that area. It held 1200 chickens that weren't guaranteed like they are today. But a disease called pelorum spread into their poultry house, and he remembers picking up seventy-seven one day! His father was a poor manager, and he lost his farm during the Depression. They were as "poor as church mice," but they always had enough to eat. When they lost their farm, the family moved close to Garber's church. But the family was divided up somewhat. Nellie moved to Grandpas, Frank moved to Uncle Kents, and Floyd and Elizabeth remained at home. In the Easter or 1933, Frank was baptized at the Pike Mennonite Church. Frank's first job away from Uncle Kents was working at Stehli silk mill where he spun silk After he quit working at the silk mill, he started working with Jacob Suter. Jacob Suter built houses and Frank learned many skills including wiring since Jacob did his own wiring. Frank learned to save money from the first job. It has always come in handy and it has been very useful throughout his life.
Archive: 2021
Harold's Database
Frank Rhodes was born to Ward A. and Mary M. Rhodes in 1919. He was born at home since hospitals were not used for delivering babies. He had one brother and two sisters: Floyd, Nellie, and Elizabeth. In the early 20s, his parents bought their first vehicle. He remembers riding in a buggy only once with his parents; he was probably about three years old. Of course, since they didn't have electricity yet, they used oil lamps and lanterns. He went to school at New Erection for most of his schooling; however, one year he went to Dale Enterprise because there were too many students for one teacher in the two-room schoolhouse. (The older ones were transferred to Dale Enterprise). He went to school through the seventh grade. However, this was not the end of his education. After he had children and they were asking him questions that were beyond him, he took a high school correspondence course and received a certificate for it. Frank was raised on a farm. On their farm, they had cows (sold cream), a few hogs, and poultry. Ward's poultry house was bigger than anybody else's in that area. It held 1200 chickens that weren't guaranteed like they are today. But a disease called pelorum spread into their poultry house, and he remembers picking up seventy-seven one day! His father was a poor manager, and he lost his farm during the Depression. They were as "poor as church mice," but they always had enough to eat. When they lost their farm, the family moved close to Garber's church. But the family was divided up somewhat. Nellie moved to Grandpas, Frank moved to Uncle Kents, and Floyd and Elizabeth remained at home. In the Easter or 1933, Frank was baptized at the Pike Mennonite Church. Frank's first job away from Uncle Kents was working at Stehli silk mill where he spun silk After he quit working at the silk mill, he started working with Jacob Suter. Jacob Suter built houses and Frank learned many skills including wiring since Jacob did his own wiring. Frank learned to save money from the first job. It has always come in handy and it has been very useful throughout his life.