Daniel, born 11 Jul 1799 in Fairfield District, Craven County, South Carolina, was the son of Elizabeth and Joseph Rhodus. Daniel was married 4 times, outliving his first 3 wives. His first wife was Polly Roberts, whom he marred on 20 Jan 1825, in Madison County, Kentucky. She was the eldest child of William Roberts and Margaret B. Todd. Daniel and Polly had 5 children. After Polly’s untimely death in about 1839 Daniel married her younger sister Sarah Jane Sally Roberts (about 1825- 1856). Together Sarah and Daniel had 6 children. Daniel resided in Madison County Kentucky for about 58 years then moved with family to Missouri, in about 1858.
He traveled back to Kentucky in 1860 to get marriage. Below is the marriage bond for Daniel Rhodus and Mrs. Sally Kincaid, Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky.
Per record above Daniel Rhodus , 57, was born in Fairfield District of South Carolina, this was his 3rd marriage, and he lived in Clay County Missouri at the time of this marriage. His wife Sally Kincaid, 45, she was born in and resided in Madison county.
Following is the text of an 1894 newspaper story that nicely described his life: “The second oldest man in Harrison County is Daniel Rhodus who was one of the first settlers of Butler Township. He was born in Fairfield District, South Carolina, July 11, 1799 and recently celebrated his 95th birthday. He has been married four times and is the father of thirteen children, the grandfather of over fifty, and the great—grandfather of twelve. Ten of his children are living. His parents emigrated to Madison County, Kentucky when he was a year old There at the age of twenty-four, he married a MSS Roberts, who bore him six children. After her death, he married her sister and they had seven children. Having lost his farm and all of his other property in paying security debts, he came to Clay County, Missouri to grow up with the county. He got a fresh start and mar-ried a widow from Madison County, Ky. of the name of Kincaide. After living in Clay County for five years, he moved to Harrison County, where he has since lived on a good farm of 180 acres, which he has chiefly made and improved by the labor of his own hands. Here he lost his third wife and married his fourth, Miss Lucretia Plymell, with whom he has lived happily for twenty—five years. He is a grand old man of high moral character, and says he never swore an oath in his life, never drank intoxicating liquor, or used tobacco in any form. He has been a member of the Christian Church for sixty years. The old man is hale and hearty and works on his farm nearly every day and can still use the ax and hoe with good results. Politically, he is an ardent Republican and was always opposed to slavery”. RICETOWN NEWS 1894.
A few years later, the following article about Daniel appeared in the Kansas City Journal Newspaper.
25 July 1898 Kansas City Journal, Kansas City, Missouri, page 4
25 July 1898 Kansas City Journal
Daniel passed away just a few months later, 24 Sep 1898 in Matkins Township, Harrison, Missouri. He lived to the grand old age of 99 years, 2 months, and 13 days.
