I may have a partial answer to my query about the organization of the Grayson County, KY, church in 1814. I found my answer from Merle Rummel's listing of the Henry and Elizabeth Dovey Stoner Rhoads family posted on the Brethren List, June 13, 2008, and from going through Kentucky census records for 1810, and then piecing the two together. Henry Rhoads and his family migrated from PA to KY in the 1700s before Kentucky was a state, with most of the family ultimately settling in what was to become Muhlenberg County. Along the way in Kentucky, their children were married, the older ones in Nelson/Hardin/Ohio/Grayson County, and the two younger ones in Lincoln/Logan/Christian/Muhlenberg. Bear in mind that Grayson County was spun off from Ohio and Hardin Counties, Ohio County was spun off from Hardin County, and Hardin County was spun off from Nelson County. Also bear in mind that Muhlenberg County was spun off from Christian and Logan Counties, Christian County was spun off from Logan County, and Logan County was spun off from Lincoln County. In 1810, most of Henry Rhoads' children (all married) and their families were recorded in the Muhlenberg County census, but four of the married children and their families were living in Grayson/Hardin/Ohio Counties. These four were (1) John Rhoads (wife unknown), (2) Jacob Rhoads (who married Alsey Vanmeter), (3) Caterina Rhoads (who married Christopher Jackson), and (4) Elizabeth Rhoads (who married Jacob Vanmeter). Both John and Jacob were listed in the Grayson County census of 1810. Several Vanmeters were also listed in the Grayson County census, but Jacob Vanmeter (with wife Elizabeth Rhoads) was listed in the Hardin County census. (Hardin County is adjacent to Grayson County.) Christopher Jackson (with wife Caterina Rhoads) was listed in the Ohio County census. (Ohio County is also adjacent to Grayson County). All of these counties are northeast of Muhlenberg County and on the east side of the Green River. I don't know the extent to which these Rhoads families were Brethren, but if they were, they, with perhaps other Brethren, may have coalesced into a small congregation in the Grayson County area of which Joseph Roland from Drakes Creek officially organized as a church in 1814. This is neither a good nor complete answer to whether there was a Grayson County Brethren church in Kentucky, in 1814, but hopefully it might be a start to answering the question. Dwayne Wrightsman

As a follow-up to my earlier message below, I checked the 1820 census for Kentucky and found 17 households with the surname Rhoads. There were 10 households in Muhlenberg County, 6 households (Jacob and his sons) in GRAYSON COUNTY, and 1 household in Caldwell County.. The Jacob Vanmeter household was still in Hardin County, and the Christopher Jackson household in Ohio County. I also noted from Merle's list that Jacob Rhoads of Grayson County died in Macoupin County, Illinois, in circa 1835. Checking my Macoupin County history books, I found that Jacob Rhoads was the first settler to buy land, 6 July 1830, in Chesterfield Township, Macoupin County. Jesse Rhoads was second, 8 Sept. 1830. "In 1831, John, Henry, Samuel, Jesse, Jacob, and Josiah Rhodes, six brothers, all having families, settled in the southwest portion known as Rhoads' Point, and the present site of Medora." All of these brothers except Josiah were listed in the 1820 census for Grayson County, KY. In Macoupin County, "Jacob and John Rhoads, Baptists, preached......at Rhoads' Point." "Dr. Henry Rhoads was the first physician in the township. He settled at Rhoads' Point in 1831, as above stated." I have no idea if these Rhoads families were Brethren in Grayson County, KY, before moving to Illinois, circa 1830, but, if they were, their exodus from Kentucky would have been at the very same time that so many known Brethren from Drakes Creek in Simpson County and from Long Creek in Muhlenberg County moved out of KY and settled in Sangamon, Morgan, and Macoupin Counties in Illinois. 1830 pretty much marked the Far-Western Brethren exodus from Kentucky led by Elders Joseph Roland, John Dick, and Isham Gibson. I suspect that the Rhoads families of Grayson County might have been a part of the Grayson County, KY, Brethren church of 1814 organized by Joseph Roland. But if they were, they were not Brethren after they arrived in Illinois. Jacob Rhoads was moderator and Henry Rhoads was clerk of the five-member Baptist Church located in Medora, organized by them 21 April 1832. Dwayne Wrightsman -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dwayne Wrightsman Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 11:10 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [BRE] The Henry Rhoads Family in Grayson County, Kentucky I may have a partial answer to my query about the organization of the Grayson County, KY, church in 1814. I found my answer from Merle Rummel's listing of the Henry and Elizabeth Dovey Stoner Rhoads family posted on the Brethren List, June 13, 2008, and from going through Kentucky census records for 1810, and then piecing the two together. Henry Rhoads and his family migrated from PA to KY in the 1700s before Kentucky was a state, with most of the family ultimately settling in what was to become Muhlenberg County. Along the way in Kentucky, their children were married, the older ones in Nelson/Hardin/Ohio/Grayson County, and the two younger ones in Lincoln/Logan/Christian/Muhlenberg. Bear in mind that Grayson County was spun off from Ohio and Hardin Counties, Ohio County was spun off from Hardin County, and Hardin County was spun off from Nelson County. Also bear in mind that Muhlenberg County was spun off from Christian and Logan Counties, Christian County was spun off from Logan County, and Logan County was spun off from Lincoln County. In 1810, most of Henry Rhoads' children (all married) and their families were recorded in the Muhlenberg County census, but four of the married children and their families were living in Grayson/Hardin/Ohio Counties. These four were (1) John Rhoads (wife unknown), (2) Jacob Rhoads (who married Alsey Vanmeter), (3) Caterina Rhoads (who married Christopher Jackson), and (4) Elizabeth Rhoads (who married Jacob Vanmeter). Both John and Jacob were listed in the Grayson County census of 1810. Several Vanmeters were also listed in the Grayson County census, but Jacob Vanmeter (with wife Elizabeth Rhoads) was listed in the Hardin County census. (Hardin County is adjacent to Grayson County.) Christopher Jackson (with wife Caterina Rhoads) was listed in the Ohio County census. (Ohio County is also adjacent to Grayson County). All of these counties are northeast of Muhlenberg County and on the east side of the Green River. I don't know the extent to which these Rhoads families were Brethren, but if they were, they, with perhaps other Brethren, may have coalesced into a small congregation in the Grayson County area of which Joseph Roland from Drakes Creek officially organized as a church in 1814. This is neither a good nor complete answer to whether there was a Grayson County Brethren church in Kentucky, in 1814, but hopefully it might be a start to answering the question. Dwayne Wrightsman

I have no knowledge of the Rhodes family being described in this email nor do I have knowledge of the Kentucky-Illinois migration. I do have similar circumstances: In Lincoln County, NC by the early 1830's the two Brethren ministers, Henry Rhodes and Lorentz Linhardt (Leonhardt) had both died. The Dunker congregations that they headed ceased to exist. But many if not most of the members became regular Baptists. It was a rather smooth theological progression from German Baptist to regular Baptist in North Carolina. May I suggest that it is possible that a similar progression occurred in Grayson Co, KY and then into their new Illinois home. They may have already joined regular Baptists in Kentucky before their move to Illinois. If the Grayson Co Brethren congregation was indeed small, it may have been necessary for them to join with other neighbor Baptists. It is especially revealing that two of Rhodes brothers in Illinois were described as Baptists. I would suggest that they were Brethren who became regular Baptists. In areas where there were few Brethren the transition to regular Baptist was both possible and rather plausible. In Lincoln County, North Carolina no Dunker congregations survived into the 1840's or 50's and their recollection was not common knowledge. Robert Carpenter ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dwayne Wrightsman" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 4:50 PM Subject: Re: [BRE] The Henry Rhoads Family in Grayson County, Kentucky > As a follow-up to my earlier message below, I checked the 1820 census for > Kentucky and found 17 households with the surname Rhoads. There were 10 > households in Muhlenberg County, 6 households (Jacob and his sons) in > GRAYSON COUNTY, and 1 household in Caldwell County.. The Jacob Vanmeter > household was still in Hardin County, and the Christopher Jackson > household > in Ohio County. I also noted from Merle's list that Jacob Rhoads of > Grayson > County died in Macoupin County, Illinois, in circa 1835. Checking my > Macoupin County history books, I found that Jacob Rhoads was the first > settler to buy land, 6 July 1830, in Chesterfield Township, Macoupin > County. > Jesse Rhoads was second, 8 Sept. 1830. "In 1831, John, Henry, Samuel, > Jesse, Jacob, and Josiah Rhodes, six brothers, all having families, > settled > in the southwest portion known as Rhoads' Point, and the present site of > Medora." All of these brothers except Josiah were listed in the 1820 > census > for Grayson County, KY. In Macoupin County, "Jacob and John Rhoads, > Baptists, preached......at Rhoads' Point." "Dr. Henry Rhoads was the > first > physician in the township. He settled at Rhoads' Point in 1831, as above > stated." > > I have no idea if these Rhoads families were Brethren in Grayson County, > KY, > before moving to Illinois, circa 1830, but, if they were, their exodus > from > Kentucky would have been at the very same time that so many known Brethren > from Drakes Creek in Simpson County and from Long Creek in Muhlenberg > County > moved out of KY and settled in Sangamon, Morgan, and Macoupin Counties in > Illinois. 1830 pretty much marked the Far-Western Brethren exodus from > Kentucky led by Elders Joseph Roland, John Dick, and Isham Gibson. > > I suspect that the Rhoads families of Grayson County might have been a > part > of the Grayson County, KY, Brethren church of 1814 organized by Joseph > Roland. But if they were, they were not Brethren after they arrived in > Illinois. Jacob Rhoads was moderator and Henry Rhoads was clerk of the > five-member Baptist Church located in Medora, organized by them 21 April > 1832. > > Dwayne Wrightsman > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of Dwayne Wrightsman > Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 11:10 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [BRE] The Henry Rhoads Family in Grayson County, Kentucky > > I may have a partial answer to my query about the organization of the > Grayson County, KY, church in 1814. I found my answer from Merle Rummel's > listing of the Henry and Elizabeth Dovey Stoner Rhoads family posted on > the > Brethren List, June 13, 2008, and from going through Kentucky census > records > for 1810, and then piecing the two together. > > > > Henry Rhoads and his family migrated from PA to KY in the 1700s before > Kentucky was a state, with most of the family ultimately settling in what > was to become Muhlenberg County. Along the way in Kentucky, their > children > were married, the older ones in Nelson/Hardin/Ohio/Grayson County, and the > two younger ones in Lincoln/Logan/Christian/Muhlenberg. > > > > Bear in mind that Grayson County was spun off from Ohio and Hardin > Counties, > Ohio County was spun off from Hardin County, and Hardin County was spun > off > from Nelson County. Also bear in mind that Muhlenberg County was spun off > from Christian and Logan Counties, Christian County was spun off from > Logan > County, and Logan County was spun off from Lincoln County. > > > > In 1810, most of Henry Rhoads' children (all married) and their families > were recorded in the Muhlenberg County census, but four of the married > children and their families were living in Grayson/Hardin/Ohio Counties. > These four were (1) John Rhoads (wife unknown), (2) Jacob Rhoads (who > married Alsey Vanmeter), (3) Caterina Rhoads (who married Christopher > Jackson), and (4) Elizabeth Rhoads (who married Jacob Vanmeter). Both > John > and Jacob were listed in the Grayson County census of 1810. Several > Vanmeters were also listed in the Grayson County census, but Jacob > Vanmeter > (with wife Elizabeth Rhoads) was listed in the Hardin County census. > (Hardin County is adjacent to Grayson County.) Christopher Jackson (with > wife Caterina Rhoads) was listed in the Ohio County census. (Ohio County > is > also adjacent to Grayson County). All of these counties are northeast of > Muhlenberg County and on the east side of the Green River. > > > > I don't know the extent to which these Rhoads families were Brethren, but > if > they were, they, with perhaps other Brethren, may have coalesced into a > small congregation in the Grayson County area of which Joseph Roland from > Drakes Creek officially organized as a church in 1814. This is neither a > good nor complete answer to whether there was a Grayson County Brethren > church in Kentucky, in 1814, but hopefully it might be a start to > answering > the question. > > > > Dwayne Wrightsman > > > > > > ------------------------ > Search the Archives at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/BRETHREN > ------------------------ > Support Our Sponsoring Agency > The Fellowship Of Brethren Genealogists (FOBG) > For further information contact Ron McAdams mailto:[email protected] > ------------------------ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >