William R. Rhodes

William R. Rhodes was born about 1818 in Tennessee. He married Amanda Lindsey (daughter of Charles Lindsey and Mary Polly Bennett) about 1840 in Tennessee. Amanda was born about 1820 in Alabama.
McCaslin: "William R. Rhodes ... preempted 320 acres in Cooke County. He doubled his property on December 24, 1856, by purchasing 320 acres, on which he paid his first taxes in Cooke County in 1857. . . He joined the Frontier Regiment on March 11, 1862."
Richard B. McCaslin, "Tainted Breeze, The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas, 1862" (Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1994).

"He had a nice family"
 James L. Clark wrote this information about Rhodes:
"One of our near neighbors was William Rhodes. He (came) from North Carolina here (Note: Census records indicate that William Rhodes was born in Tennessee not North Carolina.), an got 320 acres of land as a homestead from the state. He had a nice familey an his oaldest boy belong to the same company that I belonged to. Now Rhodes sold land to a man by the name of Eli Scott a bout the time the war started. An Scott moved to the land an was murderd while he lived on the land. He Scott (came) from California here, an had a big famley, and was nice foalks. Him an Rhodes were hung the same day. Tha are boath buried on the Rhodes survey, now owned by Sam McClerran."
page 113, From a letter James Lemuel wrote to his parents: "Pe Rodes has the measels. With this exception the Cooke County Boys are all well... tell Pe Rodeses folks he sends his best love and respects to them."
Clark, James Lemuel; Edited by L.D. Clark, Civil War Recollections of James Lemuel Clark, Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas 77843, Page 109, 113

William Rhodes appears to have had a son fighting in the Confederate Army when he was hanged by the Confederates.
Question?? Which of Rhodes' sons joined the Confederate Army Company that Clark referred to in the above statement and had the nickname of "Pe"??

According to Diamond's account of the trial, Rhodes was tried in a group trial with eleven other men: The State vs. C. A. Jones("HumpBack"), James Powers ("Carpenter"), Eli M. Scott, Thomas Baker ("Old Man"), Geo W Anderson, Abraham McNeese, Henry Cochran ("30"), C.F. Anderson, Wm Wernell, B.F. Barnes ("35 or 40"), Wm Rodes, and N. M. Clark ("25"). Disloyalty & Treason. The testimony against the above mentioned conspirators corresponds with the testimony herein before produced on the trial of Childs, Fields, Harper, Lock, and others. They all acknowledged their connection with the organization, and made full confession of their guilt at the gallows."
George Washington Diamond's Account of the Great Hanging at Gainesville, 1862, Manuscripte Edited by Sam Acheson and Julie, The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Vol. LXVI, January, 1963, No. 3, pages 331-414, pg .397.

Amanda and William R. Rhodes began having children in Shelby County, Republic of Texas in about 1842.  In 1850, they are in Shelby County, and in the 1860 Census, they are in Cooke County, Texas. William lists his occupation as a farmer.

Amanda was left with nine (9) children to raise after the death of her husband. The youngest child was only six months old. Sometime after the hanging of her husband, Amanda moved to Stephens County, Texas with her children.  It may be that Amanda felt her family would be in a safer environment by moving them away from Cooke County.  Many of the widows who stayed in Cooke County were threatened and harassed by confederates.
William and Amanda had the following children:
1. Charity Armitta Rhodes was born on 28 Jun 1842 in Texas. She died on 26 Oct 1928 in Eastland, Texas. She was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Eastland, Texas.
From the 1870 United States Federal Census for Stephens County, Texas, page 2, household number 8, lines 15 through 24: Charity Boggs is listed as 28 years of age, and a seamstress, living in the household of her mother, Amanda Rhoade, age 45. In the same household is David Rhoade, age 19. Daniel Rhoade, age 14. Delia
Lane Rhoade, age 12. Martha Ann Rhoade, age 8. William Boggs, age 11. Thomas Boggs,age 8. James Boggs, age 6. And Pennington Boggs, age 1. This shows that after Charity's husband died, she indeed went to live with her mother, near Pickettville in Stephens County. She married two more times, first to a man named Lafayette Deweese, and later to a man named John Quincy Adams Funderburgh.
Charity married Thomas Boone Boggs on 7 Jun 1858 in , Cooke, Texas. Thomas was born on 14 Mar 1832 in Winchester, Clark, Kentucky. He died on 3 Mar 1868 in Fort Muggainsville, Moran, Shackleford, Texas.
2. Charles Rhodes was born about 1844 in Texas. (?Served in the Confederate Army with James Clark -- If so, did he die while serving for the Confederate army?)
3. Sary A. Rhodes was born about 1847 in Texas.
4. James Rhodes was born about 1849 in Texas.
5. Daniel G. Rhodes was born in Apr 1851 in Texas.
6. William Rhodes "Willie" was born about 1852 in Texas.
7. Samuel Rhodes was born about 1854 in Texas.
8. Delia Jane Rhodes was born about 1858 in Texas.
9. Martha Ann Rhodes was born on 26 Mar 1862 in Texas. She died in 27 Jul 1946 in Stephens County, Texas.  Martha married William Rogers.

1850 U.S. Census, Texas, Shelby County hh 292/292, pg 21/42

Name: Wm R Rhoades
Age: 35 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1815 Birth Place: Texas
Value of Real Estate: $300
Home in 1850(City,County,State): Shelby, Texas
Household Members:
Name Age
Wm R Rhoades, 35, farmer, $300, born Tennessee
Amanda Rhoades, 30, Alabama
Charity A Rhoades, 8, Texas
Charles Rhoades, 6, Texas
James Rhoades, 1, Texas
Sary A Rhoades, 3, Texas
Saml Lindsey, 35, South Carolina
Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: , Shelby, Texas; Roll: M432_915; Page: 21

1860 U.S. Census, Texas, Cooke, Gainesville, hh 171/177

Name: Wm Rhodes
Age in 1860: 46 Birth Year: abt 1814 Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1860: Cooke, Texas; Post Office: Gainesville
Value of real estate: $700; Value of personal estate: $184
Occupation: farmer
Household Members:
Name Age
Wm Rhodes, 46, m, farmer, 700/184, Tennessee
Amanda Rhodes, 39, f, Alabama
Charles Rhodes, 16, Texas
Daniel Rhodes, 9, Texas
Willie Rhodes, 7, Texas
Samuel Rhodes, 5, Texas
Delia Rhodes, 1, Texas
Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: , Cooke, Texas; Roll: M653_1291; Page: 232;
(**note: on same page of census as John Miller & William Boyles)

Richard N. Martin Trial

Below is George W. Diamond's account of the Citizen's Court trial of Richard N. Martin. We question the accuracy of Diamond's full account of the Richard N. Martin trial and what he testified.

In all our research, we cannot find where Richard N. Martin was the brother-in-law to William Boyles.

*Richard Martin's wife was Cynthia Jane Neely.
*William Boyles married Elizabeth West and his only known sister married a Nelson Gibson.
*Richard Martin's only sister married Charles Whatley in 1858. Then after he died, she married a Leffel in 1869.
(Note: Boyles was the brother-in-law to David M. Leffel, who was also hanged. The common link to between the Martin and Boyles family was the Leffel family, but that link was NOT there until years after Martin died.)

Did Diamond combine two people to come up with this testimony, did he mix-up names or did he embellish the truth a little??
If anyone can shed any light on the Martin-Boyles relationship, please let us know.
(All three families (Martin, Boyles & Neely) came into Texas from Illinois.)

Martin's speech at the end seems very angry and vindictive. Of course, who wouldn't be, knowing they were soon to be hanged. Perhaps Richard Martin thought that by confessing to what the court wanted to hear and laying real or exaggerated blame on others, he would be pardoned at the last minute.

Here is Diamond's account of the trial:

The State vs. Richard N. Martin
Disloyalty & Treason
I.L. Ozment sworn: (witness)
R. N. Martin told me that there existed a secret organization in the Country; and if I would go with him, he could take me in an hour where I could learn all about it. I consented to go. He took me to the residence of Wm. Boyles; and after going a short distance from the house Boyles initiated me. He swore me to support the old Constitution and Union. He gave me the signs, grip and password.
Martin was found guilty and after being sentenced confessed his crimes.
Upon the scaffold, in the presence of citizens and soldiers, he delivered the following address:
Gentlemen: When I first joined this secret organization, I did not fully understand its objects and intentions. But afterwards I received a document containing its plans. Although I am to die upon this tree, before I am hung I want to tell all I know concerning this order; and desire it made known to the world.
You commenced the work to break up this secret order in good time. By this time it would have been too late for you. It was our intention to rise up and kill all southern men, women and children and take possession of their property. To the very best of my understanding this was the purpose.
Now, I pray that you will go on with this work, until every member of this order is brought to justice. I can refer you to one whom I desire shall be punished as I am punished; I want him hung to the same limb to which I am hung -- my brother-in-law, Wm. Boyles. He is the author of my ruin. I took his counsel, and being a bad man, he gave me bad advice. (Here, he informed the people, where Boyles might be found.) Hunt him to the end of the world, or finish him, for his crimes. I hope I may be forgiven. Although I have injured the people so much I die with the consolation that in the end I done my duty to them.
Here his time expired and he was launched into eternity.
Boyles was later killed at Collinsville.

George W. Diamond, "Account of the Great Hanging at Gainesville, 1862" SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL QUARTERLY, Vol. 66, no. 3, January, 1963, p. 331-414, edited by Sam Acheson and Julie Ann Hudson O'Connell.

Richard N. Martin

The following is from the book, Neely-Martin Descendants, by Louise Neely, Privately published in Dallas, Texas; 1982.
pg 55-56

"Of the men listed in the Clark Manuscript (it can be read in the Library of Cooke Co. Junior College at Gainesville), three of them were related to the Neely-Martin families, either directly or by marriage.
Richard N. Martin was the son of Charles N. and Euphamy Martin. He had married his cousin Cynthia Ann Neely, the daughter of Charles Neely, Jr., and Sarah (Martin) Neely who had settled in Dallas County. Richard left two young sons. His younger brother, Thomas, came to Cooke Co. from Hood Co., Texas and took Richard's body back to Hood Co. by oxcart for burial."
"Another was Barnibus Burch who was an old man in his seventies and almost 'bed ridden with rhymatiz'; what we now call arthritis. He was one of the two or three men who were hauled to Gainesville in a wagon because he could not mount a horse. His daughter, Elizabeth Ann was the second wife of James Martin Neeley, Jr. ..."
"The third man (connected to the Martin-Neely family) hanged was D.M. Leffel. He was the father of James Perry Leffel, who first married Malinda Jane Martin, the daughter of Charles N. and Euphamy Martin. Malinda Jane was the only sister of Richard N. Martin, who was hanged. After the death of Malinda Jane, Perry Leffel married her widowed mother, Euphamy Martin, who was 29 years his senior. He later married the oldest daughter of James Martin Neely, Jr. She was Laura Ann (Neely) Martin, the widow of Jim Martin, a son of Charles N. and Euphamy Martin and another brother of Richard N. Martin (who was hanged.)"
"Soon after the hanging in Gainesville, the wife of Richard N. Martin, Cynthina (Neely) Martin, took her two young sons west to Dallas Co., Texas to the home of her mother - Sarah (Martin) Neely."

Richard N. Martin Family

Richard N. Martin was born in 1838 in Illinois. He died on 19 Oct 1862 in Gainesville, Cooke, Texas. He was buried in Hood, Texas. According to family tradition Richard's younger brother, Thomas, came to Gainesville from Hood County and took Richard's body back to Hood County by oxcart for burial. No actual burial site is known.
Richard married Cynthia Jane Neely (daughter of Charles Neely Jr. and Sarah I. Martin) on 28 May 1856. Cynthia was born in 1838 in Illinois. She died about 1870 in Texas.

Question: Does anyone know the cause of Cynthia's early death?

Richard and Cynthia had the following children who were left orphans as a result of their parents early deaths:
1. Charles Francis Martin was born in 1858 in Texas.
(He is not listed in the 1860 census with parents who are living in Grandmother's household.)
2. James B. Martin was born about 1860 in Texas.
After his mother's death, James lived with her brother, F. M. Neely in 1880 Census.

F. M. NEELY Self M Male W 40 Illinois Farmer KentuckyKentucky
Loucretia NEELY Wife M Female W 38 AL Keeping House AL---
John C. NEELY Son S Male W 10 Texas At Home IllinoisAL
Mary E. NEELY Dau S Female W 3 Texas Illinois AL
James MARTIN Other S Male W 20 Texas Laborer IllinoisIllinois
Source Information: Census Place Precinct 5, Dallas, Texas; Family History Library Film 1255299
NA Film Number T9-1299; Page Number 284B

Sources

1.1860 U.S. Census, Texas, Cooke County.
Name: Rich N Martin
Age in 1860: 22 Birth Year: abt 1838 Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1860: Cooke, Texas Post Office: Gainesville
Value of real estate: $280; Value of personal estate: $137
Household Members:
Fama (Euphamia) Martin, 39, farming, 870/341, Illinois, cannot read or write
James W Martin, 10, Illinois
Samuel F Martin, 5, Texas
Orrange Martin, 3, Texas
Rich N. Martin, 22, m, farmer, 280/137, Illinois
Syntha J. Martin, 22, f, Illinios
Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: , Cooke, Texas; Roll: M653_1291; Page: 228."

2. Book." Neely, Louise Y., Neely-Martin Descendants, Privately published in Dallas, Texas; 1982.pg 55