Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-11
Lieutenant Rhodes.

Sketch of His Life and Services-The Boss ton TestimOntal-Hfs Generous Request
 sketch of Lieutenant John Underhill Rhodes, renowned for his heroic efforts for the preservation of life at the City of Colum- bus disaster, is given in the Boston Post of Saturday and likeness of the gallant officer copied from portrait taken in Wilmington. He was born in the town of Fair Haven, Connecticut. on the 23d of September, 1850, and is therefore in the thirty-fourth year of his age. His father, William Rhodes, was sea captain, long in the employ of Messrs. H. Trowbridges Sons, and the lad having Q taste for water, his father took him on board the celebrated and fast sailing ship "Golden Fleece" and gave him thorough training as seaman. Young Rhodes made repeated voyages with his father and when he left the merchant marine was very intelligent and practical navigator. The time came when the young man tired of his life aboard ship and wishing to add to his experience as 8 landsmRn:. he engaged as clerk in the store of Francis & Chidsey. It was while serving in that capacity that the old longing for 8 sea life came back to him, and he applied for an appointment in the revenue service. He served first as cadet, and after short ap- premiership was examined for promotion, passed the rigid ordeal of the examining board, and was commissioned as third lieu tenant.
 He was first assigned to the revenue cutter Grant, with which vessel he remained about two years, when he was transferred in the latter part of the year 1875 to the revenue cutter Colfax, with headquarters at Whining
 ton, N. C., on which station, with 8 brief intermission, he remained for about eight years. Some four years ago he was again colled before the revenue marine examining board, at which time he passed the exsmina
 ton with high honors and was accordingly, in May, 1880, commissioned as second lieuten- ant With this rank he continued on the Col
 fax until about three months since, when, at the special request of Captain Eric Gabriel son, of the revenue cutter Dexter, who had previously commanded the Oolfax, he was transferred to that vessel at Newport, R. l.
 Lieutenant Rhodes in May, 1877, was united in marriage to Miss Mary Wharton Hard wicke, the eldest daughter of George W. Hardwicke, of Wilmington. N. O., and one of the loveliest women of that cultured and hospitable city. The father of Mrs. Rhodes has been a resident of Wilmington for the past eight years, and was connected with the Star newspaper of that city. Previous to his removal to the old North State MT. Hardwicke had resided in Lynchburg, Va, where for 8 number of years he published the Republican newspaper, Democratic journal well known in Virginia and other southern States. In September last, after brief illness, Mrs. Rhodes died at her home in Wilmington, N. O., which event seemed to cast dark shadow over the life of her husband. He had looked forward to a long life of marital peace and happiness, but such was not the ruling of Providence.
 The fond bride of only six summers was tenderly laid away beneath the southern mosses, and two sprightly little boys-Wil- liam Clarence and George Wharton-aged respectively five and three years, were left to tighten the sorrow of the bereaved hus- band. The eldest boy is now with his moth er's family in Wilmington, while the younger one is with his fathers family in North Mad ison, Conn. Lieut.. Rhodes has ever enjoyed the reputation of being superior in all nau- tical matters, and has on several occasions given substantial evidence of heroic daring in moments of the greatest peril. His commanders have ever had the utmost confidence in his su. perior seamanship, and it has not been unu- sual in cases of great responsibility that the post of honor has been assigned him. By his brother officers and the community gen. orally, wherever he has lived, he has ever been held in the highest esteem. He has several times had fortunate escapes from dis aster at sea, notably at St. Thomas. when the island was swept by 8 great tornado, hurri cane and tidal wave, some thirteen years ago. At that time there were eighty vessels in the harbor of St Thomas and Lieutenant Rhodes, then in the merchant marine, was on board one of the only two which were saved.
 The Boston testimonial to Lieut. Rhodes, amounting to $2, ,053, is accepted by him with the condition that he be allowed to divide it with his brother officers and the ships crew.