The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-05-07
WILLIAM II. RHODES
LAWYER AND WRITER
, Citizen Of BERTHE County Whose
Interests Extended to Many Fields
of Thought.

Windsor, boFDt SOulIly, 1>Ofln caro- |
,,rt July Is, 1922. He was the old
Isl son Of Col. Elisha Avirett Rhodes.
TOR many years Clerk and Master in
Tquity in BERTHE County, and Presi-
d.2t Van Buren's %appointee as Con-
sui to the Republic of Texas. His
mother was Ann Maria Jacocks, who
esd when he was six years old.
Those who are verSed in BERTHE
county genealogy know that the sub
lrrt Of this sketch was akin to fami-
ill.,. If culture, wealth, influence, and
tharActer. His gentle life, his high
purposes, his pure character, his men
MI superiority are easily traceable to
ha forbears.
lie WAS born in the old George B..
outlaw residence which was burned
. few years back. His mother is
buried on that lot.
William Henry Rhodes was pre-
pared Tor college at BERTHE Union
academy at Woodville, BERTHE County,
then under the superintendent Of
Pes Andrew NJ. Craig, a Baptist
preacher Of great learning and force
OF character. his school was widely
ana justly celebrated for its excel
lvnce. 1t was operated under a char
Ter from the General Assembly, pass
90 III 1928. For this school and the
community, Mr.. Rhodes retained an
active affection.
Under the title "The Deserted
school House in 1852 he wrote an
amusing sketch. giving an account
OF 2 recent visit to the scene of his
school days. l quote his felicitous
opening sentences:
"WoOdville was the scene Of nv
first studies, my earliest adventures,
ana my nascent loves There l was
taught 10 read and write, to swim and
skate. to wrestle and box, to play
marbles and make love. There !
fought my first fight, had the mumps
and The measles, stole my first water
wtlon, and received my first f1ogging.
And | can never forget that within
that tattered school room my young
heart first swelIed with those BUDDING
passions whose full development in
others have SO often changed the for
tunes of the world. There elouuence
produced its first throb, ambition
struck its first spark, pride mounte<
its urst stills, love felt it's first glow
There the eternal ideas Of God ane
heaven, Of patriotism and country, o.
loF" and woman terminated in m,
bosom, and there, too, Poesy san.
her first SONG in my enchanted ear
inred me far off INTO the grand ole
woods alone. sported with the I'm
!anSuaged longings of my bOyisi
heart and subdued me for The frs
tHe with that mysterious sorrow
whose depths the Hottest intellec
Cannot sound and yet whose wailin;
mournfully agitates many a schoo
boys breast
Young Rhodes passed from thi
academy to the sophomore class il
princeton College, Princeton, N. ]
Here he at once took high rank a
u student and man. His colleg
course was Interrupted by the an
continent of his father to the yer
IMPORTANT consular post at Galveston
i"HdS Col. Elisha A.. Rhodes move
ms family there and appointed hi
son ms private secretary. In the ne,
republic Rhodes found many youn
men like himself, ambitious and &C
Nentlrous and jealous in acquirin
information. These young men h
associated with himself in literaI
ara debating societies, where mo:
oI the important matters Of natur:
science and political Onom we1
studied and discussed. The effect {
tAls Self-bestowed education was ve1
marked. 1t remained with him a
ms life and he thus became tho
ouShiy versed in the political histol
OF the country. and possessed a
amount of knowledge concerning tt
career, motives. and objects Of pol
tcS, parties, and public men. whit
had he ever chosen to embark in pu
JIG life would have made him SUI
cesSful and DISTINGUISHED. He hs
no fondness for politics and ofic
holding.
In 1914 he entered the Harval
Law School. where he remained tv
years. Here. as at home among h
young friends. he was a master spill
ana leader. He was An especial IA
orite of his instructor; was noted f
ms studiOus and exemplary habit
while his genial and courtIy mann
won the lasting friendship of /
companions and classmates. He
his fondness for weaving the pro
iems of science with fiction. viii
became afterwards so marked a cha
acteristic of his literary efforts, {
tracted the special attention of t
college faculty. Had Rhodes devot
himself to this. then novel depal
ment of letters he would have /