Stories

Henry Rhoads was born in Bedford, Pennsylvania on 5 Jun 1739. By trade, he was a blacksmith. He was active in the Brethren religion (German Baptist). In 1760 he married Elizabeth Stoner in Maryland. He was a Captain in the Revolutionary War; he fought for his country under the leadership of General John Peter Muhlenberg, in Brother's Valley, Pennsylvania.

He was delegated to the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention from Bedford County on July 15, 1776, eleven days after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is noted that Benjamin Franklin was also delegated at this same time.

He was commissioned a Justice of the Peace in Bedford County, Pennsylvania in 1776 and was a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature for Bedford County, 1778.

After the war for liberty, having lost heavily in the cause, he, with his two brothers and their families, came to Kentucky, and stopped first at Bardstown; leaving their families there they set out in the wilderness to select a site to build a town. The place selected was at the falls of the Green River, where they started a town and named it Rhoadsville; after three years peaceable possession, an action was entered in the Ohio circuit court, styled “John Hanley vs. Henry Rhoads and others,” for the possession of the land on which the town stood. The suit was gained by the plaintiff. Henry Rhoads, with a few friends, then went to Barnett’s Station, on Rough Creek, where he lived five years, in which time the present town of Hartford was laid out and a few houses built.

He then moved to Logan County, and settled; after a residence of five years he moved five miles west, where he owned 7,000 acres of military land, he represented the Logan County in the legislature of Kentucky. In 1798, he was given the honor to name the new county where he had settled. He named it after his general, John Peter Muhlenberg and was the first man to represent the new county in the House of Representatives.

Bud Newman writes, "When Henry Rhoads settled on his tract of land, Muhlenberg was practically an unbroken wilderness. When he was building his log house his neighbors were few and far between, but all came with a helping hand and a happy heart to take part in his "house-raising." These old-time house-raisings were attended as much for the sake of their social features as for the purpose of building a house. One afternoon, while the crowd was busily engaged on the roof of this building, a large bear leisurely wandered into sight. When the men saw the animal they stopped work and immediately started on a bear chase. Some ran after him with axes and others with guns. The women of the wilderness always lent a helping hand. In this instance one woman folled in the bear chase with a pitchfork. After an exciting time old Bruin was finally killed. That night a large bearskin was stretched on the new log wall and barbequed bearmeat was served in abundance at all the other meals prepared for the house-raising party.

But the noise made by the bear-chasers evidently did not scare all the wild animals out of the neighborhood. About a year after that event Henry Rhoads, while walking in his wood, which is still standing a short distance north of the old house, espied a large drove of wild turkeys. He slowly raised his flint-lock rifle for the purpose of shooting a fine gobbler strutting under a white oak within close range. When he was about ready to pull the trigger he heard a rustling in the dry leaves behind him. Rhoads looked around, and to his great surprise saw a huge panther preparing to spring upon him. Without stopping to take sure aim he fired at the threatening beast. Luckily, the bullet hit the animal between the eyes and killed it instantly. A half-hour later Rhoads walked back home with the panther skin on his arm and his trusty flint-lock on his shoulder."

He helped draw the plans for the first courthouse and also did much toward promoting the interests of Greenville, the new county seat. He was bondsman and adviser to a number of the younger men whom he successfully recommended for office. Tradition says that many, and probably all, of the German-American pioneers in Muhlenberg came to the county through his direct or indirect influence.

He also reared a large family; one daughter, Elizabeth, married Jacob Vanmeter, from which union has sprung many of the leading and influential families of western Kentucky.

During his last years Henry Rhoads spent much of his time looking after his farm, tanyard, and other personal affairs, but nevertheless lost no opportunity to bring in new settlers and perform such acts as he thought would advance Muhlenberg County and its people. Henry Rhoads died 6 Mar 1814. He was buried in the Rhoads Cemetery.