Vickie's  Notes:
I believe that James Hardy Jr. was born in 1861, not 1858.  All census records and his first marriage certificate (of which I have the ORIGINAL license) point to the 1861 date
but the thing that convinced me of it was when I recently copied the 1860 census page of Wayne County on which his family appears and he was not there.

One more correction is that there was a marriage before Mary E. Branson to Martha S.A. Flint on October 16, 1879 who died shortly after their marriage in Randolph County, Arkansas.  This is the original license that I have.  It was never picked up. They do appear together in the 1880 census of Randolph County, Arkansas living in the household of his father,

Hardy Rhodes, Sr., and Martha is designated as "daughter-in-law".  She must have died shortly after and before the move to Missouri.  My mother and aunt remember him telling them of her when they were girls.

James H. Rhodes, former resident of the Red Bird community died last Friday, January 27th at the home of his son, Otis Rhodes at Gladden, Mo.  He had reached the age of 91 years, 6 months and 21 days.

James Hardy Rhodes was born July 6, 1858 in Wayne County, Ill.  A son of the late Hardy and Mary (Wells) Rhodes.  In 1880 he came to Gasconade County and settled near Red Bird where on July 18, 1882 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Branson.  She preceded him in death in 1900.  Seven children were born of this marriage.   In 1905 he was united in marriage to Mary E. Vaughn, who preceded him in death in 1929.   In 1930 he was married to Ruth Cook who preceded him in death in 1936.

Mr. Rhodes spend most of his life in the Red Bird community.  He united with the Methodist Church in his boyhood days and remained a faithful member until his death.

Surviving are six children, namely, Otis Rhodes of Gladden, Mrs. Martha Beckham of Enid, Okla., Mrs. Agnes Hjort, and Mrs. Elizabeth Sorrell of Red Bird, Bert and Lua Rhodes of St. Louis.

Also surviving are 27 grandchildren, 5 great-great grandchildren and five step children.