Daughter of Dr. John S. Portlock and Mary Ann (Moore) Portlock.
Her family came to Illinois from Shelby County, Indiana via wagons in 1840.
On Nov. 3, 1878 Minerva married Isaac L. Rhodes and they established a home upon a farm in Bardolph, Illinos.
Minerva and Isaac were married for 52 years before Isaac passed away.
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Mrs. Minerva Rhodes, widow of Isaac L. Rhodes, passed away at her home in Bardolph at 5:30 o'clock on Wednesday morning, March 1, 1939, at the age of 83 year, 11 months, and 29 days. She had been ill with heart trouble and about two weeks ago her condition became more serious.
Funeral services were conducted on Friday at 11:30 a.m. at Dodsworth Funeral Home in Macomb by Rev. Roy W. Stocking of Vermont formerly pastor of Bardolph M.E. church. Interment will be at Mound cemetery.
Minerva Portlock was the daughter of John S. and Mary Ann (Moore) Portlock and was the last of their 12 children to pass on. She was born near Table Grove, on March 2, 1855, and grew to womanhood there. Her parents came to Table Grove from Shelby County, Indiana in 1840, making the long trip through dense wilderness and over swampy prairies in a covered wagon, drawn by a team of horses, three weeks being required for the trip. In the wagon, were Mrs. Rhodes' mother and four children and her father, Henry Moore, besides all the family's possessions. Mrs. Rhodes' father, Dr. John S. Portlock walked the entire distance carrying an old flint-lock rifle to protect the wagon, which held everything dear to them, from hostile Indiana and wild beasts.
When Dr. Portlock arrived at his farm 2 1/2 miles north of where Table Grove now stands he built a log cabin for a home and he immediately engaged in the practice of his profession. His first call was on the day of his arrival. He continued to practice until about a year prior to his death 38 years later. He made his calls on horseback and never took pay from servant girls or poor people. His practice was quite extensive but cash receipts from a whole year's service looked small compared with that some of our present-day surgeons receive from one case. When the Portlock family settled near Table Grove there was but one house in what is now tht thriving village and but three houses between their home and Macomb, then a rather insignificant settlement. Two of these houses were east of where Adair now stands and the other was on the McCandles farm, south of Bardolph (then Wolf Grove), now owned by Fred Hager.
On November 3, 1878, Minerva was married to Isaac L. Rhodes. They established their home upon a farm and continued to live in the country until 15 years ago when they located in Bardolph to spend their remaining days. Nine children were born to them, two of whom died in infancy. Those surviving are: Mrs. Pearl Hollar, of Adair; Mrs. Jessie McHendry and Mrs. Bernice Decker, of Bardoph; Waller Rhoes of Rochester, N.Y.; Mrs. Grace Boote of Good Hope; Verne Rhodes of Macomb. There also survives ten grandchildren, five great grandchildren and many other relatives and friends. The husband and father passed away on June 20, 1931 bringing a close a companionship of more than 52 years.
Mrs. Rhodes was a faithful member of the Baptist church for more than 50 years. She was a kind and obliging neighbor and a faithful wife and mother, no sacrifice which contibuted to the well being and comfort of her loved ones being too great for her to do.
Thus the life of another of our grand, good pioneer women who played such an important part in transforming the Illinois prairies and wilderness into productive farms and comfortable homes has come to a close.
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Obit provided by family members -no newspaper or date information given.