R H O [A] D [E] S   W E S T....Sept 23, 2000

The first Rhodes-Rhoads-Rhoades-Rhods ( R H O [A] D [E] S ) Cousin's Reunion
Luncheon  of the new millenium was held Sept 23 in Galt Calif. Almost 100
gathered on the banks of Dry Creek, just downstream from the site of Thomas
Rhoads's 1847 homestead, settled with Capt Sutter's authorization on his
Spanish Land Grant.    The family's 1846 Emigration rolls and Antique Family
Documents were displayed on table layouts with a copy machine available for
descendants to supply themselves with research material gathered from 7
Eastern states and 4 Western, including the Donner Party rescuers Daniel and
John Rhoads records.

1700's Palatinate German maps were shown, as were1737 ship's rosters showing
Heinrick Rhodt's handwritten signatures, 1700's land warrents,  Revolutionary
War and pension records, DAR qualification forms, early 1800 Family Wills,
land titles and transfers, marriage records, 1830 & 1840 Census forms listing
Rhoads households & slaves, cemetary records with headstone photos, all were
generously shared, including a just found, Thomas Forster Headstone, Hardin
Mo.

MIND-BOGGELING.....BRAIN-OVERLOAD were terms most often voiced.

Frank Tortorich of the " Mother Lode Country ", Historian Emeritus of the
Sierras described the 1847-8-9 Carson River route return to Salt Lake City of
the Veterans of the Mormon Battalion, the California Battalion and 
successful  Mormon "Diggers" from the Gold fields, including place name
derivations.   
Tithings to Salt Lake provided the backing for the 1850  Deseret  economy.  

Cousin Ellen Cothran Rosa brought the "First Timers" up to speed with an
outline of the 1838-1849 activities of the Rhoads, Patterson, Grimshaw,
Daylor, Shelton, Esery, Forster, House, Elder, Fanning, Weimer (Wimmer)
families. Ellens's organizational abilities assured no apparent Invitational,
Menu, or seating glitches and thereby produced an overflow crowd.    A
sign-in list of attendees, including Mr and Mrs George White of Gilroy, G
Grandson of Thomas Jr, will be E-mailed soon. George's book is still
available.

Bernie Rhoades shared the Roster of the Thomas Rhoads Gold Train organized by
Elder Amasa Lyman July 14 1849, just recently rediscovered by LDS Archivist
Mike Langdon.         Brigham Young called his followers back to SLC to avoid
the temptations of the "yellow disease", the train has previously been
described by
 J. Goldsborough Bruff when his 1849 westbound argonauts encountered the
eastbound Rhoads Party near Elko Nv.  Thomas hid a $17,000 cask of gold
diggin's inside his much larger flour barrel.  The deed to Thomas Rhoads's
Salt Lake home was viewed courtesy of Janie and Bernie's collection via Mike,
as well as 1851 SLC Plats and  aerial sketches.     Photos of recently
discovered 1846 family emigrant signatures carved into lonely Record Bluff Nv
were displayed, as well as Daniel's axle-grease initials on Pagoda Rock, City
of Rocks Idaho.  
One copy of Marie Engle's book "Henry Rhoads Senr", is still available.

Cousin Leroy Hays, decked out in his Civil War re-enactment regalia, displayed
 a 1835 silver Mexican Reale coin received as pay from Capt Sutter to Turner
Elder and read a letter describing the chain of events that lead up to its
recovery.  It had fallen through Elder's family cabin floor boards over 125
years ago and laid safe and undiscovered until recently.

Cousin Robert Merritt, kin of Ezekiel Merritt of "Bear Flag Revolt" fame,
shared many antique family portraits. Described the San Francisco based
historical society "California Pioneers", encouraging us to join. He also
made available several books he is involved with.

The antique family portraits hanging in our dearly loved Sloughhouse Inn will
be missed in our new surroundings of the Golden Acorn Restaurant. However the
additional seating, the sound amplificaton, the acoustics, all are more
conducive to re-acquaintance chit-chat and document display and copying.  The
most noticable improvement was the  elbow room, which next year, better yet,
will include the area behind the wooden folding doors, for even more space. Th
e Golden Acorn's staff truly bent over backward to make us feel comfortable.

Address Comments to ...Janie and Bernie Rhoades        RhoArClass@aol.com
                                     11809   36th St E
                                      Edgewood, Wa  98372
                                      (253) 863-9351