Person:Henry Rhoads (5)

Henry Rhoads Jr.- Born on 5 JUN 1739 in Ephrata or nr Germantown, Pennsylvania. Died on 6 MAR 1814 or MAY 1814 in Browder, Muhlenberg Co, Kentucky. Married Elizabethea Stoner (25 MAR 1744 - 2 OCT 1807) on 19 OCT 1760 in Frederick Co., Maryland.

Joined Brothers Valley Militia in 1771. Henry and Philip Cable, a son of Abraham Cable enlisted in the Militia at the same time. Philip became a Lt and Henry a Captain by 1772

Served under Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg at Valley Forge under General Washington. Advanced to the rank of General by the year 1788. While at Valley Forge Captain Henry Rhoads was delegated to serve at the Commonwealth Constitutional Convention, held in the State House

Served as a delegate to the Commonwealth Constitutional Convention for all the territory west of the Allegheny Mountinas in what was known as Bedford Township, now Comerset County. He signed the document on July 16, 1776, and Dr. Benjamin Franklin was appointed President of the session and signed the document. He returned to Stony Creek but by Dec 8, 1776, we find him a Captain in the First Battalion of Col. George Woods. Capt Henry spent the winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge with George Washington. Henry carried a large German Bible with him throughout most of his adult life. During the winter at Valley Forge he contributed the first 128 pages of the Bible to make musket wads for the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.

Attended school Bible Classes at the Ephrata Cloisters, Brethern ChurchKaskaskia and continued to serve Clark and the Government serving in the Militia.

Came to America with two brothers from Germany in 1757, settled in Bedford County, PA in 1760. Fought in the Revolutionary War under General Muhlenberg. After the war he and two brothers came to KY. He owned 7000 acres of military land, represented Logan Co in the legislature in 1798, was instrumental in forming a new county from Logan and Christian Counties, which he named Muhlenberg for his former commander. History of Kentucky, 1885; History of Muhlenbergy County, and DAR records. Another record states that he came from Holland and settled with William Penn in PA.

Genealogical research by Ellen Martin,Steven Lewis,etal.

1.   Jackson Sterett Moorman. Ancestors of Mary Burr Moorman (Harpole), et al. (Louisville, KY, Nov. 15, 1945)
   p. 3, 30 Jul 2006.
2.   History of Bedford,Somerset,and Fulton Counties
   various, 1884.

   Waterman,Walkins, and Co.

3.   Last Will and Testament of Henry Rhoads, State of Kentucky,Muhlenberg County
   Book 1 187, 15 April 1812.
4.   A History of Muhlenberg County
   29 - 32, 1913.

   Author: Otto A.Rothert

5.   Henry Rhoades,Jr. was appointed justice of the peace in 1778
6.   In Bedford County court, 16th of July,1771, Henry Rhoades,Jr.,Michael Sill,Gabriel Rhoades and George Sill were listed as members of the grand jury.