Person:Rhoda Allen (1)

RHODA ALLEN BIRTH - June 11, 1814, NY MARRIAGE - Absalom HOUSEL, Dec. 25, 1834, Trumbull, OH DEATH - May 13, 1890, Union, Well Co., IN. BURIAL - Prospect Cemetery, Union Twp, Wells Co, IN. FATHER - Ebenezer ALLEN MOTHER - Abigail SLOCUM

 Children, Jered Freeman, Harriet  Matilda, Peter Clark, George Warren, Sarah Evaline, Hiram Plimpton, Levi, Philomena, Mathew, Mary Eliza

Last Name: Housel First Name: Rhoda Obituary: Cemetery: Prospect Died: 05-13-1890 Age: 75y11m2d Born: 06-01-1814 Source: OW Funeral:

Mrs. Rhoda Housel died suddenly last Teusday afternoon. She had been confined to her bed for several days, but an attack of heart disease was the immediate cause of her death. The remains were buried in the Prospect cemetery. May 13, 1890 Bluffton Chronicle

Biography of Rhoda Housel Posted by Wells CC on Sun, 13 Jun 1999 Surname: HOUSEL, ALLEN, MYERS Biographical sketch extracted from: Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 874-875.

RHODA HOUSEL, of Ossian, was born in the State of New York in 1814, the thirteenth child of Ebenezer and Abigail Allen. She was four years of age when her parents removed to Trumbull County, Ohio. She was married December 25, 1834, to Absalom Housel, a native of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, of German ancestry. His parents, Peter and Sarah (Myers) Housel, could not speak the English language when they were married. The father was born in 1780. They reared a family of seven children, six sons and one daughter; all are living except the husband of our subject. She came to this county with her husband in October, 1848, and settled in Union Township, upon land now owned by the Fosselman brothers. They had five children previous to their removal- Freeman, Harriet, Peter, George W. and Hiram. After their arrival here Sarah J. and Mary E. were born. At that time there were neither roads nor improvements, and but few families living in the neighborhood. When a visit was made they followed the blazed trees instead of a public highway, and the log cabins were just as hospitable as are the modern mansions of to-day. A huge fire-place in which the fire crackled and glowed furnished both light and heat in many instances, and the johnnycake and corn pone were baked in Dutch ovens upon the glowing embers. The hardships of the pioneers were lessened by the lack of conventionality; a neighbor was a neighbor in deed as well as word. Men would go miles through the woods to assist in raising a log cabin, or to aid a new-comer in rolling his logs, that a crop might be planted. Four of the children of our subject were soldiers in the late civil war. Jered F. enlisted in the Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry in 1861; Peter C. and George W. enlisted in the Thirty fourth, and Hiram in the Forty-seventh. At the battle of Pittsburgh Landing Jered F. was shot through the thigh by a rebel bullet, and for months was in the hospital at Evansville, Indiana. His mother was by his side for several months, and with loving hands nursed him back to health. After his return from the army he was married to Drusilla Reeves, of De Kalb County, Indiana, where they still reside. They have one son Ellsworth E. Peter and Hiram were both wounded at the battle of Champion Hills. Hiram received a bullet in the arm, and Peter had a bullet graze his cheek. After their return Hiram married Delilah Slippey, and they have three daughters and one son. They are residents of De Kalb County. George W. died from disease at Camp Carleton, near New Orleans. Peter is a bachelor and resides with his mother at Ossian. Harriet M. married Thomas F. Reeves, whose death occurred in 1866. She had one daughter, Luella, wife of James Monroe, of St. John's, De Kalb County, this State. Sarah J. became the wife of James Reed, of this county, who is section boss of the Muncie & Fort Wayne Railroad. They have seven children, and two deceased. Mary E. married John Wilson, son of one of the early settlers, and resides at Ossian. They are the parents of four children. Seventeen grandchildren are living, and some of them are grown. Mr. Housel died in July, 1883. Peter received a sunstroke after the surrender of Vicksburg, while on the march to Jackson, Mississippi. This so undermined his health that he has never been able to work, and he receives a pension of $50 a month.

1850 United States Federal Census > Indiana > Wells > Union 62 / 62 Sept. 6, 1850 Image, 10

 Housel ,  Absalom         48        M         Farm
                   Rhoda         36         F                             NY
                       J. F.         13        M                            OH
               Harriet M         12         F                            OH
                       P. C         10         M                           OH
             George  W         8         M                            OH
                  Hiram  P        11        M                           OH
                 Sarah J          22       F                             IN

1860 United States Federal Census > Indiana > Wells > Union 535 / 494 June 28, 1860 Page, 73 Image, 26

 Housel ,  Absalom         56        M         Farm
                   Rhoda         46         F                             NY
               Harriet M         22         F                            OH
                  Peter C        20         M          Farmer       OH
                 Warren         18        M           Farmer      OH
                    Hiram         14        M                             OH
                 Sarah J         12        F                              IN
                  Mary E          6         F                              IN

Wilcoxon , George 58 M MD Pauper

1880 United States Federal Census > Indiana > Wells > Jefferson > District 141 335 / 342 June 18, 1880 Page, 35 Image, 24 Housel, Absalom Head W M 76 PA NJ PA Farmer

               Rhoda       Wife      W       F      66      NY     R.I       R.I      Keeping  house
            C. Peter       Son       W       M      40      OH     PA      NY

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} OneWorldTree.

   Ancestry.com. One World Tree (sm) [database online]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc.

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Ancestry.com. One World Tree (sm). (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., n.d.).

   Online publication - Ancestry.com. OneWorldTree [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc.

3. ↑ Tombstone Photo.