Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 1042.
 
WILLIAM P. RHOADS

     is an enterprising business man of Klamath county. He resides in Merrill
where he has a choice eight-room dwelling and where the family lives during the
school year. His business is sawmilling and he owns a fine plant on Stukel
mountain, some seven miles north from Merrill. He has been operating it for some
years, with good success. In addition to this he owns four hundred and eighty
acres of fine timber land and is becoming a prosperous and well to do man. The
fact that he came to this county recently with his finances well depleted and
has secured the fine property mentioned in a short time, speaks very
flatteringly of his ability as a business man,
     W. P. Rhoads, the father of our subject, was born in New York and went to
Minnesota in very early day. He was there during the terrible New
 Ulm massacre and although in imminent danger, he escaped with his life and fled
to Iowa. His father, the grandfather of our subject, was killed in the Mexican
War. The mother of William P. was Hannah (VanCamp) Rhoads, a native of
Pennsylvania. Her father was also killed in the Mexican War. The children of the
family are Charles T., William P., who is our subject, Milton and Mrs. Anna
Wuestney. Our subject remained in Iowa until fourteen years of age and there
received his primary education. Then he came with his parents to the head of the
Elkhorn river in Nebraska where his father was engaged in the cattle business.
There also his mother died. In the spring of 1888, the father came to Winlock,
Washington, and later settled on Vashon Island, where he is now living, aged
seventy-four. In 1889, our subject came on to the sound country and soon entered
Vashon College, where he completed the commercial course. After graduating from
that, he went to work in the mills at different places and soon was a skillful
mill man. He was accustomed to hard labor previous to this, however, as he had
earned all the money that paid his expenses in college. Among other mills, he
worked at Port Blakely mill and became a first class sawyer. Being economical,
he saved his wages and soon bought an interest in a sawmill. This was burned
later and resulted in a total loss as they had no insurance on it. Again, Mr.
Rhoads went to work for wages and later, came to Medford, Oregon. There on
September 15, 1893, he married Miss Mattie Boussum, who was born in the
Willamette valley. After that, we find Mr. Rhoads in the American Bar mines on
the Klamath river, laboring for one year. Then he was appointed foreman and held
that position for four years. In 1898 he came to Merrill and leased a ranch.
Some time thereafter, he bought a sawmill and in March, 1900, erected it on
Stukel Mountain. Since that time, he has given his undivided attention to the
operation of his mill and has met with splendid success. He has shown himself
one of the substantial and progressive men of the county and is public spirited
and bright minded. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rhoads, Beulah
C., Robena R., and Donovan A., deceased.
     In fraternal circles, Mr. Rhoads is affiliated with the I. 0. 0. F. In the
spring of 1904, he was nominated on the Republican ticket for clerk of Klamath
county but owing to the fact that the county is Democratic, he was defeated, yet
only by thirteen votes, which demonstrated his popularity.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.