Rhodes family history is traced back to Edgefield, South Carolina and slave owner Collin Rhodes.¹ Historical records trace the lineage of Rhodes family history to Primus and Mary Rhodes. The two were enslaved Africans at the time of their birth in the early 19th Century.

It was not probable that Primus and Mary Rhodes decided to leave South Carolina on their own volition and travel to Bienville, Louisiana, and thus must have traveled with their slave owner. A search of slave owners with the last name of Rhodes traveling from South Carolina to Bienville Parish, Louisiana with slaves, revealed slave owner Collin Rhodes of Edgefield, South Carolina.² It is also speculated that Primus and Mary's last name Rhodes was not their African familial name, but rather given to them by their enslaved master Collin Rhodes.²

Before moving to Bienville, Louisiana, Collin Rhodes was the owner of the Portersville Stoneware South Carolina. Collin was a notable producer of ceramics and opened a plantation workshop where slip decoration and alkaline-glazed stoneware were produced for merchants throughout South Carolina.

Collin Rhodes sold his property on Shaw's Creek located in Edgefield County, South Carolina in 1853 and moved to Bienville Parish, Louisiana, in 1854 with 43 slaves³. It’s believed that our ancestors comprised 2 or more of the 43 slaves that traveled from Shaw's Creek to Bienville, Louisiana.³

The 1870, United States Federal Census taken in Ward 7, Bienville, Louisiana, is the first trace of Primus and Mary Rhodes. The census records reveal that Primus Rhodes was born between 1823 and 1827 in South

Carolina and that Mary Rhodes was born around 1827also in South Carolina.⁴ The census records indicate that the following children were born to the union of Primus and Mary Rhodes: Milton⁵ (1842), Americus⁶ (1846), Amy⁷ (1852), Richard⁸ (1854), Gabe⁹ (1855), Emily⁸ (1856), Mandy⁸ (1860).

The 1880, United States Federal Census taken in Ward 3, Bienville, Louisiana revealed that Primus

and Mary-Rhodes were living in close proximity to their eldest son Milton. Milton married Phyllis Ivins (1853) and the following children were born to that union: George¹⁰ (1871), Cain¹¹ (1873), Lucy¹² (1875), William¹³ (1874), Simon¹⁴ (1878), Milton¹⁵ (1880), Sallie Rhodes¹⁶ (1885), Nicey¹⁷ (1886), Frank¹⁸ (1887), and Addie¹⁷ (1892).

With the exception of Simon, who raised his family in Hugo, Oklahoma and Cain, who raised his family in Kaufman, Texas, the remaining nine children of Milton and Phyllis Rhodes raised their families in or around Bienvitte, Louisiana. The census records revealed that the Rhodes' men were employed as Farmers and the Rhodes' women were housewives or housekeepers for other families.

As the homestead for the majority of the descendants of Primus and Mary Rhodes remained in Bienvitte, Gibsland, Bryceland, and Shiloh¹⁹, generations of Rhodes were born, died and still remain. The most notable landmark still remaining is the Shiloh Baptist Church where Primus and Mary attended, and the Shiloh Cemetery where they and many of their children, and grandchildren are laid to rest.

The photos are the youngest children of Milton Rhodes & Phyllis Ivins: Bill n Angie w/ grandchildren, Frank n Mattie Lou Rhodes, and Simon Rhodes n Josephine Henderson