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Carl August Rohde, 1840 - 1895

Carl August Rohde was born on January 27, 1840, in West Prussia, which is now present day Poland. At some point in his young life, he migrated to Illinois, where he joined the Union Army in the American Civil War. There are no ship records of his crossing the Atlantic. Records show he was a private in the 9th Regiment, Company C, Illinois Cavalry. Stories about his enlistment suggest that when asked his name, he replied “Rhod-ah” in his native German. It was spelled R-h-o-d-a on his military papers.

He enlisted in 1864 and committed to serve for three years. However, the war was over in April, 1865, and he was discharged on October 31 of that year in Selma, Alabama. Presumably, he returned to Illinois, where he met Louisa Liedtke, who came from the same area of West Prussia. After a five-month courtship, they married on December 17, 1868. They spelled their last name Rohde. Their first three children were born in Geneseo, Illinois and spelled their last name the same way.

The young family responded to the Homestead Act and the prospect of free farmland in 1872, moving to Hamilton County, Nebraska. There, eight more children were born and raised. Census records indicate that they changed the spelling of their last name to Rhode, a more common English spelling, upon taking up residence in Nebraska.

Young Carl returned from service in the cavalry with a long cavalry sword. It was passed on to son Henry, then to his son Ronald and it is now in the possession of great-grandson David Rhode in Centennial, Colorado.

Carl was a successful farmer, husband, father and church member in Hamilton County. He passed away on October 25, 1895, leaving Louisa to continue the farm and raise the family. The cause of death was tuberculosis and he died in treatment for this disease in Colorado. The Aurora newspaper had this account of his passing:

“Died, Oct. 24th, 1895, 4 miles north, Carl Rhode, age 50 years. Mr. Rhode was one of the early settlers in this part of the county, coming here in 1872. He leaves a wife and ten children to mourn for a devoted husband and father. Mr. Rhode was a brave and true soldier in the late war and was a member of company C, 9th Ill. cavalry. He leaves his wife and children well provided for. A great many attended the funeral. Rev. Mollering officiated, at the German church, Sunday.”

A total of 11 children were born to Carl and Louisa. Two of them died in infancy. The nine included Carl Julius, Caroline (Wilkens), Emilie Lena (Wilkens), Henry, Gustav, Theodore, Fredrick, Marie (Joseph) and Ernest. Wilhelm and Emilie Pauline died in Illinois before the family moved to Nebraska.

Carl August Rhode Family:
Back:  Caroline, Gustav, Henry, Carl Julius
2nd Row:  Fred, Emilie Lena, Theodore
Front:  Marie, Louisa Liedtke Rhode, Ernest