Elijah Rhoades (March 7, 1791 Chesterfield,

Hampshire County, Massachusetts Hampshire County is a historical and judicial county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 162,308. Its most populous municipality is Amherst (due to seasonal student population; the largest y ...

– February 9, 1858 Pittsfield,

Berkshire County, Massachusetts Berkshire County (pronounced ) is the Western Massachusetts, westernmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state, U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its la ...

) was an American politician from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

Life

He was the son of Joseph Rhoades and Salome (Rust) Rhoades. He graduated from

Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim ...

in 1813. On March 4, 1818, he married Louisa Gardiner, a sister of Chief Judge

Addison Gardiner Addison Gardiner (March 19, 1797 – June 5, 1883) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the lieutenant governor of New York from 1845 to 1847 and Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1854 to 1855. Early life and caree ...

(1797–1883). They had no children, but adopted a daughter. He was Clerk of

Onondaga County Onondaga County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 476,516. The county seat is Syracuse. The county is part of the Central New York region of the state. Onondaga County is the core of the ...

from 1838 to 1840. He was a member of the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...

(7th D.) from 1841 to 1844, sitting in the 64th, 65th, 66th and

67th New York State Legislature The 67th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to May 7, 1844, during the second year of William C. Bouck's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provi ...

s. At the

New York state election, 1844 The 1844 New York state elections was held on November 5, 1844, to elect the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor and four Canal Commissioners, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and eight members of the New York State Senate ...

, he ran on the Whig ticket for one of four vacancies as Canal Commissioner, but was defeated by the Democratic candidates. He was a delegate to the

New York State Constitutional Convention The Constitution of the State of New York establishes the structure of the government of the State of New York, and enumerates the basic rights of the citizens of New York. Like most state constitutions in the United States, New York's constituti ...

of 1846.

Sources

''The New York Civil List''
compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 59, 133f, 144 and 391; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
''The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong, of Nirthampton, Mass.''
by Benjamin Woodbridge Dwight (Albany, 1871; Vol. II, pg. 1139) {{DEFAULTSORT:Rhoades, Elijah 1791 births 1858 deaths People from Chesterfield, Massachusetts New York (state) Whigs New York (state) state senators People from Onondaga County, New York Williams College alumni 19th-century members of the New York State Legislature