Fredrick William Rhoda was born on July 19, 1869, on a farm where the village of Swanville is now located in Minnesota to Albert Julius Rhoda and Matilda Rhoda. When he was a young man, Mr. Rhoda moved with his parents from the farm to Long Prairie and served for a number of years under his father, Albert, who was a deputy county auditor of Todd County. In 1892, Fred went to Staples where he worked as cashier in the Bank of Staples. In 1895, he moved to Park Rapids and became cashier of the Bank of Park Rapids.
On December 24, 1897, Mr. Rhoda came to Bemidji and with William M. Taber started the city’s first bank, the Bank of Bemidji. It was before the days of incorporated state banks, and so it was a private institution. In 1898, the bank sold out and became what is now First National Bank. In 1898, Mr. Rhoda started the Merchants Bank of Bemidji and operated it until the turn of the century, when it was sold to the Lumberman’s State Bank.
Mr. Rhoda purchased two pieces of property in Bemidji in 1899. One was lot 6 in Block 13, which fronted Bemidji Avenue and ran all the way back to the alleyway at the west end, and when addresses were awarded, this became 317 Bemidji Ave. . The other consisted of four lots in Block 4 located between America and Irvine Avenue north of Sixth Street.
He was a member of the Bemidji Gun Club. Fred Rhoda, Geo. McTaggart, J.H. Haner and a few others of the Bemidji Gun Club are attending the shooting tournament in Grand Rapids, yesterday and to-day. (May 1900)
He was helping the county auditor at Bemidji in 1901. He ran for the office of Clerk of Court in the fall of 1902. The front page of the Bemidji Pioneer analyzed the results. “For the election for clerk of court, Fred W. Rhoda received a large majority on the republican ticket, and there never was a man more deserving of any honor the office may bring him than Mr. Rhoda. He is a comparatively young man, but has lived here for five years and has always made friends in every line of work which he has undertaken. Fred was for a year or more deputy in the auditor’s office and while there he added materially to his rapidly growing list of personal friendships. He will succeed C. W. Speelman, who was his opponent on the peoples’ ticket. Mr. Speelman is a man of parts, but many some among his friends were of the opinion that he had held the office as long as was consistent with the principles of democracy, he having been in the position for six years. This combined with his own popularity gave Mr. Rhoda the place he so richly deserves.” (Nov 6, 1902)
Melvina Yunk came to Bemidji in 1906. She and Fredrick married in Bemidji on Nov 11, 1907 when Melvina was only 16 years old. The wedding was covered on the front page of the Bemidji Pioneer on Nov 12, 1907: F. W. Rhoda and Miss Vinie Yunk were married last evening, the ceremony being performed at the residence recently purchased by Mr. Rhoda from A. Clavin. Judge of Probate M. A. Clark performed the ceremony, which was solemnized in the presence of a few of the relatives and friends of the bride and groom. Mr. and Mrs. Rhoda left last night on a wedding trip to Duluth and other points.
Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Rhoda returned last night from their wedding trip and will make Bemidji their home, occupying the splendid residence recently purchased from A. Clavin of this city. They report having had a pleasant trip. (Nov. 19, 1907)
A lawn social for the benefit of St. Philip’s church was held at the home of F. W. Rhoda on America avenue and Fifth Street Thursday evening. (Aug 15, 1913)
Fred was Clerk of District Court for Beltrami County from January 1903 until he died at his home at 423 America Avenue on November 27, 1938. Melvina lived at their home on America Avenue from the time she married until her death on June 12, 1959. Since I was a youngster who lived next door, I remember her sometimes sitting on her screened-in front porch facing America Avenue.
Fred and Melvina had one adopted son, Albert M. who was born September 17, 1918. Master Albert Rhoda celebrated his second birth anniversary in September 1920. A party of eighteen little, guests, were invited to play games for the afternoon at the Rhoda home on America avenue. At 5 o’clock a pretty birthday luncheon was served to the little folks. In 1940, Albert, at age 21, was living with his mother at their home at 423 America Ave. Albert was a bookkeeper for a retail lumber yard.
(Information from the Depot Express, Fall, 2014 by Sharon Geisen; articles in the Bemidji Daily Pioneer, and property information from the Beltrami County History Center).