03/10/2021
2021.03.09 Conversation with Deacon Luther Rhodes
Part 1
James Gaines was the brother of Leroy Gaines. It is James who has the plot on the cemetary grounds of Level Hill Church. Headstones also appear within the same plot for Rufus Gaines, Beatrice Gaines Ware & Voila Gaines.
Part 2
Summer of 2019 visit to Georgia
At the time of my arrival, I found from members of my own family they would be having a memorial service for Lillian Andrews. It would take place on the weekend. It would be at Level Hill church in Crawfordville. It is where the Gaines plot is located, which belongs to Leroy's brother. His name was James Gaines. He had several children. One of which was a son named Rufus.
I attended Lillian's service on Saturday. Lillian was buried right on the church cemetary grounds. So her repast was in the church's cafeteria area. I ended up seated across from the funeral staff that handled the service. We struck up a conversation. I told them I was visiting from out of state. I talked about the church & the role it played in the history of my family for generations. I said that I have many descendants which are buried right out there in the cemetary. But that I was somewhat dishearted by the fact of the church not keeping any records of who is buried on its own grounds. One of the funeral director ladies mentioned the name deacon Rhodes. She said, "Maybe you need to talk to deacon Rhodes. If anyone knows who is buried on the grounds, it would be him." That immediately got my mind thinking. I had never heard of him or had his named mentioned to me before. But no sooner than her saying that, I had to find out if he happened to be there that day.
I looked for & found Bernice. I told her what I had been told by the directors. That the name deacon Rhodes had been mentioned. She looked around the room but did not see him. She said she did not know where he was at. Which was all I needed to hear. It was good enough to know he had been there. If he was still around, I would find him.
I went back up to the main sanctuary. No one was in it except an old man vacuuming the floor rug. I told him I was looking for deacon Rhodes. He said, "I am he." We sat together & talked. About 30 minutes in all. It could have gone on a lot longer had it been left up to me. But I did not want to keep him from his duties. I asked if I could have his number & give him a call sometime. He provided it to me. I told him I would call in a few days.
The story of deacon Rhodes I found to be interesting. He was born & raised in the Crawfordville area. He said he had grown up with the children of Rufus Gaines & knows them all well. That is a part of the family I know nothing about. The descendants of a sibling of Leroy. As a young man, he left Georgia to move to New Jersey. Where he lived most of his adult life. Twenty years ago was when he returned to Georgia to live. He had become the head of the deacon board at the church.
Part 3
In Grandpop's tape, he talked about many different things. There was a female name he mentioned several times. The name was Doretha. She was his niece. Her last name is Andrews. She died twenty years ago. I never got to meet her. Doretha lived all her life in Crawfordville. She was active in the church. Her husband was head of the deacon board. His name was Jesie. Doretha & Jesie had several children. One of the daughters is Bernice. Who has become holder of the bible. A son of Doretha & Jesie is Douglas. The wife of Douglas was Lillian. It was for Lillian's service that I had come to the church that day.
I visited Bernice several times over the years. We got to know each other well. She always lived in Atlanta. Between her & her siblings they would take turns coming to Crawfordville to care for their dad, Jesie. Who lost his sight many years ago.
The furthest I had gotten about the own story of Deacon Luther Rhodes. When he returned to Crawfordville and Level Hill church, Jesie was still head of the deacon board. As he aged, he wanted to maintain his position. But eventually he could not. That was when Rhodes assumed the position. Something else I had learned. Rufus Gaines had a son who lived in New Jersey. His name was also James Gaines. I talked to him on the phone once. He let it be known he wanted nothing to do with the history of the Gaines family. It was of no interest to him whatsoever. A couple years after him telling me that, I met up with him in person at one of Level Hills homecoming services. But I could tell he was no friendlier than he had been before. Deacon Rhodes knows James Gaines. Both from growing up & living in New Jersey. When I had relayed to the deacon the attitude I had received from James Gaines his only reply was, "That does not surprise me."
Part 4
2021.03.09 Conversation with Deacon Luther Rhodes
I told him I was not going to talk long. Since he is the one with all the information it would not be good for me to have a single lenthly conversation. Rather, best to break it out into several short discussions over time. To this he agreed. The first thing I mentioned to him was about the Level Hill anniversary documents which Randall gave me to copy five years ago. It was a pamphlet of the church's 100 year anniversary. Which took place in the seventies. I said that the name Deacon Luther Rhodes is mentioned several times over. My assumption was that it was he. But he disagreed. At first he was as baffled as I. Then he remembered. That his father had been head of the deacon board around that time. "My daddy had the title & then Jesie assumed it afterwards." Which solved that question for me. Other details of my discussion are stated.
Children of James Gaines are as follows,
Rufus Gaines (Son)
Carrie (Daughter) married Roger Terrell
Deatra (Daughter) who traveled to Ohio
Viola (Daughter)
Beatra Gaines (Daughter)
Rufus Gaines & his wife split up. Upon their separation, the wife took their only child (a son) named James Gaines to live with her in New Jersey. As an adult he worked for New Jersey transit as a toll collector. Several years ago he was afflicted with a stroke. He has been in a nursing home since. I first met Deacon Rhodes at Level Hill church during the summer of 2019. This was when he informed me of the physical state of James Gaines in New Jersey. But today he informed me that James Gaines has died. The wife of James Gaines has also died as of several months ago.
I had asked several relatives about a prominent descendant from our past. Gary Gaines. He was said to have been 1st cousin to Grandpop. It meant that a brother or sister of Grandpop was the parent of Gary Gaines. But no one knew exactly who that parent was. It remained a mystery until today. Deacon Rhodes solved it. And by accident. Because he was the one who brought up Gary's name to me. He said he remembers Gary. "Gary & Rufus were brothers," he said. Now I need not change anything on the family website. I had stuck in Gary with the rest of the children of James until I found out more. Come to find out, he is already where he belongs.
