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Marriage Record
Date: 4/24/1939
Place: Roane, West Virginia, United States
Oris Albert Rhodes, 24, 3/22/1915, Gay Roane Co, Gay Roane Co, Pheobe Rhodes (father dec'd)
Golda Eulala Parsons, 17, 7/17/1921, Gay Roane Co, Gay Roane Co, EW & Etta Parsons
1940 Curtis, Roane, WV
Rhodes, Phoebe 60 wd WV 1935: Same house
Oris son 23 m WV 1935: Same house
Goldie dil 18 m WV 1935: Rural Roane WV
Jackson County, WV, Past and Present 1990:
The children of Ores Albert b 1915 and Goldie Eulala Parsons Rhods b 1921 are:
Elmer Dorse b 1940
Gladys Karen b.1941
Delmer Gordon b. 1944
Darrell Ernest b. 1945
Bernard Weldon b. 1949
Albert Russell b. 1951
Macel Emeline b. 1953
Carolyn May b. 1955
Jesse Wayne b. 1956
Kathleen Kay b. 1958
Regenia Eulala b. 1961
Joseph Michael b. 1964
Making Molasses is a tradition carried out by my family every fall. This tradition started many years before I was born. My great grandma, Goldie Eulalah Parsons Rhodes daughter of Ernie William Parsons and Etta Mae Allen Parsons, brought the tradition to Jackson County when she married Ores Albert Rhodes, son of Gordon Mead Rhodes and Phoebe Emeline Tuttle Rhodes. Ores and Goldie had 12 children, Elmer Doris, Gladys Karen, Delmar Gordon, Darrel Ernest, Bernard Weldon, Albert Russell, Macel Emeline, Carolyn Mae, Jesse Wayne, Kathleen Kay, Regina Eulalah and Joseph Michael.
The tradition started at the Rhodes home place on Gay Road. Molasses comes from the raw mater of sugar cane which was grown on the farm. The first step to making molasses is planting and harvesting the cane. After the cane is harvested, it is processed by squeezing the juice out with burrs. A fire is built under a coy-lined metal plan. The sugar cane juice is then put into the pan and boiled until it thickens into sorghum molasses. It takes thirty gallons of juice to produce one gallon of molasses. The molasses is then put into jars and with used, sold, or bartered with to help support the family.
My grandpa, Darrell Rhodes, married Janice Sue Golden and they had three children, Ten Marie married to Dana Orin Casto with daughter Tonya Marie; Anthony Less (deceased and Lora Denise married to Mark Edward Parsons with daughter Nicole Dare Blankenship. After acquiring their farm on Route 33, they continued making molasses for several years.
Now, we make molasses on the original site that is currently owned by Albert Russell Rhodes. Our large and extended family gathers to socialize and make more memories while making molasses. Hopefully this long lasting tradition continues to be a part of our family for generations to come.
Nicole Blankenship, Leroy, WV
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West Virginia Pioneers
