Rhoads, Samuel

Metadata

Title

Rhoads, Samuel

Description

The Quaker Samuel Rhoads was one of the most influential master builders of the colonial period. Born in Philadelphia County, the son of John and Hannah (Willcox) Rhoads, he first appeared as a speculative builder flourishing in the 1730s and 1740s. Together with Samuel Powell, Joseph Fox, and John Nicholas, he measured Edmund Woolley's work at the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) in 1740-41. In the latter year he was elected to the Philadelphia Common Council, beginning a long period of public service. Together with Powell, William Logan, John Stamper, and Benjamin Franklin, he advised the city on "the best means of improving the Swamp between Budds Buildings & Society Hill" in 1747/8. His friendship with Franklin began about this time and would span over thirty years. Like the printer-statesman, Rhoads devoted increasing amounts of his time and wealth (derived largely from mercantile activity in later years) to charitable and educational works. He was a founding member of the Union Fire Company (1736), the American Philosophical Society (Vice-President, 1770-1776), a Director of the Library Company (1739-69, 1772-1774), a Manager of the Alms House, a founder and a Manager of the Pennsylvania Hospital (1751-1781), as well as a founding Director of the Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire (1752-1763). In 1761, Rhoads was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly to represent Philadelphia City; he served until 1764 and was re-elected in 1770. As tensions mounted between America and the Crown, Rhoads became politically more active; within a few months during 1774 he was Speaker of the Provincial Convention, a member of the First Continental Congress (meeting at Carpenters' Hall), and Mayor of Philadelphia. Clearly, by the time Rhoads had reached middle age he was no longer a "Carpinter(sic) Builder" -- as he once identified himself. This raises difficult questions for historians who must determine Rhoads's role in the design and construction of several buildings with which he was associated after c.1750 -- particularly the Pennsylvania Hospital. The master builder/architect Robert Smith was at Rhoads' elbow at the Alms House, the Hospital, and Franklin's house. Did Smith collaborate on these designs, or was he simply favored by Rhoads as operative builder? Ultimate credit for the design of these buildings must be left for future research. Rhoads was an early member of The Carpenters' Company; how early is impossible to tell because of the loss of all Company records prior to 1763. He did own books of architecture, and surviving bills suggest that Rhoads designed a number of as yet unidentified buildings for the Norris family. There is an interesting group of early architectural drawings among the Fairhill manuscripts at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania that have been attributed to him on rather thin grounds; these await more careful study. Rhoads's chief claim to fame as a designer is the monumental Pennsylvania Hospital (1754-56). The entire edifice was to consist of three parts, two symmetrical wings connected by a central building, as shown in Claypoole's "A South-East Prospect of the Pennsylvania Hostpial with the Elevation of the Intended Plan." Only the east wing was built prior to the Revolution, but David Evans, Sr. and David Evans, Jr. followed the basic Rhoads design when they later completed the structure (west wing, 1795-96; central pavilion, 1796-99). During this same period he was responsible for the Robert Barclay house (c.1758) at 217 Delancey Street, the John Cadwalader house (c.1760) on Second below Spruce, and the William Coleman house (1766) on the northwest corner of Second and Pine Streets. Also in the 1760s Rhoads designed the house for Benjamin Franklin that Robert Smith built. This house, Franklin wrote to Rhoads, should be "considered as a kind of Pattern House by future Builders, within the Power of Tradesmen & People of moderate circumstances to imitate and follow." Unfortunately, this building that combined the various talents of Franklin, Rhoads, and Smith was demolished in 1812. As a manager of the Alms House, Rhoads may also have designed that large, horseshoe-shaped, brick structure erected 1766-67. As in the case of the Franklin house, Robert Smith obtained the contract. There is no record that Rhoads was an active participant in Carpenters' Company debates or that he served on committees during the 1760s; understandably even his attendance at Company meetings during the early 1770s was irregular. On 17 January 1780, however, he became Master of The Company, serving until 1784.

Biography from Philadelphia Architects and Buildings, a project of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Written by Roger W. Moss.

Member Number

13*

Last Name

Rhoads

First Name

Samuel

Birth Date

1/11711

Where Born

Philadelphia, PA

Deceased Date

4/7/1784

Father

John Rhoads

Mother

Hannah Willcox

Descendant

Mr. Richard L. Hunn

Office Held

President, 1780-83

Project

Design of Pennsylvania Hosp. & construction of E. wing

Robert Barclay house, 217 Delancey St.

John Cadwalder house, 2nd st. below Spruce

William Coleman house, N.W. corner 2nd & Pine.

Reference

*Subscribed to 12 shares for erection of Hall.

*A "signer" of paper currency issued May 1, 1760, by Pennsylvania. Also a "signer" in June 18, 1764. And in March 10, 1769. See "Growing With America, The Fox Family of Philadelphia,"by Joseph M. Fox, published 2006. Copy in Fox file. page 43 - Fox and Rhoads prepared plans for Pennsylvania Hospital in 1753.

*The Quaker Samuel Rhoads was one of the most influential master builders of the colonial period. Born in Philadelphia county, the son of John and Hannah (Willcox) Rhoads, he first appeared as a speculative builder flourishing in the 1730s and 1740s. Together with Samuel Powell (q.v.), Joseph Fox (q.v.), and John Nicholas (q.v.), he measured Edmund Woolley's (q.v.) work at the Pensylvania State House in 1740-41. In the latter year he was elected to the Philadelphia Common Council, beginning a long period of pubic service. Together with Powell, William Logan, John Stamper, and Benjamin Franklin, he advised the city "on the best means of improving the Swamp between Budd's Building & Society Hill in 1747/48. His friendship with Franklin began about this time and would span over thirty years. Like the printer-statesman, Rhoads devoted increasing amounts of his time and wealth (derived largely from mercantile activity in later years) to charitable and educational works. He was a founding member of the Union Fire Company (1736), the American Philosophical Society (Vice President, 1770-1776), a Director of the Library Company (1739-69,1772-1774), a Manager of the Alms House, a founder and a Manager of the Pennsylvania Hospital (1751-1781), as well as a founding Director of the Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire (1752-1763). In 1761, Rhoads was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly to represent Philadelphia City; he served until 1764 and was reelected in 1770. As tensions mounted between America and the Crown, Rhoads became politically more active; within a few months during 1774 he was Speaker of the Provincial Convention, a member of the First Continental Congress (meeting at Carpenters' Hall), and Mayor of Philadelphia. Clearly, by the time Rhoads had reached middle age he was no longer a "Carpinter Builder" -- as he once identified himself. This raises difficult questions for historians who must determine Rhoads's role in the design and construction of several buildings with which he was associated after c. 1750 -- particularly the Pennsylvania Hospital. The master builder/architect Robert Smith (q.v.) was at Rhoads's elbow at the Alms House, the Hospital, and Franklin's house. Did Smith collaborate on these designs or was he simply favored by Rhoads as operative builder? Ultimate credit for the design of these buildings must be left for future research. Rhoads was an early member of The Carpenters' Company; how early is impossible to tell because of the loss of all Company records prior to 1763. There is an interesting group of early architectural drawings among the Fairhill manuscripts at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania that have been attributed to him on rather thin grounds; these await more careful study. Rhoads's chief claim to fame as a designer is the monumental Pennsylvania Hospital (1754-56). The early edifice was to consist of three parts, two symmetrical wings connected by a central building, as shown in Claypoole's "A South-East Prospect of the Pennsylvania Hospital with the Elevation of the Intended Plan." Only the East Wing was built prior to the Revolution, but David Evans, Sr. (q.v.) and David Evans, Jr. (q.v.) followed the basic Rhoads design when they later completed the structure (west wing, 1795-96; central pavilion, 1796-99). During this period he was responsible for the Robert Barclay house (c. 1758) at 217 Delancey St., the John Cadwalader house (c. 1760) on Second below Spruce, and the William Coleman house (1766) on the northwest corner of Second and Pine Sts. Also in the 1760s Rhoads designed the house for Benjamin Franklin that Robert Smith built. This house, Franklin wrote to Rhoads, should be "considered as a kind of Pattern House by future Builders, within the Power of Tradesmen & People of moderate circumstances to imitate and follow." Unfortunately, this building that combined the various talents of Franklin, Rhoads and Smith was demolished in 1812. As a manager of the Alms House, Rhoads may also have designed that large, horseshoe-shaped, brick structure erected in 1766-67. As in the case of the Franklin house, Robert Smith obtained the contract. There is no record that Rhoads was an active participant in Carpenters' Company debates or that he served on committees during the 1760s; understandably even his attendance at Company meetings during the early 1770s was irregular. On January 17, 1780, however, he became Master of the Company, serving until 1784. Location of drawings and papers: Historical Society of Pennsylvania See Selected Bibliography in Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects. Volume at Carpenters' Hall and The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. See also list of projects and articles in bibliography.

*See C.E. Peterson's book, "Robert Smith", page 18, col 2, last para: Smith and John Thornhill measured and valued Thomas Nevell's work at Mt. Pleasant. Thomas Nevell, in turn, had measured Gunning Bedford's Port Royal, among those with whom Smith was most deeply intertwined was Samuel Rhoads. Like Smith, Rhoads sometimes acted as a designer and a contractor although he became wealthy as a developer. Rhoads, along with Joseph Fox, was a manager and designer for the Pennsylvania Hospital, a project for which Smith was a consultant. Rhoads served in the same capacity for the Almshouse. He handled the finances when Smith built Benjamin Franklin's house, where another Company member, Robert Allison, executed the interior woodwork. Rhoads and Smith served together on a committee of the APS, overseeing a platform to observe the Transit of Venus in 1769.

*Rhoads elected for one-year term as mayor, October 4, 1774 - while serving as delegate to First Continental Congress.

*INHP Library - Samuel Rhoads handled the finances for construction of Franklin's house. Robert Smith was the builder; Robert Allison executed the interior woodwork.

*Samuel Powell's will is Book page: K:422, written November 21, 1752 with a codicil in June 21, 1756. Trustee for money he willed to the poor of the Monthly Meeting of Friends was Samuel Rhoads.

*PA Gazette 12/26/1749 - #11369 "To be lett, a large commodious house below the Drawbridge. Enquire of Ebenezer Tomlinson. Also a lot of land, below Wicacoe, very convenient for a ship carpenter, to be lett for three years by Samuel Rhoads and Ebenezer Tomlinson. PA Gazette 10/17/1751 - #1090 Selling lot of land on Penn St. below the drawbridge with brick foundation for a building. Apply to Samuel Rhoads or Jacob Lewis. PA Gazette 10/4/1753 - #3592 Elected an assessor for Philadelphia (along with others). Samuel Rhoads elected a Warden. PA Gazette 4/11/1754 - #4222 Samuel Powell, Hugh Roberts, Joseph Fox and Isaac Jones elected directors of the Contributionship insurance. PA Gazette 5/16/1754 - #4389 Joseph Fox, Samuel Rhoads and Hugh Roberts chosen managers of Pennsylvania Hospital. PA Gazette 4/15/1756 - #6870 At meeting of Philadelphia Contributionship, elected Directors: Hugh Roberts, Joseph Fox, Samuel Rhoads, and Jacob Lewis. PA Gazette 5/8/1760 - #12168 Chosen managers of Pennsylvania Hospital: Jacob Lewis, Samuel Rhoads. Treasurer: Hugh Roberts. PA Gazette 1/22/1761 - #13436 Samuel Rhoads and Jacob Lewis selling 20 acres of pasture on the west side of the road leading from Passyunk to the city; to be broken into one- and two-acre lots. PA Gazette 6/11/1761 - #14209 Rhoads elected a commissioner for clearing and rendering the Schuylkill river navigable. Meeting to settle on plan for blowing and removing rocks. Also, Joseph Fox. PA Gazette 10/8/1762 - #14890 Elected a burgess of the city. PA Gazette 6/2/1763 - #18389 Mayor Hugh Roberts, Commissioners Samuel Rhoads and Jacob Lewis among group requiring paving of sidewalks and how water is to be controlled from house gutters and wooden overhangs of houses. PA Gazette 5/21/1767 - #3117 Jacob Lewis, Joseph Fox, Samuel Rhoads among a group elected managers of the House of Employment of the Poor of Philadelphia and suburbs. PA Gazette 1/21/1789 - #5914 Identifies land in Southwark on George St. between Shippen and Plum Sts., and between 2nd & 3rd Sts., near ground of Samuel Rhoads; adjoins ground of Joseph Rhoads, who apparently owned various pieces of ground in the immediate area.

*Managing Committee Minutes-1780-2-145 The seals of the Company being received from Mr. Fox's executors was delivered to Mr. Rhoads, Master. Managing Committee Minutes-1784-3-50 The Company proceeding to choose a Master in the place of Samuel Rhoads, deceased, when Thomas Shoemaker was duly chosen Master.

*(Hannah Roach) Tax list, 1756, Dock Ward, Samuel Rhoads, carpenter, 100 pounds.

*Hannah Roach papers Samuel Rhoads, carpenter, b. 1711; d. 7 April 1784 (PMHB, XIX (1895). 71. Was senior warden of CCCCP at time of death. Estate rated at 100 pounds in Dock ward in 1756 (PGM, XXII, 15).

*"Philadelphia Preserved" Pages 4, 26 - built house at 217 Delancey St. (1750-58); sold it in 1758 to Alexander Barclay, comptroller of the Port of Philadelphia. (Rhoads-Barclay House) name: Michael Gallagher email: arbregen@gmail.com phone: 3026908736 address: 216 Fairhill DR city: Wilmington state: DE zip: 19808 ancestor_info: Samuel Rhoads I descend from Mary Rhoads Custer, sister of Samuel Rhoads. She married George Custer who was later killed in the Gnadenhutten Massacre message: I'm interested to know the circumstances of expulsion and resignation. The numbers seemed high, particularly expulsion. Is the Carpenters Company open to relatives of members? responded 5/1/10

Grantor File Data from the City of Philadelphia Archives:
(Date; Book; No.; Page; Grantee)
1718/1739; F; 9; 260; Parham, John
1718/1739; G; 6; 495; Fitzwater, George
1718/1739; G; 9; 81; Jones, James
1718/1739; G; 11; 418; Powell, Samuel
1751/1766; H; 2; 146; Cummins, John
1751/1766; H; 2; 378; Knight, William
1751/1766; H; 8; 98; Evans, Jonathan
1751/1766; H; 10; 136; Lownes, Joseph
1751/1766; H; 11; 376; Moses, Philip
1751/1766; H; 13; 422; Goodwin, John
1751/1766; I; 8; 523; Smith, Robert
1751/1766; I; 13; 248; Allen, William
1777/1800; D; 4; 173; Cooper, James
1777/1800; D; 10; 358; Few, Joseph
1777/1800; D; 18; 557; Lloyd, Hannah
1777/1800; D; 20; 575; Richards, Samuel

Defendents/Sheriff Sales File Data from City of Philadelphia Archives:
(Book; Page; Year; Purchaser)
B-3; 474; 1785; Rhoads, Sarah
B-3; 476; 1785; Rhoads, Sarah

File Number

Grantor Records Notes

Also listings for Adam, Ann, Caspar, Hannah and Sarah. Many multiple listings with 7 or more transactions in a sequence.

Defendant/Sheriff's Sale Notes

Joseph lost property in 1790; also Sarah in 1785.

Collection

Members

Citation

“Rhoads, Samuel,” Carpenters' Company Digital Archive & Museum, accessed April 19, 2024, https://archive.carpentershall.org/items/show/25803.