Rhoda M. Wells ^{2 3 4 5 6 7 8}

  Noted events in her life were:

• She has alternate birth date of 1834 and a birth location of Ohio.

This birth year was referenced by her age of 36 on the 1870 US Census.
. ⁶

• She appeared on the 1860 US Census in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, IN on 4 July 1860. ³

1860 US Census
Page 105, Family 778, Roll 298
Pleasant Township, Steuben, Indiana, United States
Rhoda Frost..25..Ohio..Housekeeper

(Living with husband and 8 stepchildren.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 12 Dec 1835, then her age should have been 24 instead of 25.
.

• She appeared on the 1870 US Census in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, IN on 28 June 1870. ⁶

1870 US Census
Page 156A, Dwelling 329, Family 351, Roll 359
Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana
Rhoda Fast..36..OH..Keeping House
(Living with husband, 4 step-children and 2 children from this marriage.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 12 Dec 1835, then her age should have been 34 instead of 36.
.

• She appeared on the 1880 US Census in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, IN on 11 June 1880. ⁴

1880 US Census
Page 319A, District 5, Dwelling 133, Family 140, Roll 312
Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana
Roda Fast..Wife..43..OH..Housework
(Living with husband and 2 sons.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 12 Dec 1835, then her age should have been 44 instead of 43.
.

• She appeared on the 1900 US Census in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, IN on 5 June 1900. ⁷

1900 US Census
Sheet 2B, District 102, Family 42, Roll 404
Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana
Farm owned, no mortgage
Rhoda Fast..Mother..Dec 1836..63..OH..7/2..Widowed

(Widowed and living with son, Orla, and his family, and her other son, Ira.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 12 Dec 1835, then her age should have been 64 instead of 63.
.

• She was buried on 29 May 1911 in the Sowles Cemetery in Angola, IN.

There is one large monument that serves as the gravestone for Christian, his first wife Henrietta, his second wife, Rhoda, his daughter, Laura, and his son John A. The center portion of the pedestal monument is made of rose colored marble and capped with a carved vaulted granite top piece with a large letter F cut in relief. The inscription on the top of the front face reads "Christian Fast, Feb. 12, 1814 - Dec. 13, 1898". Below that and on the left it reads "Henrietta, his wife, Nov. 10, 1820 - Dec. 8, 1859" while on the right it reads "Rhoda M., his wife, Dec. 12, 1835 - May 27, 1911". On the face of the left side it reads "Laura E. Fast, July 9, 1870 - Sept. 7, 1879" while the face on the right side reads "John A. Fast, Aug. 19, 1857 - July 20, 1875". Note that the names of the son and daughter appear to be inscribed on the side of the wrong mother.

Find A Grave Memorial# 14303044
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• Her obituary was published in the Steuben Republican on 7 June 1911 in , Steuben County, IN.

⁸ Was born in Wayne Co. Ohio, December 12, 1837, and died at her home near Angola, Indiana, May 27, 1911, aged 74 years, 5 months, and 14 days.

She came with her parents Loton and Ann Wells, to Steuben County at an early age and within her experience have transpired many of the hardships and privations of pioneer life.

April 29, 1860, she was married to Christian Fast, thus taking upon herself the great responsibility of helping to rear his motherless family. And so well has she ingratiated herself into the hearts of the many children and grandchildren of the man of the man to whom she came as a helpmeet that there remains not one who has not risen up to call her blessed.

Of this union there remains two sons, Ira C. living near Angola, and Orla L. in Angola: their one daughter, Laura, dying at the age of nine years. Besides the two sons and five grandchildren, there remains to mourn their loss, two step-sons, three step-daughters, four brothers and one sister with many other relatives who hold themselves nearly as close.

Many years ago under the ministration of Elder D. C. Hanselman she became a Christian, later becoming a charter member of the first Christian Church in Angola, with which congregation she has since been identified, living a quiet, loyal life all through the years.

Many were her virtues, but her greatest joy was her loving service to her friends, and her friends were any and all whom she might serve.

So greatly had this spirit of helpfulness become instinctive that one might well think the key note of her life was embodied in the Saviour's words when he said "Whosoever will be grate among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant" A good, Christian woman has gone to her reward.

Funeral services were conducted by Elder Vernon Stauffer in the Fairview Christian Church, Monday, May 29th. 1911.

(Source: Steuben Republican, Steuben County, IN, 7 Jun 1911, page 2, Col. 2)
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Rhoda married Christian Fast, son of Martin Fast and Catherine Blosser, on 29 April 1860 in , Steuben County, IN.^{1 2 3 4} (Christian Fast was born on 12 February 1814 in , Fayette County, PA,^{3 4 6 9} died on 13 December 1898 in , Steuben County, IN and was buried after 13 December 1898 in Sowles Cemetery, Angola, IN ⁹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Image: 29 April 1860, in , Steuben County, IN. ²

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, IN on 4 July 1860. ³

1860 US Census
Page 105, Family 778, Roll 298
Pleasant Township, Steuben, Indiana, United States
Christian Frost..46..Penn..Farmer
Rhoda Frost..25..Ohio..Housekeeper
J. J. Frost..20..Ohio..Farm Laborer
Francis A. Frost..14..Ohio
Eli Frost..12..Ohio
Mary Frost..11..Ohio
Rachel Frost..9..Ohio
John A. Frost..3..Indiana
Henrietta Frost..?m..Indiana
.

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, IN on 28 June 1870. ⁶

1870 US Census
Page 156A, Family 351, Roll 359
Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana
Christian Fast..56...PA..Farmer
Rhoda Fast..36..OH..Keeping House
Eli Fast..23..OH
Rachel Fast..19..OH
John Fast..12..IN
Henrietta Fast..10..IN
Ira Fast..6..IN
Orla Fast..3..IN
.

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, IN on 11 June 1880. ⁴

1880 US Census
Page 319A, District 5, Family 140, Roll 312
Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana
Christian Fast..Head..66..NY..Farmer
Roda Fast..Wife..43..OH..Housework
Ira Fast..Son..16..IN..At School
Orla Fast..Son..13..IN..At School
.

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Christian Fast
Event Type: Marriage Registration
Event Date: 29 Apr 1860
Event Place: Steuben, Indiana, United States
Gender: Male
Marriage License Date: 27 Apr 1860
Marriage Place: Steuben, Indiana
Spouse's Name: Rhoda Wells
Spouse's Gender: Female
Officiator's Name: D C Hanselman
Page: 260

Citing this Record
"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3LP-SB2 : 10 December 2017), Christian Fast and Rhoda Wells, 29 Apr 1860; citing Steuben, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 005206329.
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