Information from Jesse Houston Rhoden Jr. on April 6, 2001:

Joe was too young to really serve in the C.S.A. during the Civil War.  He told his grandchildren that he didn't want any part of the war anyway, that too many people made it out to be glorious when it was really just a bunch of people dying.  He fell in love with Eliza Ann back in Mississippi it was said, and left home while he was still young, following her and her family out to Texas.

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1880 Houston County, Texas Census
Page 280B
Rhoden, James H. 30 Farmer MS
Rhoden, Eliza A. 28 Wife Keeping House AL AL AL
Rhoden, David  H. 5 Son TX MS AL
Rhoden, William F. 3 Son TX MS AL
Rhoden, Anne D. 2 Dau. TX MS AL
Rhoden, Cora 6/12 months (Dec.) Dau. TX MS AL
Dayle, Marion 28 W M Boarder Farm Laborer TX

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Also raised the Brannen children (Joseph Houston and Eliza Ann's grandchildren) after their mother passed away at a young age.

David Houston Rhoden (md. Elia Reynolds)
     Dave and Elia married in 1899 and had nine children.  He passed away in Houston County, Texas in 1967, at the age of 91.

William Floyd Rhoden (md. Nora Mills)
     William married Nora in 1896.  They had six children, but at least two of them died young.  He was a prosperous farmer, but caught tuberculosis and had lots of trouble after that.  He is buried in Pennington Cemetery.

Cora Ella Rhoden (md. Jesse Duren and John Horan)
     Cora Ella married Jesse Duren and had four children by him, but he died in 1907 in Houston County.  She then married Mr. Horan and they had children as well, but nothing is known of them after that.

Walter Rhoden (died young)
     Walter died at the age of 18 and is buried in the Jim English Cemetery in Houston County.

Anna Della Rhoden (md. Jasper Brannen)
     Anna Della married Jap in 1896 and they had four children together.  The last child, Calvin, was born in 1907.  Anna Della did not live much longer after that.  She died in Dec. 1907 at the age of 29.  She is buried in the Jim English Cemetery.