Franklin Rhoda

Franklin Rhoda (July 14, 1854 - Sept. 10, 1929). In the words of historian Mike Foster, Frank Rhoda was an "artist, musician, writer, surveyor, naturalist, social critic, defender of civil liberties and champion of Christ - the only theme unifying his versatile life was idealism that aimed to reform almost everything he encountered."

Born in Crescent City, California, he grew up on a large fruit farm in the Fruitvale section of Oakland. Rhoda studied civil engineering at the University of California and in 1872 at age 19 he was the youngest member of that institution's first graduating class. The University tried to recruit him to teach mathematics. In addition he informally studied ancient Greek and Hebrew during his college days. and parts of his account were published in the Pittsburgh Gazette. Through the efforts of Mike Foster, his 1874 survey notes were published in a 1984 book, "Summits to Reach." As part of the surveys, he scaled six mountains over 14,000 feet including Uncompahgre Peak, Mt. Wilson (named for A.D. Wilson), Mt. Sneffels, Handies Peak, San Luis Peak, and Sunshine Peak. In all, Wilson and Rhoda “climbed 35 summits over 12,000 feet in order to triangulate for mapping the great San Juan uplift.

While Rhoda was assisting his father, Frederick Rhoda in operating the fruit farm during the 1870s, he was also active in many social and political causes. He wrote numerous articles "attacking financiers, especially stockbrokers and real estate agents...he fired equal wrath at apparently socialistic Irishmen who were organizing the labor force in California. Newspapers also published his writings on nature, philosophical and political topics.

Frank Rhoda was always religious and in 1880 he co-founded a Presbyterian Sunday School in Fruitvale which evolved into a full church in 1890. In 1882 he published a small book, "Bible Gems," a collection of verses from the Old and New Testaments which he grouped into 39 key themes. This religious odyssey led Frank back toward traditional Protestantism and in the fall of 1887 he rejoined the Theological Seminary.

Frank Rhoda served as pastor in the Bay Area for about 25 years, including 17 years at the Presbyterian Church in Fruitvale, which he had organized as a Sunday school in 1880. He injected evangelical enthusiasm into his pastorships by “preaching twice on Sundays, leading prayer meetings before regular services, and also on Wednesday evenings, instituting evening song services scores of times during each year, and by inviting other evangelists to preach." Franklin Rhoda was the 1903 Prohibition Party candidate for Supervisor of the Alameda's 2nd district and in 1913 he was a speaker at the Women's Christian Temperance Union of Alameda County. He also actively opposed smoking, gambling and prostitution.

Rhoda retired 1918 and lived out his life in his house on Lincoln Avenue (named for his son Lincoln Rhoda) in Fruitvale. He remained active in retirement continuing his religious convictions and interest in nature, local history and civic affairs. Rhoda's philosophy and knowledge were based on personal insights and direct experience, he was “suspicious of professors, book learning, and the specialization of experts” and he "laughed at evolution, but just as ruthlessly made fun of creationists."