Our little parish of Saint Theresa of Avila in Rhodelia, Kentucky, has produced 37 Sisters, 8 Priests, 1 Brother and hundreds of lay heroes in its 203 year history. In these periodic little "history briefs," I have, or will have, spotlighted the various religious communities in which our many Sisters and one Brother belonged and their contributions to Saint Theresa Church: the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, the Sisters of Loretto, the Mount Saint Joseph Ursulines, the Sister of Mercy, the Brother of the Christian Schools and the Dominican Sisters.
Today, I want to start honoring some of our historic families - those who have produced so many faithful members of Saint Theresa Church over the years.
Paul Emile and Susan Eleanor (Cody) Buren of Concordia, Kentucky, operated a store and hotel in that riverport town. They had two daughters who became Dominican Sisters.
The Joseph and Philomena (Rhodes) Vessels Family. Harold (middle of back row) and his wife Verna were known in the community as operators of the Rhodelia Store and Post Office for many years.
The James Francis and Margaret Cordelia (Durbin) Rhodes family. Margaret Cordelia had three sisters who became Sisters of Charity.
Dr. Samuel Richard O'Bryan
This group of local women made up the Rhodelia Homemakers Club. Besides being a recreational and social support group, they quilted and shared homemaking ideas once a month. My grandmother on my father's side (second row with a slightly open mouth) was part of this group. As a "country midwife," she was the woman who delivered me and baptized me when I was "in danger of death."
Mary (Mills) Rhodes and sons, Roscoe, Fred and Albert. The extended Mills family ran brandy distilleries in Andyville and Rhodelia and are associated with a major tragedy when the Rhodelia distillery exploded and killed or injured many people. Mary's husband, before his death, was associated with the Rhodelia Store and Post Office. Several religious vocations came out of the Mills and Rhodes families. I "saved" their old 1850s home a few years ago and restored it to be almost like-new.
The house before I started.
The house when it was nearly done.
John and Anna Rita (Manning) O'Bryan had one of the biggest families in the parish. The O'Bryan and the Manning families go back for generations in Saint Theresa. These families have contributed much to the life of Saint Theresa Church. 
The John and Lena Flaherty Children.
John Baptist and Mary Ann (Wight) Manning Family
Francis Marion Knott, my great grandfather, is the father of my grandfather Leo Francis Knott.
The Caleb Brown Jr and Catherine Anna Thompson Brown family. Caleb Brown Jr. is the son of Caleb Brown Sr. and Margaret Catherine Clark Brown who were the first couple to be married in the present Saint Theresa Church on June 3, 1857.
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