RHEA-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: GA Confed. Soldier- Robt. RHEA?
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 00:43:59 -0400 (EDT)

Hi RHEA list folks-

I'm entirely new to this list, and virtually as new in researching my RHEA
ancestor, so please forgive me if I violate protocol somehow thru my
ignorance, or otherwise say something dumb.... (a talent of mine! :)

I have the most unusual (and perplexing) family story in my family concerning
the origins of my one RHEA ancestor- my g-g-grandmother, Robert ("Miss
Bobby") Ida RHEA. I'd like to run it by all of you to see if it rings any
bells for anyone.

My g-g-grandmother, Miss Bobby was 1/2 blood Cherokee and married
g-g-grandfather
James Banister Crow, Sr. or so and the couple & family lived in/around
Bogart/Athens/Winder area in Clarke/Oconee Co. in northwest GA circa 1880 &
after.

THE STORY
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-----------------------------

Miss Bobby's father was a Confederate soldier name of Robert RHEA and was
serving in Georgia. He owned land "back home" [another state?] and had a
sweetheart there -- a full-blooded Cherokee woman name of Allie Mandy (sp?)
[Pronounced A-lee' Man'-dee? -- no one in my family knows how her name was
spelled, if this was her English/Anglo name or her Cherokee name, or even if
we've got the name right at all. Only thing people are consistent about is
how to pronounce it.]

Anyway- the story. Robert RHEA had promised his sweetheart he'd marry her as
soon as he came back home after the war. However, winter came, and his
commanding officer sent him back home for the winter (there not being any
fighting possible) with the instructions to send back any deserters or AWOL
men he encountered, giving them the assurance that they would not be punished
for returning.

So he went home, and as he'd promised, married Allie Mandy immediately upon
returning.

Then, either the new couple's first night married, or the next night, Allie
sent Robert out into the field to bring in some corn to cook for dinner. He
went out on this errand, but was shot and killed by a bushwacker, leaving
Allie Mandy widowed -- but nonetheless pregnant -- not a day after her
marriage.

Then, the story goes, Allie Mandy had trouble holding onto their land,
despite the fact that she legally owned the land through her deceased
husband. Something about not being able to come up with the taxes levied on
it? Finally, she gave up trying to hold it, and -- now with her infant
daughter, Miss Bobby -- moved to Georgia to live with her sister [name
unknown] who was married to a man of surname GORDON.

She lived there with the GORDONs for a time, but fell ill and soon thereafter
died herself, leaving her infant daughter alone with the GORDONs. The
GORDONs then raised the little girl as their own, until she came of age and
married my g-g-grandfather James Banister CROW, Sr.

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------------------------------------------------

Well, this remarkable and romantic (and quite possibly, incredible! :) story
is nearly all that I've got on my g-g-grandmother's history. Can anybody
make any more sense out of this, beyond what I have written? Can anyone
connect this with anything?

It's a tough one to trace, so far. The only soldier Robert RHEA I can find
in GA around that time is quite probably a *Union* reconstruction soldier
garrisoned in Atlanta, with a wife there working as a laundress... but
they're from *Ohio* (sigh!)

Any comments or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

cheryl conway

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