RHEA-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Robert Rhea, 6th child of William and Elizabeth Clark Rhea
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 11:47:34 -0400 (EDT)

6. Robert Rhea was born in 1759, and died October 31, 1834 in Pocahontas
County, Virginia, now West Virginia.(67) After three years of separation, in
1796 he divorced his first wife, Martha Meek, daughter of Thomas and
Agnes/Nancy Meek.(72) and sister to Elizabeth, the wife of his brother,
James. The grounds were adultery and desertion.(174) There were five
children: (10 William Rhea, October 30, 1782-March 3, 1855,(175) who married
Elizabeth Boiler, sister to Catherine, his father's second wife, February 24,
1802.(176) Their six children were (A) David Rhea, who married Elizabeth
Givens, December 31, 1822; (B) Martha Rhea, married to George C. Givens,
October 12, 1826(C) Sarah/Sally Rhea, married 1st. David Carson, October 11,
1831, 2nd Edward Daniels; (D) Samuel Rhea, married Eleanor Wilday, January 7,
1841; (E) nancy Rhea, who married William Smith; and (F) Thomas Rhea, married
to Hannah Carson, January 25, 1832. David, Martha, and possibly Sarah were
born in Virginia, the others in Pike County, Ohio.(177) (2) Martha Rhea
married Thomas Rhea, believed to be the son of her uncle, James, the bond
dated January 23, 1804, (86)(see above under "James"). (30 Thomas Rhea may
have married Mary/Polly Rhea, daughter of his uncle, James, June 27, 1805, in
Barren County, Kentucky,(87) see under "James"). Robert bequeathed one
hundred dollars to be divided among Thomas' children, and the same amount for
(4) Samuels Rhea's children.(90) (5) Robert Rhea Jr., who left few traces in
Virginia, may have moved to Hopkins County, Kentucky (see above under
"Alexander").
Robert's second marriage was to Catherine Boiler, daughter of David and
Nancy/Agnes (Fisher) Boiler, the sister of Elizabeth, wife of his son,
William. The marriage bond, which included the names of her parents, was
signed in Bath County on October 25, 1798.(178) She died testate at age 81 on
September 21, 1856.(67,179) The names and birth dates of their children are
in the Robert Rhea Family bible.(67) (1) James Rhea, born April 25, 1799,
married 1st.Betty Callison, may 8, 1822. His second wife was Sarah Goodwin or
Goodman. He moved to Missouri in 1838. (2) Nancy Rhea, was born March 19,
1801, and (3) Elizabeth Rhea, born September 7, 1803. Both died in July,
1805. (4) Hannah Rhea, April 5, 1806, married William Collison on October 16,
1838. (5) Ann Rhea, April 4, 1809, married William Hill on April 17, 1828.
(6) David Rhea, September 12, 1811, married Ruth Kinison on September 2,
1833. By 1838, he was living in LaGrange County, Indiana.(181) (7) Archibald
Rhea, born June 5, `1818, died in Johnson county, Missouri on September 14,
1902. On December 20, 1838, he married Jeanette Beard, August 13, 1819 to
June 11, 1894. Their children were: William Robert Rhea, born April 30, 1840,
Elizabeth Katherine Rhea, September 22, 1842, Margaret Martha Rhea, March 30,
1845-December 24, 1934, and James David Rhea, born January 20, 1848. On
December 22, 1868, Margaret Martha Rhea married William Mathis Wolfenbarger,
February 18, 1842-July1, 1915. They wre the parents of eight children.(180)
Robert's widow, Catharine, left each of her sons one dollar, and divided
everything among Hannah's children and Ann.(182)

7. John Rhea had extensive holdings on Mill Creek in Bath County, and at
Painter (Panther) Gap in Rockbridge County. He was drafted for the
Revolutionary War, but in order to help his father tend the family farm, he
hired a substitute.(62) His first marriage was to Margaret Turk, daughter of
Thomas and Margaret (Grove ?) Turk.(40,62) The names of their children,
Elizabeth Rhea, Thomas (Turk) Rhea, William Rhea, John Rhea, Margaret Rhea,
Ann Rhea, Jane Rhea, Polly Rhea and James Rhea are found in a Deed of Gift
signed May 5, 1802 by Thomas Turk Sr. he gave them "one negro girl named
Violet and her increase," having previously given them to his late daughter,
Margaret.(40) Elizabeth married Toliver Wright, the bond dated on July 31,
1797.(183) Margaret married William Wright.(184) Thomas Turk Rhea married
Sally/Sarah Lynch on September 17, 1807.(185)
John's second marriage was to Magdalane/Magdaline/Magdalene Dill, on
October 18, 1800.(186) Her name is spelled "Still" in the marriage papers.
Henry Dill, her father, had lands adjoining John's in Bath County.(187) He
mentioned his "five grandchildren of John Rhea Dec.d, also Rebecca Rhea" in
his will dated March 3, 1818.(188) Their children were Sarah H. Rhea, Ester
J. Rhea, Nancy P. Rhea, Hiram Rhea, and henry Dill Rhea.(40,184) Henry Dill
Rhea, ?-November 4, 1851. married Elizabeth A. Adams.(201)

On August 14, 1814, in Madison County, Mississippi Territory(later Alabama),
John married his third wife, Polly E. Nesmith. (184) She testified in a
lawsuit brought against his heirs that she was "nearly seventeen years of
age" at the time of the marriage. John died intestae in october, the same
year.(1840 For more extensive information on John Rhea, son of William of
Bath County, the reader is referred to an accompanying article by Constance
Corley Metheny, a descendant of his son, Thomas Turk Rhea, and granddaughter,
Susanna S. (Rhea) Corley.
William Rhea Sr. wrote his will on January 3, 1801.(60) and died April 25,
1802.(67)
In the original will, the last name of his sons was spelled 'Reach," but he
signed the document, "Rhea." He divided his estate among his wife and
children, but only gave one dollar to John and to the two sons of Archibald.
this inequity was mentioned by John in his lawsuit against the other
heirs.(62) Elizabeth wrote her will on November 20, 1804, and died three days
later.(67) She was less discriminating, dividing her effects more or less
equally, even down to her books. her religious inclination prompted her to
bequeath a Bible and "Watses Hyms" to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
named Elizabeth or Betsy, and to her son, William, and grandsons named
William. She gave a book of sermons by 9George) Whitefield to Robert, son of
William. She remembered her"Negro man, thomas" with eight dollars, a rifle,
and saddle, also eight dollars to her "nego woman Daughfeney.'
A presbyterian minister, philip Vickers Fithian, while passing through the
area, recoorded in his journal a visit to the farm and home of William and
Elizabeth "Reah" on the day after Christmas, 1775.(189) "I rode over the
River, on my way to the Cow-Pasture after dinner, Mr. Guy along- A Clergyman
never rides here without a Shadow - He must have an Elder along. Mr. Hunter
when he went up the Psture last week was attended by Elder John Guy- Mr.
Graham was attended by Mr. Elder Reah - and I am escorted from the
Calf-Pasture by mr. james Guy whre I lodge he is a noncommissioned Elder, and
sees me safe to the panther-Gap to another, deputed Church Officer, who is to
go with me quite into the Cow-Pasture to my Lodging with an orderly Officer
on Duty. - Tuesday at Mr. Reahs I passed pleasantly in rural Enjyment. he
owns a very large Farm; it lies by itself three Miles distant from any
Neighbour; his Range for Stock is extensive and rich - His Stock is large and
valuable; Hay in great Quantites, Many Cattle-Many Horses young and
old-several fine English Fillies- Mr. Reah is a stiff Quo-He(190)- his wife
is a chatty plain goodhumored Body - We supped and breakfasted on buttered
paste, of wheat meal. Tuesday evening December 26th conducted by mr. Reah I
rode over to the Cow-Pasture at mr. Settlenton's, a rich agreeable
intelligent Farmer; fed our Horses; chatted Politicks a while with himself
and wife - And rode two miles further to Col: Dickenson's an able long
experienced Soldier in the Indian Service."
In addition to his own research, the author is indebte tonumerous persons
for the content of this rticle. Special consideration goes toMrs.
Constance(Connie) Metheny of Millboro, Va.
A copy of references and notes used in this article is on file at the Bath
County Historical Society, P.O. Box 212, Warm Springs, Va 24484, and with the
author, Robert Perry Rhea.

Note from pat- Connie Metheny is the Secretary of the Bath Co. Historical
Society.
I also have a copy of the references and notes, for this article.

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