RHEA-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: References and Notes of Robert Perry Rhea for Bath Co. Bicentenni
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 1997 22:30:45 -0400 (EDT)

No. 1-RHEA Introduction to article in Bath Co. Bicentennial Book-April 19,
1997

In October, 1989, when the author was asked to contribute an article on the
Rhea Family for the Bicentennial History of Bath County, Virginia, he
resolved that it would be documented as thoroughly as possible. Anyone
familiar with genealogical research has found the literature cluttered with
unsubstantiated information. Because many readers are prone to accept the
printed word as factual, they, in turn, pass inaccurate statements and errors
to others, thus compounding the problem.
The majority of these references are from courthouse recods; wills, deeds,
marriage records, court order books, trial records, and the like.
Unfortunately, even courthouse records may contain errors resulting from
copying documents that may no longer exist for comparison. Some references,
for lack of better sources, can be classified as tradition, either oral or
written. These of themselves may not areflect the truth, but are useful in
formulating opinions and supplying leads for futher research. The author has
tried to avoid "leaps of faith," but has, at times, used available
information to formulate opinions, which he so designates.

Due to limited space, there was no attempt to trace lines tothe present. The
author felt a greater need to focus on more remote generations, thus laying a
foundation upon which he and others could build.

After the article was received for publication in March of 1990, the
editorial committee decided to limit the book to four hundred pages. this
necessitated the exclusion of all references. To keep his resolve to publish
a documented product, the author then decided to publish the references
privately. In the original article, the references wer brief, consisting
mainly of names of documents and page numbers.. They could now be elaborated
by extensive notes, and augmented by information collected during the
intervening months.

Proofs from the pritner were received in December, 1990, at which time
corrections wer made and new material added. The final article was printed
with very few errors. Known errors are listed and corrected after the
SUMMERY.

References in the text are not necessarily in numerical order, this resulting
from the addition of new material when the proofs were corrected. Also many
new references were added to the notes. In two instances, references wer
omitted in the text: Ref. 108, the will of Harmonious Hornbaker, and Ref.
203, the will of Archibald Reah, Reagh, Rhea.

This I wanted you to have, so you would know the numbers, that I put in the
article do mean something, and some are lengthy.

There will be a follow up message sent right after this one, which will give
you Robert Perry Rhea's summary.

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