RHEA-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Re: RHEA-D Digest V97 #14
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 12:45:54 -0400 (EDT)

In a message dated 97-06-15 13:07:00 EDT, you write:

<< RHEA (TN-AR) >>
John RHEA (1776-1839) left a will which was probated in Lincoln Co. TN in
March 1839. In it he named his wife Sally and his children: William B. RHEA,
Mary B. RHEA, Susan M. RHEA, Brice M.G. RHEA, Altamira ISOM, Sally Ann
BROYLES, and Pleasant V. RHEA ; grandchildren: Rufus K. SMITH & Frances E.
SMITH, and Lewis, Grace, Dave & Chany ISOM.

Lewis, Grace, Dave & Chany were not grandchildren of John and Sally RHEA,
they were slaves listed in the will in the will of John Rhea. The error comes
from a book, Wills & Inventories of Lincoln County, Tennessee 1810-1921,
Helen C. & Timothy R. Marsh, Southern Historical Press, Inc. 1989, page 30.
The book says " Children of Altamira and James Ison (sic): Lewis, Grace,
Dave, and Chany Isom."

John Rhea's will says "Upon the death of my wife it is my will that the four
following negroes be equally divided between my sons Pleasant V., William
B., Brice M. G. and my daughters Mary B., Susan M., Sally Ann and Altamira
and my grandchildren Rufus R. & Frances E. Smith that portion of said
Altamira to be for the use and benefit of her children by James Isom to wit,
Lewis, Grace, Dave & Chaina and the increase if any "

Lack of punctuation makes reading old wills difficult at best. Lewis, Grace,
Dave and Chaina are in fact the four negroes referred to earlier in the
paragraph.

I do have quite a bit of info on this RHEA family because my ancestor
Pleasant Vincent Uriah (or Eli) Jackson Harrison Glenn RHEA was supposedly
from Lincoln County, TN and had the same name as John and Sally RHEA's son.

I have proved to my satisfaction that he was not the son of John and Sally,
but I still do not have any parents for him.

If anyone needs more info on John and Sally RHEA of Lincoln Co., TN or their
descendants I will be glad to send what I have for the price of copying.

Denise Fischer
searching for RHEA, EDENS, FANNIN, BEDINGER, WASHINGTON, PENNOYER

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