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From: <>
Subject: Fwd: The Descendants of Joseph Rhea - pg 1-4
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 09:48:43 -0400 (EDT)
Ed Foley has graciously given us pages of his book Descendants of Rev. Joseph
Rhea of Ireland. I think this will be of great interest to most of you,
whether related or not. Rev. Joseph Rhea was the grandson of Matthew
Campbell Reah(Rhea).
Thanks so much ED.
Pat
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Forwarded message:
Subj: The Descendants of Joseph Rhea - pg 1-4
Date: 97-07-28 07:54:07 EDT
From: EFoley1
To: PHHGENE
1. Joseph RHEA born 1715, Loughborne Parish, Donegal
Co., Ireland, married 1752, in Ireland, Elizabeth MCILWAINE, born 1732,
"Tifannan" near Londonderry Ireland, (daughter of John MCILWAINE and Margaret
SCOTT) died 19-Dec-1793, Bluff City, Sullivan Co. TN, buried: Weaver
Cemetery., Weaver Pike, Sullivan Co. TN. Joseph died 20-Sep-1777, Virginia,
buried: Piney Creek Church, Taneytown MD.
Born near Londonderry, County Donegal his home was of the Parish Loughborne
near also near St. Johnston which was on the west bank of Lough Foyle
between Londonderry and Lifford in Co. Donegal. Joseph graduated from the
University of Glasgow in 1742 at age 27 with honors, receiving his A.M.
degree as a minister of the Word of God. (Ministers signed themselves VDM
which signified Verbi Dei Minister) One reference to Joseph speaks of him as
"accounted one of the finest scholars in the North of Ireland". While a
student, Joseph wrote manuscripts comprising translations from Latin poets,
lectures, sermons and original essays on philosophies and theology which bear
witness to his intellect. Some of these were preserved and some are part of
the Rhea Papers in the Archives in Nashville TN. In 1895 Rhea Anderson
owned one bearing Joseph's signature dated 3/1/1739 bearing dates from 1739
to 1745. Also preserved are books which composed his library including works
of Tilloston and other divines of the 17th century.
Rev. Rhea was ordained as a minister of the Presbyterian Church in
Letterkenny, County Donegal. He first preached at a little church in Bun
Cranaugh (now Buncrana) near the shores of Lough Foyle. At the age of 27 he
then became the regular pastor at the Fahan and Inch Presbyterian Church in
County Donegal at the parish of Fahan (from 1742 - 1769). His salary was 24
pounds. Fahan is the small fishing village community where Joseph's
grandfather Matthew Campbell Rhea, 'The Rebel', immigrated after his escape
from imprisonment on the Isle of Man. It was also became the home of Joseph
Rhea and his family. The village of Fahan can be
reached by taking the ferry across to the eastern side of Lough Swilly from
Rathmullan, a little resort port. The little church was still standing in
1985.
In 1752, 10 years after becoming pastor in Fahan, Rev. Joseph Rhea at the age
of 37 married Elizabeth McIlwaine, born 1732, daughter of John and Margaret
Scott Anderson McIlwaine. During the time that Joseph and Elizabeth lived in
the parish of Fahan, seven of their eight children were born. The older
sons, John and Matthew were educated at Trinity College in Dublin. John, his
eldest son prepared a manuscript about the Rhea family in 1830 (a copy of
which was in the possession of Rhea Anderson, and is now a part of the Rhea
papers housed in the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville). He
stated the following: He was the pastor of the Presbyterian church at Fahan
for over twenty years and then sent the following:
"As I have received the congregation of Fahan from the Presbytery of
Londonderry, I have labored in the work of the ministry above twenty years in
that place and as the congregation has fallen into very long arrears and has
been deficient in the original promise to me which was 24 pounds yearly. I
am unable to subsist any longer among them and I do hereby demit my charge of
them and deliver them into the hand of them from whom I received them.
Subscribed this 16th Aug. 1769. Jos. Rhea"
"P.S. I have only this further request of the Presbytery that they will see
justice done me in that congregation in my absence."
The manuscript continues, "Having prepared for the same, he bid farewell to
his connection and friends, and with his wife and seven children, the
youngest about 2 years old, he embarked on board the Brig 'George', Captain
Richard Paul, Commander, bound for America. They lay at anchor at Lough
Foyle near Carmagniglaon and on the 27th of September 1769 the brig hove up
anchor and sailed." Rev. Rhea kept a journal during the voyage. The journal
has been preserved and is part of the Rhea Papers at the State Library and
Archives in Nashville.
The Rhea family belonged to a period in Protestant Ireland when at least one
of almost every family group pulled up roots and crossed the ocean for
America. On the point of land not far from Fahan on the Northern coast of
County Donegal are the Cliffs of Horn Head. Horn Head Castle was the name of
the ancestral home of Elizabeth McIlwain's grandmother, Frances Stuart Scott.
Ships from Belfast and Derry going to America could be watched from Horn
Head as they passed by. A cairn, or pile of stones at the viewpoint is said
to have been created by relatives who deposited a stone as a ship passed by
carrying family members. Old Irish ballads still survive recounting these
sad stories of long ago.
After a long passage across the Atlantic they arrived at their destination
before the onslaught of the freezing winter. The brig sailed up the Delaware
River and the passengers disembarked at Philadelphia. Arriving with the Rhea
family was Fanny Dysart, Elizabeth's niece. For several weeks they lived in
Philadelphia with a relative, Matthew Byers, but in the spring of 1770 they
hired wagons and moved to Octorarah, Pennsylvania to the home of Joshua
Anderson, Elizabeth's half brother. A wealthy man by the name of Joseph
Miller (another Anderson relative) rented them with a house and small acreage
with orchard and small field where they lived for about two years. The
Colonial Clergy of Maryland notes Joseph settled in Cumberland, Adams Co., PA
at Upper Marsh Creek Church, Gettysburg PA 1770-1771. In May 1771 the
Presbyterian Synod met in Philadelphia, PA. Recorded in its minutes is a
notation that the Presbytery of 'Donegal' had received as a member Rev.
Joseph Rhea, lately from Ireland. In 1771, Joseph accepted a call to Piney
Creek Church which is still in existence today. This church is west of
Taneytown MD, a small city on the waters of Monocacy River. His salary was
112 pounds annually. Frances (Fanny) Dysart, who had come over with the
Rheas married John McAllister, a storekeeper (and cousin) in Taneytown.
Joseph Rhea and the McAllisters are buried next to each other at Piney Creek
Church.
Frederick, Maryland deed records show that Joseph Rhea purchased a farm
nearby on November 14, 1771 containing 201 acres of land called "the addition
to Brooks discovery of the rich land". It was here on the Monocacy River
they moved by 1772 and was here that their youngest child James was born on
January 18, 1775.
The History of Piney Creek Church states "In June 1775 Rev. Rhea informed the
Presbytery that he desired to visit some portions of Virginia and that his
people had given him their consent to his absence." The Presbytery
permitted him to carry out his purpose and furnished him with usual
traveling credentials. The John Rhea manuscript states that Rev. Rhea in
November 1775, at the age of 60, was in the Holston country (which later
became eastern Tennessee), went with troops against the Cherokee Indians on
the Little Tennessee; Micajah Adams, M. Depew and Joseph Beeler were with
him; was out four weeks. He returned to Maryland immediately.
He was in the Holston Country again in 1776. His son John was with him. He
bought land on Beaver Creek; Col. D Looney, George Maxwell and John Shelby
and others entered into the Bond for payment.
His descendant Anne Rhea Bachman Hyde wrote in 1932 "There is a well founded
tradition that he was in this country as early as 1771 he certainly preached
in Sullivan County TN in 1775 under an old elm tree on the Bluff City road."
This elm tree was located on the land which Rev. Rhea purchased and which is
today known as the Philip Earhart farm on 11E just inside the Bristol
Tennessee city limits. His descendant Rhea Anderson wrote, "It is believed
he was here in 1775 and preached at Old Concord, now Weaver Church, also in
the Forks (site of New Bethel) under the big Rhea Doak elm tree, at Taylors,
and other places. He joined Rev. Charles Cummings, another Presbyterian
minister from Wolf Hills (Abington VA) in service to the troops under Col.
William Christian's campaign in 1776 as one of the chaplains in the Cherokee
campaign and in this way became aquatinted with the Holston country. An
orderly's book, once the property of Joseph Martin mentions the chaplains as
follows:
"Six Mile camp. Oct. 5, 1776. Parole Wm. Burge, General
Orders: Mr. Ray will preach to the Augusta (County, VA) Line
at one o'clock and Mr. Cummins to the Fincastel (County VA)
Line. All others who chose to attend may do it."
Six mile camp was at Double Spring, near the headwaters of
Lick Creek at the foot of Chimney Top Mountain, six miles
southwest of Ft Patrick Henry. They had left the fort on
the long march to Cherokee country the first week Oct. 1776
and amounted to some eighteen hundred men. In their
capacity as ministers they were the first known to preach in
the territory that is now Tennessee. Progress was slow as
the men were mainly foot soldiers. The expedition crossed
the French Broad River and the Little Tennessee.
Fearing the advance of the white men, three thousand Indian warriors fled.
Col. Christian and his forces returned to the settlements in November. Each
soldier, upon his return home gave a glowing account of the Tennessee country
which was rich in abundance of game, and carpeted with magnificent forests
and deep fertile soil for cultivation. Particular places were selected for
future settlement; Rev. Rhea's land purchase included about 2,000 acres. He
decided to locate there and to that end he secured land at the mouth of
Beaver creek.
After the Cherokee campaign, Joseph Rhea returned immediately to Maryland.
Several months later he wrote a letter in Latin to his son John who was at
that time in General Washington's army. (It was very unusual for two
individuals in the frontier to correspond in Latin). "O son dear to me - I
am well in body but anxious in mind. The people on the Holston are afflicted
again by the savages. I hear that those below the hills (or on the other
side of the hill) are for the most part inactive within their fortifications.
(probably referring to people living beyond Eden's Ridge near Kingsport,
where at that time there was a Fort - R. Anderson). I think they are not
going to have a spring harvest. The fate concerning them will be, they in
that section may not be able to live. I have sold my farm, and exactly on
the fifth of June relinquish it. If the Holstonians do not send two wagons
for my family about that time I will proceed, god willing, to Virginia and
conduct them myself. One year with them; I now have no place in which to
put my family. I do not despair, but I now think I sold over hastily. But
nothing in this world is done in vain, nothing by chance fortune, but all
things by the good omnipotent Ruler. I beg you write to me; counsel and take
care of your brother Matthew. Mother and others at home are very well. I
wrote you by Captain Thompson. This letter goes by Captain Boyer from
Virginia and from the home of Chiliaribi McAllister and from the town of his
name. Live both of you (John and Matthew) mindful of the future that is
becoming that you behave yourselves. Flee women and wine, these you know
have been the destruction of many. Live sober and secure the love of all,
especially of the Captain. I hope God will surely guide me. I have done
wrong in selling the farm so hastily but I trust the Governor of the whole
world will return me to a good end. That God will be with you and will be to
you a defense, prays a most loving father. Joseph Rhea 19 of April 1777.
P.S. Be kind to him who is an ...; he will give to Samuel
Blair, he has been most friendly to me; he left family in
Botetourt. (County, VA)"
The arduous Cherokee campaign and the strain of selling the farm and making
his plans to move family to the wild frontier, as reflected in the above
letter had been too much for the 62 year old man. Only five months after the
letter was written, Joseph Rhea died of pneumonia. He is buried in the
graveyard beside the Piney Creek Presbyterian Church on Harney Rd, 4 miles
from the center of Taneytown Md. His resting place in marked by a simple,
still legible (1993) 2x3' stone erected at the request and expense of a
grandson of the deceased in 1839 by the Elders of Piney Creek Church where
Joseph preached. The quiet cemetery is enclosed within a low brick wall and
Joseph Rhea's marker is inscribed: "Sacred to the memory of Rev. Joseph Rhea
who died in 1777 aged 62 years". Another monument to Joseph Rhea has been
erected at Weaver Cemetery near Bristol, Tennessee at the place of his wife's
grave and is inscribed: "Rev Joseph Rhea - Born 1715 - Died Sept. 20 1777".
After the death of Joseph, the family lived one year longer in Monocacy on
the place of John Scott, and then in fall of 1778 the family set out for the
Holston Country. They arrived in February 1779 at their new home on Beaver
Creek - a little snow on the ground. Matthew Rhea was now in the army.
Elizabeth, the wife of Joseph was a delicate woman and it was with great
difficulty she reached her home which to her must have seemed a vast
wilderness. Joseph Rhea had been so much impressed with the Holston Country
that he influenced may of his Piney Creek Church members to follow him there
- John and Finley Alison, the Gross', McKinleys, Hodges, Col. John Scott,
Halls and others.
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