RHEA-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: William Rhea
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 1997 18:15:20 -0400 (EDT)

There are a number of Rhea groups that have not yet been tied to the
descendants of Matthew the Rebel. There is circumstantial evidence, family
associations and common intermarriages which would suggest the Rheas of
Ireland are all related. In 1969 Joseph C. Rhea's wrote 'Ray-Rhea' which
outlined some of these unconnected groups for us. Among them is the
following family. Note the story and the names of the children. Two of the
children bear the names of the families we are trying to connect in Hawkins
Co.TN. Some good food for speculation...

1.John RAY born abt 1720, Connacht, Co. Roscommon, IR, married Hannah HASTY,
born abt 1720. While there are resemblances between the memebrs of the John
Ray and Matthew Campbell Rhea families, there exisites several early
notations that Reverand Jospeh C. Rhea of Parish Laughlin RN and Joseph C.
Ray were cousins. It cannot yet be stated on the basis of documentary
evidence (Ray-Rhea, Joseph Rhea 1969)

It is not known with any degree of certainty the occupation of John. One
account indicates that the family were silversmiths.

Sometime between the years 1770 and 1790 the decisions was made that the
five older male children would emigrate to America. It is not known exactly
when this decisions was made or whether all of the boys emigrated at the same
time.

The reason for emigrating is not known. A depression and decline in the
linen industry in southern Ireland may have contributed to the decision.
They landed in Philadelphia. One source indicates that John and Hannah
later followed their children to America, first to NY and then to Virginia.
No substantiation has yet been found.
Children:
iJohn RAY Jr. born abt 1745, Connacht, Co. Roscommon, IR.
2.iiJoseph C. RHEA born 1-Jan-1746.
iiiJames RAY born abt 1747, Connacht, Co. Roscommon, IR.
ivThomas RHEA born abt 1748, Connacht, Co. Roscommon, IR.
vWilliam RHEA born abt 1749.

Second Generation

2.Joseph C. RHEA (1.John1 ) born 1-Jan-1746, Connacht,Co. Roscommon, IR,
married Margaret MCCOMB, born abt 1750.Joseph died 1-Oct-1829. The years
1743 and 1746 have beengiven as the years of his birth, but at the same time
astatement has appeared that motes he died in 1807 at the ageof 61. His
actual date of death according to Washington Co.VA will books was sometime in
October of 1829.
Most accounts indicate that he emigrated to the United States just before
the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.Two other accounts, indicate he came to
America about 1790. In a genealogical record written on February 18, 1902,
and according to traditions of the KY branches of his descendants, Joseph C.
left his five oldest children in Ireland. He worked in America until he had
sufficient money to bring over the children.
One account states that he came to Washington CO. VA in thelast of the year
1790. The exact year of emigration is not known.
After coming to American, he became aquatinted with a schoolteacher who upon
learning his name told him "Why in this part of the country we spell that
name R-H-E-A". On thisadvice Joseph changed his name to Rhea.
The first record of his settlement in VA is in August 17,1802 when Joseph
bought the farm which is referred to in all accounts as the homeplace.
Joseph died on his farm. He was buried there next to his wife on the north
of the house on a hill. A field which wascultivated was then located on a
level place on the hill.IT is said that they were buried in the northeast
corner ofthe field where pine trees now grow. At the time there were white
oak trees nearby.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------

Now, the Rhea group of Hawkins Co. which has not yet been connected
included the families of John Rhea and now William Rhea. They where born in
the correct period to be these sons of John Ray of Connought. Could this be
the connection we are loooking for?

1.John RHEA Sr. born abt 1760, Hancock Co. TN?, married Febra wife of John
RHEA Sr., born abt 1760, TN?. Jodi Marcucci of Denver has worked this line
and notes John Ray who married Febra was from Hawkins Co. She has a deed
that indicates he was in the area as early as 1783. One story was the family
came from Londonderry IR with Lord Baltimore. This John fought wtih Sevier
and Campbell at Kings Mt. He settled on the Clinch River near Sneedville
about 1796.
Children:
2.iJoseph RHEA born abt 1782.
3.iiJohn Elijah RHEA Jr. born abt 1790.
iiiAquillo RHEA born abt 1792, Hancock Co. TN?.
ivPriscilla RHEA born abt 1794, Hancock Co. TN?, married John
MCCOLLUM, born abt 1796.
vCelia RHEA born abt 1800, Hancock Co. TN?, married Thomas FROST, born
abt 1790.
viSarah RHEA born 1-Jan-1807, Hancock Co. TN?, married John SEAL, born
abt 1796.
4.viiAndrew RHEA born 26-Feb-1809.

Second Generation

2.Joseph RHEA (1.John1 ) born abt 1782, Hancock Co. TN?, methodist minister,
married Nancy NORTHCROSS, born 1-Jan-1782, VA?NC?, died Hancock Co. TN. He
was a methodist minister - a circuit rider, who died about 1835.
Children:
iDavid RHEA born abt 1805, Hancock Co. TN?.
iiMartha RHEA born 1-Jan-1812, Hancock Co. TN?.
iiiSamuel Ham RHEA born 1-Jan-1814, Hancock Co. TN?.
ivJames Northcross RHEA born 1-Jan-1816, Hancock Co. TN?.

3.John Elijah RHEA Jr. (1.John1 ) born abt 1790, TN, married Lucy ANDERSON,
born abt 1790, VA, (daughter of Morgan ANDERSON and Wife of Morgan ANDERSON)
died about 1855, Hancock Co. TN. John died abt 1859, Hancock Co. TN?.
Children:
iElizabeth Ann RHEA born abt 1822, Hancock Co. TN?, married Benjamin
BURCHETT, born abt 1832, TN?. Elizabeth died 30-Dec-1845, Clairborne Co. TN.
Her date of death does not fir well with the births of her brothers and
sisters and herself.??
iiSterling RHEA born 1-Mar-1827, Hancock Co. TN, married (1) Cemantha
or Samantha MCNALLY, born abt 1828, TN?, married (2) Mary JARVIS, born abt
1827. Sterling died abt 1910, Johnson Co. ARK. Live to about 100. Married
twice. Robert D. Rhea () has a photo of Sterling Rhea.
Cemantha: Infomation on this marriage from Robert D Rhea on internet

iiiJames Anderson RHEA born 1-Jan-1833, Hancock Co. TN, married Rayha
Brewer SEAL, born abt 1825, TN?, died abt 1865, Clairborne Co. TN. James
died Clarksville, Johnson Co. ARK.
ivAbijah RHEA born abt 1836, Hancock Co. TN?.
vGeorge RHEA born abt 1837, Hancock Co. TN?.
viJesse RHEA born abt 1838, Hancock Co. TN, married (1) Ann LEWIS,
born 1-Jan-1836, TN, married (2) Martha GREEN, born 18-May-1871, Grassy
Springs, Hancock Co. TN, died 22-Sep-1945. Ann: Jesse's first wife.
viiJohn C. RHEA born abt 1840, Hancock Co. TN?, married Martha Jane
MCCOLLUM, born abt 1847, (daughter of James MCCOLLUM and Polly GRAY). John
died 1-Jan-1884, Hancock Co. TN.
viiiRobert RHEA born abt 1842, Hancock Co. TN?.
ixCelia RHEA born abt 1844, Hancock Co. TN?.
xSarah C. RHEA born abt 1846, Hancock Co. TN?.
xiLafayette RHEA born 1-Jan-1851, Hancock Co. TN?, married Mary E.
BELL, born abt 1851, TN?.

4.Andrew RHEA (1.John1 ) born 26-Feb-1809, Hawkins Co. TN, married Eleanor
MILLIKAN, born 3-Mar-1811, Hawkins Co. TN, died 18-Apr-1863, Harrison,
Hamilton Co. TN. Andrew died 3-Aug-1853, Hamilton Co. TN.
Children:
iSusan M. RHEA born 13-Aug-1831, TN, married Thomas PHIPPS, born
1-Jan-1855, TN. Susan died 1-Jan-1855.
iiElbert A. RHEA born 27-Feb-1833, TN, died KS.
iiiBenjamin M. RHEA born 10-Jun-1835, TN, died KS.

This thread:

• William Rhea by <>