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Archiver > RHEA > 1997-11 > 0879896284


From: Tomikin <>
Subject: Re: Rea /Ray NC > Van Buren Co, TN
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 1997 15:38:04 -0800


Mike,

I collect all things about the earliest Reas and I will look for
anything on Moses Rea. Do you have any inkling of whether Moses was
born in N. Ireland, Scotland or early NJ or DE? If Moses's first son
was John it is a clue that Moses father may have been a John. Many
early Reas passed into America through DE to Philadelphia and some left
records in Chester, Lancaster, Cumberland (Franklin) Co., PA, then many
went to Augusta co, VA next and south and some west. Mine from
Scotland, followed this route to Mecklenberg Co., NC.

There are records of a Henry <bold>Rea</bold>, 1665, and an Alexander
<bold>Rea</bold> in Kent County, Delaware, 1671. This Alexander
<bold>Rea</bold>'s wife was named Joan. Alexander had one son,
Alexander, Jr., who immigrated with him, and daughters, Hannah, Joan,
Marsha, and Sarah. There may have been later children born afterwards
in America. The ones listed here are just the ones who appear on a
very early immigration record. There were several John
<bold>Rea</bold>s listed variously in 1673, 1680 and a Roger
<bold>Rea</bold>, 1673 in Kent County. Later in 1787, there are
records of two John <bold>Rea</bold>s, a Joseph, and a Moses
<bold>Rea</bold> in that area. These Kent County wills, in addition to
early tax lists show that <bold>Reas</bold> lived in the Delaware area
as early as 1665 and some of the earliest Rea ancestors are to be found
there and in Monmouth Co., NJ area.

I did not know that Baptists were in America as early as your Baptist
minister, John Rea. Also I think most Reas were Scottish and Scotch
Irish Presbyterian Dissenters. When did the Baptist movement in the
USA begin? That might be a good clue to connect your John to an area
for his conversion. Just ideas.

Let's keep in touch. The name Moses is at least distinctive and a
good clue you have. There are many John Rea's that are very hard to
distinguish. My earliest known ancestor is John Rea, ca 1730, d.
Mecklenburg Co., NC 1767 first son, David Rea, born Kent co., Delaware
1757. I will look for Moses Rea 1688 in Scottish Church records at the
LDS family history center here next time I go. There are many baptisms
of early Reas in the lowland areas of Southwestern Scotland especially
in County Ayres.

Tom Rea

San Francisco

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