RHEA-L Archives

From: Tomikin <>
Subject: Two Rea, Samuels PA ca 1725
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 23:37:58 -0800

There are two well known Samuel Reas in PA with well researched
descendants. I am noticing in studying these men's history the distinct
possibility that both may be related to the County Donegal Rea family from
Matthew (Campbell) Rea the Rebel ca 1660 through different lines.

Samuel Rea 1734-1813 of Northumberland Co., PA, m. Mary Anna ("Ann" )
McCracken, parents Alexander and Sarah Rea from Northern Ireland.

Samuel Rea 1725-1811 Franklin Co., b. Donegal m. Eleanor Snodgrass (First
wife), father speculated to be either Matthew Rea 1689, mother Mary Lockart
or father could be William b. 1687, Co. Donegal, N.Ireland, mother not
known yet.

I need any further info from anyone on these two Reas. The Samuel Rea
descendants from Samuel who married Eleanor Snodgrass have the Campbell
relationship tradition in their genealogies, but there used to be some
confusion about the descent from the first Matthew Campbell Reagh and the
dating was too obscure to know how Samuel connects. [When Matthew Campbell
in fleeing the crown changed his name to Reagh or Rhea, he was not merely
making up a new name. Campbell was a name given to the canterous Rea clan
whose name translates from Gaelic as beautiful meadow. The Roman occupiers
along the Scottish border had called them very long ago in Latin "campo
bello" which means of the beautiful meadow in Latin. so the Campbells were
Rheas not the other way around. Matthew just used the Gaelic name to hide
his identity as a renegade Campbell--at least that is what I gathered some
years ago from various readings about the origin of the Rea name. I will
be going through notes trying to find the origin of this idea which I
gathered more than 10 years ago. It may not be true but campo bello does
mean "of the beautiful meadow" in Latin and Rheagh does also mean beautiful
meadow in gaelic altho there are many possibilities of origin.

Matthew Rea II, the son of the Rebel had two wives: first Mary Lockart and
second Elizabeth McClain. Mary Lockart produced sons: Samuel, William,
Isaac and Matthew. Elizabeth McClain had children: Archibald, James,
Margaret, Agnes and Joseph. I think that I have found Isaac ending up in
Mecklenburg Co., NC with my Rea line altho I do not think my Reas are from
N. Ireland but rather direct from Scotland circa 1757 but anything is
possible. Isaac says in a Meck. Co. land deed that he is recently from the
PA twp. of Lurgan (Sp.?) and that is where Samuel and Eleanor Snodgrass
first settled suggesting those two are brothers or related.

So far this is all speculation but I am noticing the possibilities. One of
the reasons this relationship to the TN Rheas has been overlooked is as
simple as the spelling changes within the same family. Samuel's family
insisted he spelled it REA in Ireland, but that for precise reasons of
inheritance others spelled it Rhea. Apparently if a will or a deed spelled
it a particular way then it became important in some cases to follow that
spelling for legal reasons. Apparently the spelling started to solidify in
the branches of the family after settlement in US. I can not stress how
important it is to ignore the spelling and follow the names phonically
because I find repeatedly that altho the spelling changes the families can
be directly related. As a beginner years ago I foolishly focused on my
surname spelling and ignored other records. Now I am going back over
everything and relooking and surprises are surfacing.

Tom Rea
San Francisco <>
Adams (VA), Alfrey(KY), Anderson (VA), Armstrong (OH),
Ayres (OH), Baldwin (PA, NJ), Banta (KY), Blankenship(VA, OH),
Bradfield(VA), Carey (NY), Crouch (MD), Enlow (PA),
Forman (VA, KY), Garrett (VA), Goodman (PA< IL IA),
Graham (MD, OH), Griffen (IN), Hartman (PA),
Hawley (NY, OH), Hedges (KY), Henderson (MD, OH, IL),
Hill (PA), Houston (MD, PA, NC), Jolly (PA),
Lewis (DE, PA, NC), Martin (VA, OH, IL),
Patton (SCT, PA, NC, IN), Pierce (VA), Rea (DE, PA, NC),
Shaffer (VA), Tomblin (DE, NC), Vankirk (PA),
Vestal (NC, KY, IN), Wade (VA, KY), Wainscott (IN), Wood (IA).

This thread:

• Two Rea, Samuels PA ca 1725 by Tomikin <>