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Archiver > RHEA > 1998-12 > 0913514754


From: Robert Barnes <>
Subject: [RHEA-L] For A few other clues from Ireland try McCrea/Crea/Rhea/Rea
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1998 21:05:54 -0500


Hi cuzzins, may I add a line or two?
I was at our local library genealogy section and picked up a paper
on Rhea. The part that stuck our was the etymology of the name. This paper
said the first Rheas came down to Ireland from Scotland with a price on his
head, probably for religious reasons, was as you stated a presbyterian, and
was a from a Campbell related
clan called McCrea the name in Ireland was shortened to Crea and that group
came into Pennsylvania it was changed to Rhea, later migration into TN led
to the Rhea County
name. I'm sure that this was only one of many Rea/Rhea/Ray/Wray migrations.
This one however seemed to be very well documented with times, places, even
tidbits of church records such as the pastor not being paid, etc. I have the
paper but haven't been able to connect my Rhea/Rea/Ray line yet. I can't
scan it to the sight as my scanner isn't working, if someone can scan or
type it on line I will gladly send it to them to scan in. Thanks for the
work all of you are doing. I am searching for one John Rhea/Rea who married
a Harriet or Susan Redwine in the Tn/Nc/Ky area in the second half of last
century. Their son, my grandfather was Robert Wiley Rhea/Ray( he changed the
spelling when he moved to Birmingham Al), but brothers and sisters in the
Knoxville Tn area kept the Rhea spelling. I have reason to believe that they
came from Reas in Buncome County NC, but I am not sure. Does any one have
and clues, tips, or tidbits. Dr. Bob!
Robert Perry Rhea wrote:

> As most of you know, among the various spellings of Rhea, REAGH was the
> preferred spelling until late in the 18th Century, at least among the
> Archibald Rhea descendants (sons: William, Archibald, and Robert). I
> believe that Rev. Joseph Rhea was "REAGH" when he and his family arrived
> in the Colonies in 1769. Although I have not seen it, I am told that he
> was Joseph REAGH on the passenger list of the ship on which he arrived.
> Among the three brothers, Robert's family used that spelling longer than
> did his brothers. Many of the various spellings can be attributed to
> county clerks, census takers, etc. I have a copy of a deed where the
> name has four spellings! I also have a copy of the original will of
> William Rhea, Sr. (not the one in the will book). It is interesting
> that his sons were listed as REACH, but he signed it RHEA. That was in
> 1801. I doubt that he wrote the text.
>
> As for the name REAGH, I have corresponded with a number of REAGHs.
> They have all said that the correct pronunciation is the same as RHEA,
> that is, "Ray." One said that his ancestors came to Nova Scotia from
> IRELAND in the late 1800s-early 1900s. A James Rhea arrived in
> Granville, Nova Scotia in 176_? from BELFAST.
>
> There is no doubt that the REAGHs and RHEAs have their roots in Scotland
> and N. Ireland. As I stated in my 1991 Bath Co, VA article, my
> grandfather said that his ancestors came from Bordeaux, France. I
> wrote, "The Rheas of Augusta County were undoubtedly of Scotch Irish
> stock, considering their names and their Presbyterianism. If from
> France, it was but a stepping stone between Ireland and the Colonies."
>
> Respectfully,
> Robert Perry Rhea
>
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