RHEA-L Archives
Archiver > RHEA > 1999-12 > 0945105435
From: "Frank Myers" <>
Subject: [RHEA-L] Frank H. Rhea to Elizabeth Rachel (Rhea) Clair, 3 May 1916
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 11:17:15 -0600
This is the second of three letters written by Frank H. Rhea to his cousin
Elizabeth Rachel (Rhea) Clair during 1916. The original was in the
possession of the late Florence Elveretta (Mills) Pratt as late as 1976, but
its whereabouts now are unknown. I am Frank D. Myers, a great-great-grandson
of James Wayne and Elizabeth Rachel (Rhea) Clair.
Some caution is required when using information found in these letters: (1)
Frank H. Rhea apparently did little if any research among the records of
Kentucky and Virginia, so later research may have countered some of his
conclusions; and (2), we have no way of knowing how his correspondents
responded to the questions he asked them. Information contained in questions
actually may have been countered by responses, long-since destroyed.
In this letter, Frank H. Rhea states that Elizabeth Rachel (Rhea) Clair's
mother, Elizabeth (Rhea) Rhea, was a sister of a James Rhea, who married
Verlinda Lawrence. This apparently is not the case. Tradition in my family,
backed but certainly not firmly established by documentary evidence, holds
that Elizabeth (Rhea) Rhea's parents were Thomas Rhea (parentage unknown)
and Mary "Polly" Rhea, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Meek) Rhea. She
married her first-cousin, Richard Rhea, son of Rachel Jolliff and James
Rhea, who was a son of James and Elizabeth (Meek) Rhea. The volume of
intermarriages in the Rhea family sometimes makes genealogical life very
confusing indeed. Elizabeth (Rhea) Rhea apparently had two siblings, Robert
and Hannah, but did not have a brother, James.
Springfield, Ill.
May 3, 1916
Dear Cousin Elizabeth,
I was delighted to get your letter in reply to mine. I had about given up
all hope of every learning more of Great-uncle Richard's family. I wish to
thank you for the pains you took in answering my questions. I wish I could
see you. There are so many things I would like to ask you.
You are by no means alone in the world so far as Rhea relatives are
concerned. Grandfather William Rhea had twelve children: (1) Siron, (2)
William, (3) Sarah, (4) Rachel, (5) Thomas, my father, (6) Nancy, (7) James,
(8) Elizabeth, (9) Mary, (10) Lloyd, (11) John, (12) Abigail. Siron Rhea (1)
married Lafayette B. Grant, cousin of Gen. U.S. Grant, and died a few years
ago at Horton, Kans. Her daughter Mrs. Sue Hockman and her son, Peter Grant,
both life at Horton. William (2) married Betsey McCausey and both are living
with their children and grandchildren at Cameron, Missouri. (3) Sarah, (4)
Rachel and Nancy Rhea (6) never married and are living at Bloomington with
my father and sister. (5) Thomas Rhea (my father) married Margaret Cosgrove
and had seven children. Margaret (my mother) is dead. I have but one sister,
Adella. My brother, Leon, is living in Los Angeles, Cal. My other brothers,
William. Wallace, Joe and Harry, live at Bloomington, Ill. James Rhea (8)
married Amanda Boyken and lives at Belle Flower, Ill. They had three
children, Fred, Minnie and Roy. (8) Elizabeth Rhea married Marcellus Weir
and lives at Pleasant Plains, Ill., about 14 miles north of the old Rhea
farm. She had four children, Mary Weir, Felix, William Weir and Lloyd. Mary
Rhea (9) died at the age of 10. (10) Lloyd Rhea married Cornelia Reed and
lives in Springfield, Ill. He has two children, Hallie and Corline. (11)
John and (12) Abigail died when babies. Your Uncle William Rhea's family.
Nancy Rhea, Grandfather's sister, married first Hugh Foutch and they had
seven children whose names were Elizabeth Ann Foutch (1), (2) Emily, (3)
William Foutch, (4) John James Foutch, (5) Patience, (6) Nancy Ann and (7)
Mary Foutch. Elizabeth Ann married first Zellman Holms and second Austin
Farris. She died in Linn County, Kansas. Her daughter, Mrs. Lucy McPath,
lives at Pleasanton, Kans. Emily Foutch lives at Port Orange, Florida, with
her daughter, Mrs. Charles T. Billings. Cousin Emily is past 83 and is a
wonderful old lady. We correspond regularly. (3) William Foutch never
married and died a young man at great-grandfather's house in Sangamon
County. (4) John James Foutch married Charlotte Jane Farris. He lived and
died at Waterloo, Iowa.
Patience Foutch (5) married John Farris. She died Sept. 6, 1859, in Linn
County, Kansas, and left a son John James Farris who lives at Opolis,
Crawford County, Kansas. Nancy Ann Foutch (6) married Joshua Meeker and is
living near Waverly, Iowa, with her children and grandchildren. Mary Foutch
(7) married Michael Mishler and lives at Waterloo, Iowa. Nancy Rhea,
grandfather's sister, married second Squire Meeker and had by him a daughter
Prudence who married John William Farris and is living at Denver, Iowa.
Thomas Rhea, Grandfather's brother, married first Lucy Wilcox and had 5
children: (1) Anna, (2) Kate, (3) Eliza, Rebecca and Louisa. Anna (1)
Married George Caruthers and lives at Butler, Mo. Kate Rhea (2) married Joe
Langston and lives in Los Angeles, Cal. Eliza Rhea (3) and Rebecca (4) died
when babies. Louisa Rhea (5) married Archibald Maxwell. Louisa is dead, but
her daughter Daisy Maxwell lives on a part of the old Rhea farm, which she
inherited through her mother.
Your mother, Eliza Rhea, had a brother James who married Verlinda Lawrence.
They had six children: (1) William Robert Rhea, (2)Thomas Rhea, (3) Rhoda,
(4) Mary Elizabeth Rhea, (5) John Rhea, (6) James Rhea. William Robert (1)
and Thomas (2) died when babies. Rhoda Rhea (3) married Chauncy W.Landton
and lives at LeRoy, Kans. Mary Elizabeth (4) married David Turner and their
children were (1) Lemuel Turner, (2) Barton Turner, (3) Rhoda Turner, (4)
Lloyd Turner, (5) Porter Turner. Lemuel (1), Rhoda (3) and Lloyd (4) are
dead but Barton and Porter Turner are married and live near Modesto,
Macoupin County, Ill. These people I mention are some of your first and
second cousins. I can tell you a great deal about the descendants of
grandfather James Rhea and also of your grandmother's people. The Jolliff
Family.
This is only a very little of what I have learned. I want to correspond with
you and will be glad to tell other things later. The old Rhea cemetery is
still in existence and the marble slab which your sister Mary placed at the
grave of your father is still standing. I have a copy of the inscription
upon the monument. Most of the bodies, however, have been removed to the
Baptist church at Old Berlin. This church was organized in 1832 in the cabin
of your grandfather, James Rhea. It stands about four miles from the old
farm and is a pretty brick church around which many of your kinfolk are
taking their last sleep. Uncle Tom Rhea, you father's brother, lies there
and his grave is marked by a fine granite monument. Mary Rhea, you father's
sister, is buried on the old Rhea farm. Grandfather William Rhea was buried
on the old farm but he now rests close to Uncle Thom. Grandmother is dead
also, and is buried in the church yard.
I am enclosing on a separate sheet the names and dates you sent me. Please
look them over and see whether or not I got them down right. If so please
return them to me marked O.K. I want all the names and dates as correct as
possible.
Please get all the information you can from your children about the children
down to the youngest great-great-grandchild. I Would be pleased to hear
from
cousin Alvin. I know it will be no easy task to get the data I want, but
have him help you and write for you when you do not feel able to do so. In
the meantime I have some more questions I want to ask.
Please answer them as best you can. I will be glad to answer any questions
of yours that I can.
1. When, day, month, year, did you marry James Clair?
2. Please tell me again just where each of your children were born.
3. Do you know of anyone who might be able to put me on the track of your
sister Mary's children?
4. What were the names of your sister Mary's children?
5. Please give me the full names of sons-in-law and what daughter each
married.
6. Please give me the maiden name of your daughters-in-law.
7. We have a record which states that your grandfather Thomas Rhea, you
mother's father, and your grandfather, James Rhea (your father's father)
were own brothers. Have you a record or did you ever hear your mother say
what was the given name of the father of Thomas and James Rhea? In other
words, do you have the given name of your great-grandfather Rhea?
8. Do you know where in Minnesota your cousin Nancy May (Cole) moved to? She
was the daughter of Betsey Ray (your father's oldest sister) and George May.
10. When, day, month, year, did your mother die and where?
Now cousin Elizabeth if my letters have stirred up any memories of the older
set of relatives or brought to mind any information you think might be of
help, please do let me have the benefits of your thoughts. You are the only
one who now can tell me anything of father's family and I will greatly
appreciate your letters. The relatives here send their regards.
Sincerely,
Your cousin
Frank H. Rhea
1222 S. 8th St.
Springfield, Ill.
This thread: