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From: "Jim McCoy" <>
Subject: [RHEA-L] John Rhea - Greeneville, Tennessee
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 00:35:01 -0800

This is from information -- written in 1927 --- that I received recently from my father, who is descended from this John Rhea. I have inserted a brief note to clarify or augment relationships.

John Rhea was killed by one of his slaves in the early part of 1843 and on February 6, 1843, Uriah Mathews and Charles Glass were appointed administrators of his estate and Mary "Polly" Rhea was appointed guardian for the minor children: Martha, Mary, John, Francis, Green, James, George and Sarah Rhea.

[Note: Mary "Polly" Rhea was originally Mary E. Dennis. She was originally the daughter of John Dennis and Allie Badger, but later became the step-daughter of John Tennant Balch when John Dennis died and Allie Badger Dennis re-married. John Tennant Balch was the son of Rev. Hezekiah and Hannah (Lewis) Balch.]

On February 6, 1843, on application of Polly Rhea, widow of John Rhea, who died intestate, John Armitage, James Britten and Vincent Anderson were appointed as Commissioners to set apart a years support from the estate of the said John Rhea. This Commission made their report on March 6, 1843, which report was confirmed by the court.

On November 14, 1843, the administrators filed a bill showing that John Rhea died on the 5th day of January 1843, and at the time of his death the said John Rhea was the owner of a tract of land containing 276 acres, on which he lived at the time of his death, adjoining the lands of Azariah Dobson, and the heirs of Silas Vestal, Alex. Williams and Alexander Brown; also a tract of 60 acres, adjoining the north-east end of the Town of Greenville and the lands of James C. Wilson; also a tract of 50 acres, adjoining the lands of Andrew (President ) Johnson and the heirs of Robert Rankin; also a house and lot, being Lot No. 64 in the Plan of the Town of Greeneville, on which Sarah Woods, Rebecca Morris and David Tullock now lives.

That the said John Rhea, at the time of his death, left a widow, Mary Rhea, and the following heirs at law, being his lawful children, to-wit:

William Rhea
Elizabeth Rhea, who married Uriah Mathews
Lorinda Rhea, who married George Wykle
Kiziah Rhea
Martha Rhea
Mary Rhea
John Rhea
Green Rhea
Francis Rhea
George Rhea
Sarah Rhea
James Rhea

And that all were minors except William, Elizabeth and Lorinda.

On November 10th, 1845, the Court assigned over to the widow as shown on the enclosed map.

Lot No. 64 was sold to Thomas Lane, the 60 acre tract was sub-divided and sold to various parties and the fifty acre tract was sold to George W. Whkle.

On July 21st, 1874, Peter Rader and others filed a will in the County Court in which it is shown that John Rhea Sr. died in the year 1843, leaving a widow, Polly Rhea, and as his lawful heirs, Kisiah S. Rader, william Rhea, Sarah Davis, Martha Milburn, Elizabeth J. Mathews, Mary Courtney, Lorinda Wykle, John Rhea, James Rhea, Green Rhea, Francis Rhea, George Rhea, the last three having died intestate and witout issue; the said John Rhea died intestate leaving as his children and heirs, Thomas V. Rhea; Susan, William B., Orval O., Edna, and John, all of whom were then minors; the said Lorinda leaving as her lawful heirs J. D. and William D. Wykle, both of legal age.

The said John Rhea, Sr., was at the time of his death the owner of a tract of about 300 acres of land, adjoining Azariah Dodson, Arhold's heirs and others, out of which 150 acres was assigned to the widow, Polly Rhea; that the said Poly Rhea died recently and no part of the real estate of John Rhea, Sr., has been partitioned. Polly Rhea was the mother of all the said heirs of John Rhea deceased, and at the time of her death was the owner of a town lot in Greenville, on the north side of the E.T.V. & G. R.R; also the owner of another lot near the above on the south side of said railroad, and that said lots have not been partitioned between the heirs.


If anyone can share any information on this John Rhea, I would certainly love to hear from them. I have a little bit more which I'll try to post in a day or two. I am still in the early stages of researching this and would like to avoid retracing the efforts of anyone who is more skilled and lives closer to Greeneville than I do! I am also interesting in learning more about the relationship of this John Rhea, Sr. to Robert Rhea. Page 227 of the 1830 Greene Co. census has a John Rhea, Robert Rhea, and Ann Balch as successive entries. However, in 1850, only Polly Rhea and her children remain.

Best regards and much appreciation to this wonderful news list,

James Rhea McCoy

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• [RHEA-L] John Rhea - Greeneville, Tennessee by "Jim McCoy" <>