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Archiver > RHEA > 2001-05 > 0989967552


From: Norma Lewis <>
Subject: [RHEA] Re: RHEA-D Digest V01 #62
Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 15:59:12 -0700
In-Reply-To: <200105151104.f4FB4Hk04611@lists5.rootsweb.com>


Thank you, Pat, for typing all this. I know what a chore it is, but it has
great value to all Rhea/Ray researchers as all by this name appear to be
related . Remember when we first corresponded on this Rhea line on the
Augusta County list back in 1997 I believe. This researcher has erred by
beginning his study in VA as my research in PA recently turns up all kinds
of Rheas and Reas and Rays earlier than they appear in Augusta County,
along with the allied names of Campbell, Turk and others. I didn't pursue
them because I'm only interested in a skeletal history on the Rheas as an
allied family of my Coiners (Keinadt, Keinath, Koiner, Coiner, Coyner,
Kyner, Kiner, Kinard, Keinerd, maybe Keener and Kuhner, etc. ). Most of
these Scotch-Irish in early Augusta County arrived from Europe to PA and
lived in Chester County by 1730, spreading to Cumberland County (which
later became Franklin) and then into Augusta County by 1737 when Augusta
became a county. The courthouse was built in 1745, and as Augusta came from
Orange County, some of these early records are found in Orange County.
There are a few ship lists in that county which I think may mention Rheas.
I will look for them again.

James Patton and his brothers and sons are important to this family, also,
as James Patton brought over hundreds (nobody knows how many, no lists seem
to exist) of Scotch-Irish in his own ships by permission of the King after
the battle in England which made exiles of so many Scots in Ireland. I
can't address it off the top of my head but I recently typed it for my list
so will look it up. James Patton and several brothers were in Cumberland
County PA and later in Augusta County where James and all his friends held
county offices and kind of "ran things' as they wished for awhile. They
built the Presbyterian Churches, Old Stone Church above Staunton, and
Tinkling Springs at Fishersville in Augusta County. Some (or one) of his
brothers stayed in Cumberland, some may have stayed in Chester
(Philadelphia), as so often happens when families migrate. These names are
still found in those areas.

James Patton received huge grants in VA for bringing over all these
colonists. They would serve an indenture for their passage (4-7 years) and
may have received 50 acres of land at end of their indenture. He was
involved in selling all this land when he was killed at the Draper Meadows
Massacre July 30, 1755 along with several other settlers, among them Casper
Barger whose grandaughter married Casper Coiner and the Coiners left in
Augusta County today (and Bargers) come from this alliance. There is a huge
list of creditors to James Patton listed in Chalkley's that I believe
include Campbells. I have Campbells in some of my other Southern families,
I'm sure they all link to those early PA and Augusta County Campbells. You
can imagine with the large families they all had how all could be related.

Furthermore, if you look at the migration patterns in SW VA they all went
the same way, as the Indians were "tamed", as different areas were opened
up for settlement. They may be found in the Washington County Land Surveys
which are online. Washington was the whole triangular SW tip of VA before
it was broken up into counties, among them Wythe. The lay of the land lent
itself to this kind of migration ~ The New River to the Holstein made
natural gaps in the "mountains" there. The Dan River in Pittsylvania County
meanders back and forth from VA to NC, it all lends itself to a natural
migration pattern from Augusta and Albemarle counties, to Bath and
Botetourt, etc. James Patton's land was beyond Beverly, Bordon and Fairfax
in Augusta County, speaking generally.

This is on the digest, so if anyone answers this, please delete the long
message above before sending on to the digest. I'll type more later
tonight. I want to share what Elizabeth Rhea Coyner's history says in the
old Koiner History.
Norma

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