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Archiver > RHEA > 2001-05 > 0990460401


From: "Patricia Hall" <>
Subject: [RHEA] Reference and Notes- page 4 Beginning with this author has doubts
Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 10:53:21 -0500


This author has doubts about the Uncle Archibald Rhea story and other
traditions concerning the Rheas passed on by members of the Coyner
family[see Ref.22]. As stated in the text, Robert's daughters, Ann and
Elizabeth, each named a son Archibald Rhea, indicating a special family
affiliation. Rather than an uncle living near Raleigh, might it have been
their brother, Archibald, who died near knoxville, Tennessee in
1793[Ref.198]? In that year, settlers on the Holston and French Broad Rivers
near Knoxville were repeatedly harassed by Indians, and many were massacred
(Ramsey, J.G.M., The Annals of Tennessee To The End Of The Eighteenth
Century, Charleston: John Russel, 1853, 179-183).* Might he have fallen a
victim, and his name honored by his sisters naming sons, Archibald Rhea?
Archibald Rhea Turk, Ann's son, was born July 4, 1794, the year following
her brother's death, and Elizabeth's son, Archibald Rhea Coyner, was born in
1797. this is pure speculation, but it does add some credence to the
massacre story found in Charles Coyner's biographical sketch of his
grandmother, Elizabeth (Rhea) Coyner [Ref.22].

43. Little, Edith B., Blount County, Tennessee Cemetery Records, (1981),
260.* New Providence Cemetery. "Thomas Turk Jr., Captain Augusta County
Militia, Revolutionary War, 1755-1833."

44. Chambless, Ann Barbee, My Favorite Turk. Ann Barbee Chambless of
Scottsboro, Alabama, descends from Thomas and Ann (Rhea) Turk through their
son, James, and James' daughter, Ann, who married Fletcher Taylor Judge.

In the Monroe Co., TN Minute Book, 1835-1839, 265,* an entry was made
on Wednesday, April 26, 1837, connecting Ann (Rhea)Turk of McMinn County
with Robert Rhea of Blount County. They were sister and brother.This is the
only record known to the author wherein their names appeared together. Their
depositions were required in a lawsuit, "Hiram K. Turk vs. William Turk,
Executor of Thomas Turk Dec'd." In Bradley County, Tennessee, a number of
Circuit Court cases named Hiram K. Turk (Nos..0239,0240,0241) and George W.
Turk, Ann's grandson(Nos..1373,2376,2687-2700). See Sherrill, Charles A.,
Ed.,Bradley County, Tennessee Circuit Court Cases File Abstracts 1836-1860,
(Cleveland,TN: Cleveland Public Library, 1988).*

45. Draper Manuscript Collection, 3QQ34-35.* See also Crozier, Wm A.,
79-80*Listed in Robert Doach's Company as Archibald and John "Reagh."

46. WytheCo.,VADeedBook5,241-242.* Dated August 20, 1809, recorded October
10,1809."...Between Margaret Rhea of the County of Knox in the State of
Tennessee widow...of Archibald Rhea late of the said County Deceased
Archibald Rhea and Robert Rhea son & heirs at law of the said Archibald
Rhea...of the one part and William Love of the County of Wythe in the State
of Virginia of the other part Witnesseth that...Archibald Rhea on the first
day of September (1785)made his writing obligatory to the said William
Love...binding himself his heirs &c. to make a good title to...William
Love...to(250)acres more or less and did not in his lifetime do the same..."
For the sum of one dollar, they sell to William Love 227 acres "...on both
sides of Cripple Creek a branch of New River..." They bordered James White's
patent line. John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee, and the
father-in-law of Archibald Jr. [Ref.191], was a witness. James White, the
other witness had strong ties with this family, for both Archibald and
Robert named sons James White Rhea. The author theorizes that the connection
was through Margaret, who was possibly his sister. Howeve, there is some
doubt, for in 1783, his father, Moses White, named in his will a Margaret
White, but did not indicate if she was married, as he had for other
daughters (RowanCo., NCWill BookC,115, and WillBookD,259; also see "The
Descendants of Moses White, Sr., of Rowan Co., NC" in Tennessee Ancestors,
Vol.. 7(3) December, 1991, 311-315*). James White had a daughter named
Margaret. He had been a neighbor to the Rheas in Virginia [Ref.26]. To his
credit was the establishment of the city of Knoxville, Tennessee, where he
was buried with other members of his family in the First Presbyterian Church
yard. for biographical sketches, see: Rothrock, Mary U., Ed., The French
Broad-Holston Country, A History of Knox County, Tennessee. (Knoxville: East
Tennessee historical Society, 1946), 503-505;* Goodspeed's History of
Tennessee, (Nashville: Charles and Randy Elder Booksellers, 1972-a Reprint
of the 1887 Edition), 800-815;* Ramsey,J.G.M.,The Annals of Tennessee to The
End Of The Eighteenth Century, (Charleston: John Russell,1853), 374-375,
581-582;* Ramsey, J.G.M. History of Lebanon Presbyterian Church, "In The
Fork", Five Miles East of Knoxville, Tenn..,(Knoxville: J. G. M. Ramsey,
1875), 7;* Draper Manuscript Collection, 31S 27-28.* The first four
references also contain information about Archibald Rhea, Sr. and Jr.



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