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Subject: [RHEA-L] Samuel Rhea/Rea
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 18:22:41 EDT


This is what I show on Samuel Rhea/Rea.

ED FOLEY


1. Samuel RHEA born 1725, County Down, Ireland, son of Matthew Rhea Jr. and
Mary Lockart, married (1) Eleanor SNODGRASS, born abut 1725, Ireland,
(daughter of Benjamin SNODGRASS) died 15-Apr-1783, Chambersburg, Franklin
Co.PA, buried: Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church Cem., married(2) Rosanna
ENGLISH, born abt 1725, married (3) MarthaGrier WALLACE, born abt 1725.
Samuel died 15-Aug-1811, GreenTownship, Franklin Co. PA, buried: Rocky Spring
PresbyterianChurch Cem. About 1750, Samuel Rhea, oldest son of MatthewRhea,
probably in County Down, Ireland, wedded to EleanorSnodgrass. (Benjamin
Snodgrass, was a widower and wasaccompanied to America by one daughter, Mary.
It ispresumed that his son stayed in Ireland, married and was thefather of
the Miss Snodgrass who married Samuel Rhea. There is evidence she was a
granddaughter of Benjamin Snodgrass.This Benjamin Snodgrass, came from the
north of Ireland andsettled in New Britain Township, Bucks County,
Pennsylvania,on the Nechaminy Creek, about 1730. See Doylestown--Old
andNew", by H.K. Davis, page 4.)
To the new home in Ireland came a baby daughter, Ann Rhea,born in 1751.
Times in Ireland grew more troubled. Fromacross the ocean came letters about
the vast new country,its beauties, and the warm invitation from the Penns
tothose who loved liberty of conscience to settle inPennsylvania. In the
latter part of 1754, Samuel Rhea andhis wife, Eleanor, with their baby
daughter, Ann, embarkedfor the New World. Their second child, John was born
eitherat sea, or soon after landing. It is thought they came toDelaware and
settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania,January 17, 1755.
A resting place was found in Chester County, PA but ofcourse the first
thought of the new settlers was to obtainland of their own. The Penn
Proprietaries had giveninstructions to their agents that they should separate
theScotch-Irish and the German emigrants, as they did not agreeand some
rioting had resulted from ill feeling between them. The Scotch-Irish were
therefore restricted to theCumberland Valley. The Rhea family moved on to
Mill Creek,five miles below Lancaster, for a time. Then Samuel Rheawith his
growing family journeyed to the Cumberland Valley,in search of land,
following the road from Lancaster toCarlisle. They traveled on horseback
through mud, acrossmany streams, and finally reached Carlisle.
A description of such a journey is taken from the Diary ofRev. David
McClure, 1774. "On this journey we overtookseveral families moving from East
to West. The man carried agun and axe on his shoulders. The wife had the rim
of thespinning wheel in one hand and a loaf of bread in theother. Two pack
horses were loaded with the bare necessitiesof life. On top of the baggage of
one was a sort of wickercage in which a baby lay, rocked to sleep by the
motion ofthe horse. There was a cow, which bore a sack of meal on herback".
It is probably also a picture of the Rhea family asit traveled from
Lancaster to Carlisle.
It is probable that the family stayed some time in Carlisle,as Cumberland
County was then the scene of appalling Indianoutrages, and the settlers were
fleeing to Carlisle, York,and other places of safety. The history of that
period showsthat at this very time the Cumberland Valley was sufferingfrom
incursions of the Indians, and the savages werecommitting appalling outrages
and cruelties. On April 2,1757, two men were killed on Conochocheague
Creek." Anumber of others were killed in the vicinity, and as lateas 1763,
a large body of Indians invaded Franklin County,and murdered a number of
persons, setting fire to houses,etc. Most of the settlers fled for safety
with theirfamilies, some to the fort at Chambersburg, others to thefort at
Shippensburg, and others to Carlisle or York County. History says there were
as many as 1400 of thepanic-stricken settlers in Shippensburg at one time.
Afterputting their families in places of safety, many of thefearless pioneers
returned to look after their abandonedhomes, horses, cattle and crops. In the
meantime, SamuelRhea continued his search for land, finally settling inGreen
Township, in what later became Franklin County. Intothis neighborhood, Samuel
Rhea and his family moved about1757, braving the dangers of the wilderness,
wild beasts,and savages. They settled on the Conochocheague Creek.
William Lindsay made application to the Province ofPennsylvania for a
grant, warrant, or patent, number 1188on September 9, 1766, for 370 acres.
This tract which hadbeen surveyed for him, was situated in Green Township,
whichlater became Franklin County. Samuel Rhea took assignmentof this
application, paying $268.21. He received the granton October 12, 1804. At
the same date Samuel paid for andreceived warrants for 40 acres; 125 acres;
and 111 acres inGreen Township. It appears Samuel Rhea at once bought afarm,
probably in Green Township, where he moved, but inaddition to the warrants
for land paid for in 1804, there isa receipt signed by Joseph Kebbe,
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, for 110, for 100 acres of land on ChestnutRidge,
dated March 1785, making a total of 746 acres ownedby Samuel Rhea. He
cleared the land and built a log house,into which the family moved as the
trouble subsided. SamuelRhea became in time a prosperous farmer, and his
propertybecame known as the "Rea Mansion."
Apparently about this time or shortly after, Samuel changedthe spelling
of his name to "Rea". The reason for this isnot known, but we find documents
signed by him prior to1800, using the "Rea " spelling. His oldest son,
GeneralJohn Rea, always spelled the name "Rea", but otherssometimes spelled
it "Rhea" or "Ray".
Samuel was a man of means and education. One of the papersof the time
refers to the Rheas as "an aristocraticfamily".. He had a library to dispose
of in his will,(while many people at that time could neither read norwrite.)
The Mansion remained in the family until 1826 whenGen. John Rea sold it to
the Chambersburg Bank for $1010.The mansion house was once the finest in the
community. Itgradually fell into disrepair and by 1867 it was indilapidated
condition. That year, Charles Stanley Rinehart,a Pittsburgh artist who later
gained internationalrecognition, made a sketch of it while on a walking
tourwith his friend, James Culbertson Rea, great grandson ofSamuel. By 1904
the home had been restored at which timeJames C. Rea photographed it.
They were members of the famous Rocky Spring PresbyterianChurch, and Pew
No. 49 still bears the Rhea name. SamuelRhea had for his second wife a widow
named Mrs. RosannaEnglish, and after her death he married Mrs. Martha
GrierWallace, who survived him. He died August 15, 1811, in his86th year at
the Rea Mansion and was buried in Rocky SpringChurchyard in the same grave as
his first wife and themother of his children. The following interesting
letter waswritten by John Rea to his brother, Samuel, in Erie County,Penn.,
communicating the death of their father Samuel Rhea:
"The melancholy task devolved upon me of informing you ofthe death of our
aged and beloved father, who departed thislife on the 15th day of August late
in the afternoon and onthe following day his body was interred at Rocky
SpringPresbyterian Churchyard, attended by a very numerousassemblage of
relatives and acquaintances. We thought itproper to deposit his remains in
Mother's grave, who hasbeen an inhabitant the silent tomb for upwards
oftwenty-eight years. She died in the latter end of April inthe year 1783
and, strange as it may appear to you, herbones were but little decayed. We
collected them carefullyand returned them to accompany those of her much
belovedhusband in the hope of a joyful resurrection to them bothwhen time
shall be no more. I have often heard them both saythat there was but little
differences in their ages. I knowof no record of either of their ages, but
from all thecircumstances that I am acquainted with, father was 86 or 87years
of age, old and full of days... During the last twoyears of his life his
comforts and pleasures wereconsiderably interrupted by frequent attacks of
giddiness orpain in his head. The day before he took his last illness herode
up on the South Mountain to a cold spring, there tobathe his head in hopes of
some relief. Indeed his last ridewas the only one he had taken of any
considerable distancefor many months before his decease. In the night after
hisreturn from the cold spring, he was seized with an excessivepain in the
head attended by frequent vomiting. In a day ortwo after the attack he was
totally deprived of the use ofhis speech and apparently of his reason, and
remained inthat state till within a few days of his death, when he wasin some
degree restored to the use of both. From the timethat he took his last
illness until his death, was somethingshort of two weeks. Then ended the life
of the man who fromfilial affection, as well as other considerations
arisingfrom his having been the support of our youth, we are boundto venerate
and respect and always to have his memory ingrateful remembrance."
His estate was worth between $25,000 and $35,000. He ownedseveral tracts
of land, Pine Grove, Reas Farm, Rea Mansion,Chestnut Ridge, Williamsburg,
etc. His will and manyletters and documents relating to it are in the
possessionof James C. Rea at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Rosanna: Widow of Mr. English when she married Samuel.Martha: Was the
widow of Mr. Linday when she married SamuelRhea.
Children by Eleanor SNODGRASS:
i Ann RHEA born 2-Mar-1751, County Down, Ireland, married
Patrick WRIGHT, born abt 1751. Ann died 24-Apr-1817, Peters Township,
Frankin Co. PA.
2. ii John 'Major General' REA born 17-Jan-1755.
iii William RHEA born 1-Aug-1757, Chester Co., PA, married Sarah
SNODGRASS, born abt 1757. Enlisted in Cumberland Co. in 1777. Served as
Captain. In private life later he was a farmer and surveyor. He died
intestate survived by his wife and six children over 21 years of age.
iv Sarah RHEA born 27-Oct-1759, Chambersburg, Franklin Co. PA,
married John RENFREW, born abt 1759.
3. v Samuel REA born 27-Dec-1761.
vi Hannah RHEA born 19-Jan-1768, Chambersburg, Franklin Co. PA,
married John THOMSON, born abt 1766.
vii James RHEA born 8-May-1768, Chambersburg, Franklin Co. PA,
died abt 1818, Springfield, Clark Co. OH, buried: Sinking Creek Baptist
Society Cemetery.

Second Generation

2. John 'Major General' REA (1.Samuel1 ) born 17-Jan-1755, PA?, married
1806, Elizabeth CULBERTSON, born abt 1755. John died 1829, Chambersburg,
Franklin Co. PA, buried: Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church Cem. Entered
military service as a volunteer in Cumberland Co. in July 1775. Muster of
this contingent was answer to a Resolution of the Continental Congress
calling for 18 companies of riflemen. 1777 Lt., 1778 Capt., 1802 Lt. Col.,
1812 Brig. Gen., 1814 Maj. Gen. He served long and well in Congress. He
died of food poisoning at the Robert Peebles Hotel in Chambersburg PA where
he had gone to meet some political leaders. He was buried with full military
honors.
Children:
i Samuel RHEA born 21-Apr-1808.
ii John REA born 28-Jun-1809, Born at Sea.
iii James REA born 23-May-1811, PA?, President of Pennsy. R.R.
iv William REA born abt 1813, PA?. Drowned in infancy.
v Andrew Jackson REA born 1815, PA?.
vi Elizabeth REA born 20-Nov-1817, PA?.
vii William REA born 6-Jun-1820, PA?.
viii Charles REA born 5-Jan-1823, PA?.

3. Samuel REA (1.Samuel1 ) born 27-Dec-1761, Chambersburg,Franklin Co. PA,
married 1787, in Erie Co. PA,Margaret Jane EATON, born 3-Aug-1766, Franklin
Co. PA,(daughter of John EATON and Jame RAMSEY) died 10-Nov-1830, Springfield
Township,Erie Co. PA, buried: East Springfield Cemetery, Erie Co. PA. Samuel
died 5-Mar-1813, Springfield Township, Erie Co. PA,buried: East Springfield
Cemetery, Erie Co. PA. Went westto Erie County PA when he was a young man.
Served as aprivate, John Rea's Company (his brother), 1st
Battalion,Cumberland Co. Militia, commanded by Col. James Johnston,Aug. 1780
and also Aug. 6, 1781. Also listed as a privatein class roll of Capt. John
McConnel's Company, CumberlandCo. Militia, Aug. 29, 1782. (The Erie Co.
"Soldiers of theAmerican Revolution," published in 1929, Vol. 23, p. 791,
of3rd series and DAR Patriot Index 1927, pg. 63, 64.)
He is one of the earliest settlers of Erie Co. PA, comingfrom Franklin
Co. PA. Beers History, Part II, pg. 64, says"Samuel entered 250 acres of
land in the wilderness, livingwith a neighbor until a hut was erected. Samuel
Rea residedon the farm (which is now one of the most productive in thecounty)
until his death. Of their family of nine children,two survive: Johnston, and
Eliza, wife of Joseph Ware,residing on a portion of the homestead." This
referencecannot be right however, as his son Samuel was 92 when
hedied--clearly outliving his father right in the sametownship.
We know that this Samuel is the son of Samuel Rhea andEleanor Snodgrass.
Samuel's brother James wrote him aletter describing the death of his father
Samuel Rhea in1811, which was published in "Samuel Rea, 1725-1811,Heritage
and Descendants" by Henry Oliver Rea, printed bythe Tyrone Printing Co.,
Ltd., Dungannon, Northern Ireland,1960.
Margaret: One record says she was the sister of Rev.Johnston Eaton and
thus would be the daughter of John Eatonof Franklin Co. P who had nine
children.
Children:
i John REA born 19-Apr-1788, Chester Co., PA, carpenter,
married 1814, in Springfield Township, Erie Co. PA, Nancy LAW, born
2-Dec-1794, County Down, Ireland, (daughter of John LAW and Anna CARROLL)
died 13-Feb-1877, South Buffalo Township, Armstrong Co. PA. John died
8-Jan-1848, South Buffalo Township, Armstrong Co. PA, buried: Slate Lick
Cemetery, Armstrong Co. PA. In his will he left his carpenter tools,
steelyards and books. Witnessed by John Boyd (son-in-law) and James Reddick.
He came from Chester Co. to Erie Co. in 1812. Apprenticed at least one
person who immigrated from England in the carpentry trade. Nancy: Came to
Erie Co. PA in 1812 with her parents.
ii Samuel REA born 27-Oct-1792, WashingtonCo. PA, married
Elizabeth FERGUSON, bornabt 1792. Samuel died 8-Sep-1883, buried:
EastSpringfield Cemetery, Erie Co. PA. "History ofErie Co.," published by
Warner Beers PublishingCo. in Chicago in 1884 contains a picture ofSamuel Rea
(1792-1883) in the book and also apicture of his brother, Johnston Rea (b.
1805),with biographical notes on both of them. OnSamuel Rea it reads:
"Samuel Rea, the subjectof this sketch, was born in Washington, Penn.,October
27, 1792. He, with his father's family,moved to Springfield, Penn. in 1804,
and onApril 12 that year, settled on the farm onwhich he lived until the time
of his death 8Sept. 1883. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, andhe inherited
many of their traits of character.He was strictly temperate in a broad sense
ofthe word and adhered closely to justice, rightand truth. Although deprived
of his father'scounsel in quite early life, yet these innateprinciples were
so truly his own, that he neveryielded, however great the temptation.
Itseemed very necessary that he should be justwhat he was. Settling here in
the then denseforest, it required strength, determination,frugality, and all
that is noble for a man toassist in building a home for his parents
andfinally for himself. He served in the War of1812 in recompense for which
he for severalyears received a pension. He was one of thefounders of the
Presbyterian Church inSpringfield and united with it in early manhoodand ever
endeavored to live a consistentChristian life. In 1818 he married
ElizabethFerguson, who in every way proved herself atrue wife, counselor and
Christian mother. Shedied in 1855, leaving her husband and 8children to mourn
their great loss. It canreadily be seen that had the subject of thissketch
lived until the 27th of October, 1883,he would have been 91 years of age.
Thus livedand died one of the early settlers ofSpringfield Twp., Erie Co.,
Pa."
His service record which lists him as a privatein 17 Regiment
Wallace's Pennsylvania Militia,War of 1812. He was present August 3-19,
1812for 2 dollars and 83-1/3 cents and July 23 toAugust 8, 1813 for 5 dollars
and 66-2/3 cents.
In the 1850 census, National Archives Series#M432, Microfilm
778, page 430 the family isenumerated: Samuel Rea, age 58, male,
farmer,$4,500, born PA, Betsy, age 51, Harriet, age24, Edmond, age 21,
Louisa, age 18, Matilda,age 16, Mary L., age 13. From the census andcemetery
records it appears they had 10children; 2 died in childhood. Some of
thedates in the census are confusing. Samuel wasliving with three of his
unmarried children in1870 and 1880. Son Edmond is listed as 43 inthe 1870
census and 48 in the 1880 census.
Reported in the Crawford Journal, Meadville,PA, Sept. 21,
1883: Deaths: Rea - At hisresidence in Springfield Township, Erie Co.
PA,Sept. 8th, Samuel Rea in his 91st year.


iii Johston REA born 2-Aug-1805, PA.
iv Margaret REA born abt 1807, PA.
v Eliza REA born 19-Aug-1808, PA.
vi Rebecca REA born abt 1809, PA.
vii Nancy REA born abt 1811, PA.
viii Hannah REA born abt 1813, PA.

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