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Archiver > RHEA > 1999-10 > 0940368849


From: "A Strawn" <>
Subject: Re: [RHEA-L] Samuel Rhea/Rea
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 17:34:09 -0400


My Samuel Rhea was born 1734 in Hanover,VA
married Jane or Jean Maupin
Do you have anything on him?
Anita Strawn
Box 102
324 W. Retta St.
DeLeon Springs, FL 32130
904-985-4509

----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, October 10, 1999 6:22 PM
Subject: [RHEA-L] Samuel Rhea/Rea


> 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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