Rev. Joseph Rhea 1715- 9/20/1777

Rev. Joseph Rhea b.1715 d.9/20/1777, son of Matthew Rhea (Reagh) II and his second wife, Elizabeth McClain, married Elizabeth McIlwaine in Ireland about 1752. (Picture of Elizabeth on the McIlwaine page) They came to America in 1769. His first church of record in America was in Piney Creek, Maryland in Carroll County. As stated in the Rhea history, Joseph requested leave to travel to Virginia and upon doing so was shown land by Col. William Preston. He thus removed from Maryland and came to southwestern Virginia and eastern Tennessee, settling in Sullivan County, Tennessee.

The Rev. Joseph Rhea (1715)(9/20/1777) and Elizabeth McIlwaine (1732)(12/19/1793) had eight children:

Data on the descendants of Joseph Rhea, Jr. supplied by David McClain.

  1. John Angus Rhea, b.5-29-1753 d.1832, born in Ireland, Congressman from Tennessee. Never married. Click HERE to see his picture.
  2. Matthew Rhea IV, b.4-14-1755 d. 1816, also born in Ireland, soldier in Revolutionary War, married Jane Preston (1758 - 11-1800)
  3. Margaret Rhea b.6-27-1757 d. 6/3/1822, also born in Ireland, married 9/28/1780 Robert Preston (1750)(12/16/1833). She died in Virginia.
  4. William Rhea, b.1-29-1760 d.1836, born in Ireland, died in Tennessee. William m. on 6-10-1795 Elizabeth Breden.
  5. Joseph Rhea Jr.  b.10-24-1762 d.2-24-1825, also born in Ireland and died in Tennessee. He married Frances Breden b.3-17-1764 d.4-13-1850 on March 17, 1789. Joseph Rhea, Jr. was a revolutionary war soldier. Joseph Jr. and Frances had 9 children:
    1. Elizabeth Rhea b.12-28-1789 d.1853 m. Audley Anderson 1785-1818. Elizabeth m. secondly, Nicholas Fain 1782-1849.
    2. Margaret Rhea b.8-7-1791 d.1873 m. Isaac Campbell Anderson 1789-1872.
    3. John Rhea who died yound in 1793.
    4. Samuel Rhea b.5-3-1795 d.1863 m. Ann M. Rutledge 1804-1827. Samuel m. secondly Martha Lynn 1810-1878.
    5. Eleanor Rhea b.1797 m. Edward Breden Anderson b. 1794.  They had 7 children.  See page Eleanor Rhea
      6.
    6. Frances "Fannie" Rhea b.3-1-1799 d.1850 m. Jonathan Bachman 1801-xxxx.
    7. Nancy Rhea b.6-25-1801 d.1839 m. John Lynn 1798-1875.
    8. Robert Preston Rhea b.9-17-1802 d.3-26-1881 married Sarah Jane Gilliland Preston b.6-27-1803 d.7-20-1874, daughter of Jane Preston and Robert Preston Jr., in 1825 or 26. (Robert's picture below) They are buried in the Blountville Cemetery.
    9. Sarah Rhea b.1806 d.1862 m. Seth J. W. Lucky, Judge 1799-1869.
  6. Elizabeth "Bettie" Rhea, b.1767 d.3-13-1821 also born in Ireland. She married Major Robert Rhea b.6-22-1784 in Kennecalley Farm, Fahn, Ireland and died 8-23-1841 in Sullivan Co., TN. Major Robert was the son of William Rhea and Elizabeth Lockhart. They lived in Sullivan Co. Tenn. Robert Rhea married secondly Jane Scott. Both Elizabeth and Robert are buried in Weaver Cemetery, Bristol, TN. Elizabeth and Robert had 4 children:
    1. Sarah "Sally" Rhea 1805-xxxx.
    2. Joseph R. Rhea b.11-17-1805.
    3. Elizabeth McIlwaine Rhea b.1807 d.xxxx m. Joseph Anderson. Picture below.
    4. John Rhea b.1810.

    Elizabeth McIlwaine

    Robert Preston Rhea 1802-1881

     

    Elizabeth McIlwaine Rhea, Mrs. Joseph Anderson. (Picture supplied by David G. McClain)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  7. * Samuel Rhea b.1769 d.12-11-1848 born in Pennsylvania or Maryland.     (Picture of Samuel Rhea on page by that name, link above.) First son born in America. He died at age 79 in Sullivan Co, TN and is interred in the Blountville Cemetery. He married Nancy Breden b.1776 d.9-7-1846 in Washington Co., VA on 9-24-1801. Nancy was born in Ireland and was the daughter of John Breden and Elizabeth Dysart. She died in Sullivan Co., TN at 70 and is buried at Blountville Cemetery. They had 7 children:
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  8. James Rhea b.1-18-1775 d.3-23-1855 born in Maryland and died in Blountville, .Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Snapp and had 7 children:

    9. Robert Preston and Jane Preston married Matthew Rhea and Margaret Rhea, brother and sister married brother and sister.

    Jane Preston and Robert Preston were the children of John Preston (1726)(9/1/1796) and Eleanor Fairman (1725)(1/6/1820). They came to America from County Derry, Ireland with their three children, Robert, Jane and Walter in the year 1770. They settled in what is now Washington County Virginia.

    Members of the Bredin (Braden) family were also on the ship 'George' and four of the Bredin girls married four Rheas.

     

    RHEA FAMILY TREE and HISTORY

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    Original 8/12/97
    Last updated 8/14/2013
    Page by F. L. Preston