Chapter 0
Origins
updated 6/10/99
Compiled by Larry REA
Larry: Seven generations of Rea and we’re stuck on number 0. James brought his family out of Tennessee in 1818, from Robertson county. Orville and Marijane found a property transaction for that year.
James REA
Starling H. REA
George Washington REA
Theodore Columbus REA
Abija Lee REA
Edgar John REA
Larry Dean REA
Ed: Dad (Abija Lee REA) used to tell me the REAs came from Pennsylvania. They owned property in Philadelphia. They left town
and moved to Kentucky because one of them killed a man.
born ca 1788 Augusta Co., VA
married Elizabeth CISNEY
born ca 1784 Mecklenburg Co., Charlotte, NC
(*) son Starling H. REA
son John W. REA
dau Elizabeth REA
1850 Federal Census for Hopkins Co., KY
(437) page 80 R
James RHEA (REA) 62 VA
Elizabeth 66 NC
(438) Living next door is the wife of Starling H. Rea !
Martha RHEA (REA) 41 SC
John T. 17 KY
Milton D. 15 KY
Alfred H. 12 KY
Eliza 10 KY
Mary 8 KY
Sarah 6 KY
(403) Starling’s son, George, is living down the road with the John Lynch family. John is claimed to be the brother-in-law of
Starling in Starling’s will. John’s wife is named Elizabeth [Sisk]. (Starling’s wife was Martha Patsy Sisk)
George RAY (REA) 18 KY
(Ralph R. REA) James REA had come from Augusta Co., VA, where he was born in 1788. His family had moved to Virginia from Pennsylvania. James and his wife, Elizabeth Melsa BROWN [sic], migrated to Kentucky after they were married. Elizabeth died there in 1852 but James lived until 1881, dying at Dalton, Kentucky at the age of 94 [?].
Note: The name “Melsa Brown” was on the 1818 deed for having sold property to James Rea (from TN) — don’t have any idea how it got associated with Elizabeth… Larry
Note: James doesn’t appear on the 1870 census and his second wife (Emily) is again living with the John Clark family. I believe James died in 1867 which would make his age at death approximately 79. John’s wife must be Emily’s sister, they are born in the same state. There is a very interesting connection between the Clark’s, the Ross’, and the Rea’s. James married Emily. His grandson, George W. REA, married Rebecca Ross, and William Rhea’s granddaughter married a grandson of John Clark… They were all neighbors in KY. The Clarks, Rosses ended up at Fix Ridge in Latah county, Idaho. I believe this William Rhea family is related… perhaps the match maker connection… (Larry)
James REA originally owned 200 acres near Madisonville, the county seat of Hopkins Co., Kentucky. He built a one and a half story log house which is still standing. It is now in the middle of a corn field and is still useful as it houses bales of hay and tobacco.
Under the weather boarding are the original logs, on either side of the center door is a large room (with fireplace across the end) one of the chimneys is built of very large sandstone ( the other has crumbled). It must have been quite a good sized house for those days. The house has a corrugated roof and it surprises us that it has been spared for so long and not burned down.
We visited with Henry Clay REA and his wife Lois, they were kind enough to take us out to the old REA homestead. We went toward Beulah from Madisonville and took what seemed to be a country road. We got permission to cross the field and visit the house and cemetery. The house is visible across the field from the cemetery.
We found the graves of James and his wife Elizabeth (she died in 1852) James’ tombstone had fallen down but was stuck back in the dirt. It couldn’t be read. It was made of scarred red sandstone.
James REA owned several negro slaves who were freed before the Civil War but stayed with the REA family until James REA’s death ca 1867. (???) The former slaves of James REA were given the REA farm after his death. The rest of the family didn’t agree with his decision, but this is what he wanted.
(M) Mary J.
son Thomas F. REA 1844 Hopkins Co. KY
dau Est REA 1846 Hopkins Co. KY
dau Martha W. REA 1848 Hopkins Co. KY
John REA, the younger son of James REA, was born in 1830 or 31 in Dalton, Hopkins Co., Kentucky. He moved to Rea, AR where he died. George W. REA found that his uncle was living in AR but before he could visit him he (uncle) passed away. John REA had two daughters living in Harrison, Boone Co., AR who were in their 70’s or 80’s.
(M) 28 Oct 1829 Martha Patsy SISK
(*) son George Washington REA 1832 Dalton KY
son Milton D. REA 1836 Dalton KY
son Alfred Henry REA 1838 Dalton KY
son Richard REA 1839
dau Elizabeth REA 1840
dau Mary B. REA 1843 Dalton KY
dau Sarah Jessie (Sally) REA 1845 KY
DIED 1847, Starling H. REA from TB Dalton KY
Martha married William H. BARTON
During Starling’s (REA) life the land originally owned by his father, James REA, was gradually sold, until none of it was held by REAs.
We didn’t locate the graves of Starling (REA) and Martha but perhaps we will on another trip. A Mrs. McClearn at Dawson Springs, KY told us about a Hopkins Co. Cemetery book that was about to be published. (she is a historian and had helped research the REA family)
1(M) Rebecca Louina ROSS
son Francis Marian REA 1855 Dalton KY
(*) son Theodore Columbus REA 1857 Dalton KY
dau Martha Mahala REA 1860 Dalton KY
son George Fountain “Bud” REA 1862 Harrison AR
dau Sarath Catherine REA 1866 Harrison AR
dau Sarepta Electa REA 1868 Harrison AR
son William Henry REA 1870 Harrison AR
son Timothy Dewitt REA 1872 Harrison AR
son Starling Edgar REA 1874 Harrison AR
wife Rebecca died 7 Jan 1878
2(M) Margaret Rhuamah EVANS (?) MS
son Robert Milton REA 1879 Batavia AR
dau Ava Eliza REA 1881 Batavia AR
dau Iva Alice REA 1884 Batavia AR
son Sam Peel REA 1887 Batavia AR
died 18 July 1888 (1)
dau Mary Ruby REA 1890 Francis AR
(M) 1 Sept 1920 (30) Fred INMAN
son Hugh Dinsmore REA 1892 Francis AR
George Washington REA left Kentucky in the spring of 1857 with his wife (Rebecca Luina ROSS) and family to make a fresh start at Flatwoods, Arkansas.
Moved to Arkansas
End of Chapter 0
