An American Family History

Matthew Rhea was born about 1755. He was the son of Joseph Rhea and Elizabeth McIlwaine.

Matthew served in the American Revolution.

He married Jane Preston.

Joseph Matthew Rhea (1789, married Catherine Myers),
Robert Rhea (1791, married Nancy Davidson),
Margaret Rhea (married --- Fickle),
Matthew Rhea (1795, married Mary Looney).

Matthew was a clerk of the Sullivan County Court.

from Notable Southern Families, Volume 2 by Zella Armstrong and Janie Preston Collup French

Matthew Rhea IV (1755-1816), (son of Rev. Joseph Rhea and Elizabeth (Mcllwaine) Rhea married (1778) Jane Preston (a sister of Robert Preston who married III Margaret Rhea). They had children:

1 Joseph Mathew Rhea
2 Robert Preston Rhea,
3 Margaret Rhea.
4 Matthew Rhea V.

1 Joseph Matthew Rhea (1789-1860) married (1806) Catherine Myers (daughter of Charles Myers and Annie (Case) Myers). According to tradition they had eleven children, names of six known:
(i) Emma Rhea;
(2) Edmund Rhea;
(3) Jane Rhea;
(4) Eleanor Rhea;
(5)Margaret Rhea;
(6) Walter Preston Rhea (1831-1897), who married Sarah Jane Pile....

2 Robert Preston Rhea (1791-1872), married (1868) Nancy Davidson. Children:
(1) Jane Rhea, who married Dr. Rivers;
(2) Josiah Davidson Rhea;
(3) Sarah Rhea.who married Jackson:
(4) John Preston Rhea, who married Matilda Longacre;
(5) Matthew Rhea VI, who married Sallie Rhea, no issue;
(6) Robert Campbell Rhea M. D. (1837-1911), who married Margaret Caroline McQueen...
(7) Margaret Rhea, never married.

3 Margaret Rhea married Fickle and had one son, Robert P. Fickle.

4 Matthew Rhea V (1795-1870). married (1818) Mary Looney. of Middle Tennessee. Matthew Rhea V was born near Bluff City, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Moved to West Tennessee about 1836. Was President of the Female Institute of Somerville. He was a man of great learning and took an especial interest in history. Assisted by his cousin, Matthew Campbell Rhea, he made the first map of the state of Tennessee. He was a man of great learning during the War Between the States. He had children:
(1) Margaret Rhea (1820-1880), who married twice: First, Nicholas Long; Second. James Dysart Rhea,(son of William Rhea and Elizabeth (Bredeni Rhea). ...
(2) Elizabeth Rhea (1822-1892). who married John Rhea (son of William Rhea and Elizabeth (Breden) Rhea)...
(3) Ellen Preston Rhea;
(4) Sarah Lucinlita Rhea, no issue;
(5) John William Rhea (1828-), who married Italia G. Porler, and had children: William, Annie, Lillian and Pearl;
(6) Abram Rhea (1830-1912), who married Emma Cross...
(7) Mathew Rhea VI, died without issue;
(8) Mary Annis Rhea;
(9) Samuel Doak Rhea;
(10) Jennett Preston Rhea;
(11) Walter Preston Rhea (1841-1880), who married Jennie Edmondson, (daughter of William C. Edmondson and Susie E. (Rhea)...
(12) Ellen Preston Rhea (1844-), who married Hudson Gary...
(13) Frances Bell Rhea (1848-), who married James T. Rhea (son of James Dysart Rhea and Elizabeth (Carter) Rhea). ...

from Boyle Genealogy: John Boyle of Virginia and Kentucky by John Boyle

Polly Looney, daughter of Abraham Looney, married, December 13, 1818, Matthew Rhea. They lived at Somerville, Tennessee, and left several children. One son, Lieutenant Matthew Rhea, fell in the battle of Belmont, in Missouri, opposite Columbus, Kentucky, where he gallantly carried the sword of his grandfather, bearing this honorable inscription: "Presented by Gen. Greene to Matthew Rhea, the last man to retreat from the battle of Guilford Courthouse." Wounded, he sank to his knees, his surrounding foes demanding his surrender. Waving the old relic, with his expiring gasp he exclaimed: "I shall never surrender the sword of my grandfather to a Yankee!" At that epochal moment, who could have remembered that the illustrious donor was born in Rhode Island!

Rhea, Matthew
24 Jan 1797
100 acres
Warrant No. 9854
dated 21 Nov 1781
south waters of Beaver Creek a north branch of Holston River [SFHR]
adj: Miers, Laughlin, David Worley [son of Nathan Worley]