An American Family History

Joseph Rhea was born about 1715. He was the son of Matthew Rhea and Elizabeth McClain.

He married Elizabeth McIlwaine. Elizabeth was the daughter of John McIlwaine and Margaret Scott. Margaret Rhea Looney Renfro was his sister. She married Robert Looney and Stephen Renfro.

Joseph and Margaret's children may have included:
John Rhea (1753)
Matthew Rhea (1755),
Margaret Rhea (1757, married Robert Preston),
William Rhea (1761),
Joseph Rhea (1762),
Elizabeth Rhea,
Samuel Rhea, and
James Rhea.

In 1769, he resigned his position as minister of a church in Fahan, Ireland, and the family sailed to America. They landed in Philadelphia, then settled in north central Maryland in what was then Frederick County, but now is Carroll County.

Joseph began his ministry at the Piney Creek Presbyterian Church in Frederick County, Maryland, in 1772.

In 1775 he went to what is now Sullivan County Tennessee, to locate land and purchased about two thousand acres. In 1776 he joined the troops under Colonel Christian, and in this capacity as chaplain campaigned into Virginia and Tennessee. The following is from an orderly book, once the property of Captain Joseph Martin:

Six Mile Camp, Oct 5, 1776. Parole William Burge. General Orders:

Mr. Ray will preach on the Augusta Line at one o'clock, and Mr. Cummins on the Fincastle Line. All others who choose to attend may do it.

The church will be at the time to give warning, the men to attend with their arms by companies, and to observe as much decency and regularity as the ground will admit of.

In their capacity as chaplains, at this time, Rev. Rhea and Rev. Cummins were the first ministers to preach in the territory that is now Tennessee.

Joseph died in Maryland, in 1777.

In the following year, 1778, his family moved, by wagons, to the land in Sullivan County, Tennessee, which he had purchased and which is still in possession of his descendants.