6th Generation

Dr. John Preston Rhea, Sr..........(son of Robert Preston Rhea and Nancy Davidson)
Born 20 July 1829 in Clark County, West Virginia
Died March 13, 1896 in Sullivan County, Tennessee
He was buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Sullivan Co., TN

     John was a country doctor.  He was a Sergeant in the Reserve Corps during the Civil War.  He was the First Master of the Masonic Lodge at Zollicoffer in Bluff City, Sullivan County, Tennessee.
       John appears on a list of doctors in Sullivan County, showing he was certified on Dec. 2, 1889, which may have been the first year of county certification.

     There is a difference of opinion as to how many children John and Matilda had; there are also differing accounts of the spelling of their names.  By some accounts there were 12 or 13 children and by others, there were 10.  I will list the 12 children whom Ed Foley lists.

Married August 10, 1857:

Matilda Ann Longacre..........(daughter of Joseph Addison Longacre and Mary Edwards)
Born February 19, 1834 in Sullivan County, TN
Died March 5, 1922 in Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN
She was buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Sullivan Co., TN

John and Matilda's children:

(I)----Mary Rebecca (or Genevieve) Rhea - (born May 10, 1858, Wantauga Co., NC - died March 1, 1902, Sullivan Co., TN) m.  Oct. 25, 1882 Elbert (or Edward) J. Burkey (born about 1860, Sullivan Co., TN?)  Mary is buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Sullivan Co., TN.  They had a daughter, Mary Burkey (b. abt. 1885) m. William Thomas (b. abt. 1885).  Mary and William's son, William Thomas m. Miss McClelland.

(II)----Nancy Melissa Rhea - (born Jan. 8, 1860, Wantauga Co., NC - died March 4, 1864)

(III)---Dr. Matthew Belmont Rhea - (born Jan. 20, 1862, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - died May 17, 1891 or 1896, Sullivan Co., TN, buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Sullivan Co., TN.) m. Sallie Rhea (born about 1862).

(IV)---Robert Orestes Rhea - (born May 3, 1864, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - died Dec. 28, 1938, Sullivan Co., TN) m. Aug. 1, 1888 Barsheba Margaret 'Maggie' Gammon (born Oct. 7, 1867, Sullivan Co., TN - died Nov. 14, 1945, Sullivan Co., TN?), daughter of George Gammon and Barsheba 'Barsha Ellen' Rutledge. Robert and Maggie are buried at Weaver Cemetery, Weaver Pike, Sullivan Co., TN.  Inscription on 'Maggie's' headstone:  "Wife of Robert O. Rhea."  Census shows both of her parents born in Tennessee.

        (1) Margaret Gammon Rhea (b. abt. 1809, born & died Sullivan Co., no dates on headstone)

          (2) Bertha Viola Rhea (b. March 1, 1891, Sullivan Co., TN - d. July 4, 1966) m. May 30, 1917 in Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN to Irby Leonard Ramsey (Nov. 11, 1891, VA - Jan. 1, 1978), son of Moses Berry Ramsey and Martha Ellen Snodgrass Glenn.  Bertha and Irby had five children: (1) Glenn Orestes Ramsey  (2) Margaret Irene Ramsey  (3) Mary Elizabeth Ramsey  (4) Clarabelle Ramsey  (5) Irby Lynn Ramsey

          (3) Clara Beatrice Rhea (b. July 22, 1893, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - d. April 20, 1954, Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN) m. Sept. 1, 1920 in Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN to Samuel Phillip Ramsey (b. Dec. 8, 1894, Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN), son of Moses Berry Ramsey and Martha Ellen Snodgrass Glenn.

       (4) Belmont R. Rhea (b. Dec. 1, 1897, Sullivan Co., TN) m. Miss Holborn.  Belmont and his wife had a daughter - 1940 City Directory of Bristol, TN, showed that Belmont was a Store Manager.

           (5) Karl O. Rhea (b. Oct. 1, 1900, Sullivan Co., TN) m. Zillah A. Webb (b. Jan. 1, 1921, Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Oct. 12, 1998, Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN) - Karl and Zillah had two children:  (1) Mary Nell Rhea (2) Karl C. Rhea  - 1940 City Directory of Bristol, TN showed that Karl was a carrier for the U.S. Post Office.

        (6) Lorena Rhea (b. Sept. 28, 1901 - d. Feb. 26, 1972 in TN)

        (7) Laura N. Rhea (b. Jan. 1, 1902, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Jan. 1, 1972)

(V)----Nancy Kalla Rhea - (b. Oct. 10, 1866, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Oct. 25, 1936) m.  Nov. 14, 1898 EliWarren.  Nancy and Eli had four children: (1) Cecil Rhea Warren  (2) Clair King Warren (3) Ernest Glenolyn Warren  (4) Eric Lynn Warren

(VI)----Nancy 'Nannie' C. Rhea - (b. Jan. 1, 1866, Sullivan Co., TN)

(VII)---Joseph Addison Longacre Rhea - (b. March 23, 1869, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Oct. 14/15, 1948, Sullivan Co., TN) m. Sept. 14, 1898 in Sullivan Co., TN to Emma Mills (b. abt. 1869).  Joseph and Emma had two children: (1) Hal Preston Rhea   (2) Gladys Rhea

(VIII)---Dr. John Preston Rhea, Jr. - (b. Feb. 6, 1872, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - d. July 27, 1915, Sullivan Co., TN, -buried Weaver Cemetery, Weaver Pike, Sullivan Co., TN) m. Aug. 20, 1902 in Bristol, Washington Co., VA to Ada Texanna Carmack (b. July 10, 1878, Paperville, TN/or Washington Co., VA - d. Jan. 4, 1924, Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN), daughter of John 'Honest' Carmack and Mary C. R. Hagy.

    John graduated from the University of Chatanooga Medical School in 1902.  He was certified as MD on April 7, 1903.
       He was Master of the Masonic Lodge at Zollicoffer and was a renound checkers player.

             (1) Matthew Wendell Rhea (b. July 25, 1905, Sullivan Co., TN - d. June 1972, Kingsport, TN, - buried Weaver Cemetery, Weaver Pike, Sullivan Co., TN)

             (2) Mary Beuloxia Rhea ( b. Nov. 15, 1906, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Dec. 1982, Abingdon, VA) - Mary was a teacher.

          (3) Eva Preston Rhea ( b. Feb. 25, 1910, Sullivan Co., TN)

(IX)--Margaret 'Maggie' A. Rhea - (b. June/or Aug. 7, 1874, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Jan. 26, 1917, Sullivan Co., TN) m. Aug. 28, 1901 Elija F. Dykes (b. Feb. 18, 1872, Fall Branch, TN - d. June 6, 1913), one son, Elihu Rhea Dykes (b. Jan. 1, 1902, d. ?Jan. 1, 1902?, died young).  Maggie's brother, J.A.L. Rhea was appointed administrator of her estate.

(X)--**Josiah Edward 'Ned' Rhea - (b. Jan. 10, 1877, Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Aug. 5, 1944, Panama City, Bay Co., FL) m. March 11, 1899 in Sullivan Co., TN to Nancy Virginia Jackson (b. Dec. 16, 1871 - d. about 1925-1930), daughter of Rev. Courtland Columbus Jackson and Sarah "Sallie" Preston Rhea.  Josiah and Nancy had two children: (1) Lysle Edward Rhea (May 1, 1906-June 21, 1971) m. Ora Jeraldine Cullen (Dec. 5, 1912-Nov. 19, 1993), one child, Evanda Lee Rhea(2) Gwendolyn Preston Rhea (May 19, 1907-Aug. 23, 1947) m. Jessie Joseph Kirvin (May 16, 1906-Dec. 16, 1982), three children: (i)-Susie Virginia Kirvin  (ii)-Walter Joseph 'Joe' Kirvin (Nov.10, 1928-April 21, 1999) (iii)-Jesse Franklin Kirvin. *(more info on Josiah and this family on next page)

(XI)-----Nora Matilda Rhea - (b. Oct. 2, 1878, Bluff City, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Feb. 18/or 28, 1941, Sullivan Co., TN) m.  June 28, 1911 in Sullivan Co., TN to George Oliver Gammon (b.  July 7, 1874/or June 25, 1875, Blountville, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Jan. 26, 1917/or July 30, 1958), son of George Fammon and Barsheba 'Barsha Ellen' Rutledge)

(XII)---Matilda I. Rhea - (b. 1879, Sullivan Co., TN)

**Sarah "Sallie" Preston Rhea..........(daughter of Robert Preston Rhea and Nancy Davidson)
Born Feb. 12, 1841 in Sullivan County, Tennessee
Died July 31, 1920  at her home on Lookout Mountain, Dade Co., Georgia.  Buried in family cemetery, near their homeplace, located close to Covenant College, where the Lookout Mt. Hotel once stood.  Her gravestone inscription says  "MOTHER" and footstone is inscribed "S. P. J. "

Married Feb. 12, 1861 at Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church, 2 miles
from Bluff City, Sullivan County, Tennessee:

 **Rev. Courtland Columbus Jackson..........(son of Asa Keyes Jackson and Princess Lobdell) Born July 28, 1825 in Westerlo, Albany Co., New York
Died June 9, 1912  at his home on Lookout Mountain, Dade Co., Georgia.  Buried near his homeplace in the family cemetery on Lookout Mountain, Georgia side, near Covenant College, where the Lookout Mt. Hotel once stood.  On his gravestone is inscribed, "He Was A Friend To Man."

He was a minister and teacher, graduating from the School of Divinity in Pennsylvania, who taught in mission work at Marquis, Georgia.  He was known to his family as "Columbus" and moved to the Mountain of Lookout before the Civil War.  He also was inclined to write poetry.  In 1856 he purchased 400 acres of land on the Mountain for $1.00 per acre.  When he died, he was one of the oldest residents of the Mountain.

According to information in "LOOKOUT:  the story of a MOUNTAIN"  by Robert Sparks Walker, Copyright 1941 by Southern Publishers, Inc.:
.
    "In 1878, Miss Mary Strickland, accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Van Antwerp of Montclair, New Jersey, came to visit Lookout Mountain.  While there she opened a school in the old Lookout Mountain Educational Institutions' buildings where she taught during the years 1878 and 1879.  At the same time a Sunday school was held regularly at the place.
.
   Miss Strickland had thirty pupils enrolled, among them being Courtland Stonewall Jackson, son of Courtland Columbus Jackson, a physician and teacher, who left Albany County, New York, in 1859 and settled on Lookout Mountain.  Doctor Jackson was in the employment of the American Sunday School Union of Philadelphia, organizing Sunday Schools and installing libraries.  Jackson Hill, the site of the Lookout Mountain Hotel, is a part of the Jackson farm.  The old Jackson farm house is situated on the west bench of the mountain below the hotel.  C. C. Jackson was not related to Dr. R. M. S. Jackson who was in charge of the government hospital on Lookout Mountain at the close of the Civil War."

Columbus and Sallie had nine children:  [ Having recently been united with a Jackson cousin, I've learned that there were indeed nine children, but only eight that lived.  Princess Palmyra cannot be accounted for by the Jackson family, although she is listed in the Lobdell family history.  Columbus had a sister named Princess Palmyra, born 10 March 1820, who married Baltis Sigsbee.  I will be updating any information as I receive it. (09-21-99) ]

(I)------Princess Palmyra Jackson - (b. Dec. 19, 1861 - d. March 25, 1884)

(II)-----Rhea "Roena" Jackson - (b. March 28,1864 - d. after Jan. 1931) m. Clarence Moorman abt. 1898.  Rhea was postmistress at Marquis, Georgia in 1902. [According to an obituary of a Mr. Clarence Moorman found in a Chattanooga newspaper, believed to be Rhea Jackson's husband, he  "died at his home on the Johnson pike, St. Elmo, Thursday night after a short illness.  Besides his wife, he is survived by one daughter, Sarah, and one son, Robert; two sisters, Mrs. Clara Feighner, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Mrs. Walter Ferguson, of Anderson, Ind., and one brother, William, of Holridge, Neb.  Funeral services will be held this morning at 9:30 from the Coulter funeral home, the Rev. J. E. Wolfe officiating.  Interment in the family cemetery on Lookout mountain.  The pallbearers will be Lewis James, D. A. Higdon, S. R. Higdon, J. N. Vincent, M. M. Dean and E. E. Bazzelle."]

(III)----Robert Matthew Jackson - (b. Oct. 31/Nov. 01, 1867/1868, Dade Co., GA - d. Oct. 27, 1918, Dade Co., GA) m. Sept. 23, 1887 Mary Maude Little (Dec. 25, 1869, New York - d. April 18, 1935)  and lived on Lookout Mountain, GA.  Robert was a farmer.  (Both are buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Lookout Mt., GA, in unmarked graves next to their son and daughter-in-law, Ernest DeWitt Jackson and Charlotte A. Mulkey).

          (1)Ernest DeWitt Jackson (b. Feb. 6, 1895, Georgia - d. June 20, 1944, Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., TN., buried Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Lookout Mt., GA; inscription "In Loving Memory") m.  Jan. 1934 Charlotte A. Mulkey (b. Feb. 7, 1900, Tennessee - d. April 20, 1982, Marietta, Cobb Co., GA, buried Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Lookout Mt., GA; inscription "Mother"), Ernest lived in Pittsburgh, Walker Co., GA. and had one child, Mary Frances Jackson.

          (2) Myrtle Maude Jackson (deceased) m. Ned Sullivan, three children: (i)-Christine Sullivan  (ii)-Geneva Sullivan  (iii)-Dennis Sullivan

          (3) Ethel Jackson m. George Jordan (1879-1918, buried Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Lookout Mt., GA), two sons:  (i)-Robert Jordan (deceased) (ii)-DeWitt Jordan.  When her  husband died, she remarried a Mr. Hoodenpyle.

          (4)  Paul R. Jackson (died at age of 72 in Rising Fawn, GA; buried in National Cemetery) m. Cora Bell Pursley (b. Aug. 18, 1900 - d. Dec. 11, 1992, in Rising Fawn, GA; buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Lookout Mt., GA), two daughters:  (i)-Kathryn Jackson Getz (b. March 14, 1920 - d. May 20, 1964; buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Lookout Mt., GA; inscription "At Rest")  (ii)-Evelyn Jackson (b. Oct. 7, 1924 - d. May 15, 1979; buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Lookout Mt., GA; inscription "John 3:16")

(IV)----Courtland Stonewall Jackson - (b. Jan. 26, 1870, Lookout Mt., Dade Co., Georgia - d. May 16, 1941, Lookout Mt., GA; buried in Jackson Family Cemetery, near old homeplace, where Covenant College is located; inscription "His Record Is Above"), lived with his mother on Lookout Mt.  He was known to his family as "Courtland."  May have later married; information pending.

 (V)--**Nancy Virginia Jackson (b. Dec. 26, 1871, probably at Lookout Mt., Dade Co., GA - d. March 31, 1930) m. March 11, 1899, Sullivan Co., TN to Josiah Edward "Ned" Rhea (b. Jan. 10, 1877, Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN - d. Aug. 5, 1944, Panama City, Bay Co., FL; buried in an unmarked grassy grave next to his daughter-in-law, Jeraldine Cullen Rhea's parents at Greenwood Cemetery, Panama City, Bay Co., FL), two children: (1) Lysle Edward Rhea (May 1, 1906-June 21, 1971) (2) Gwendolyn "Gwen" Preston Rhea (May 19, 1907-Aug. 23, 1947).  Nancy was a school teacher.  Josiah resided at Bluff City, Route 3, Sullivan Co., TN.  At one time they lived at Piney Flats, TN.  Nancy lived and taught school in a one-room school house on Lookout Mt., Chattanooga, TN or GA;  moved to Florida about 1922, taught chemistry, science and history at Panama City High School from 1922-1925.  Nancy's remaining relatives don't know where Nancy died or is buried.  Her death date is recorded in a family Bible of her daughter-in-law, Ora Jeraldine Cullen Rhea.
 
 

(VI)----Augusta Lee/or B. "Gussie" Jackson - (b. July 2, 1872) m.  John Jacob "Jack" Stults and lived in  ??"Alberton, Canada,"  had three children, eldest named John K. "Jack" Stults.  Jack was Captain of a Company of Boy Scouts who were chosen to witness the Coronation of King George.
 

Baby John K. Stults

Augusta Jackson Stults

(VIII)--Reverdy Preston Jackson - (b. March 8, 1880, d. Jan. 13, 1931, Chattanooga, TN; buried in Chattanooga Memorial Park; obituary in Chattanooga Times, Wednesday, Jan. 14, states that he died Tuesday morning at 12:30 at his home in North Chattanooga) m. Lillian Berry and lived in Chattanooga, TN.  According to a Rhea Genealogy, compiled about 1928, Reverdy was a wholesale grocer in Chattanooga, TN.  The obituary states that he:

        "had been employed by the local office of the American Railway Express agency for the past twenty-three years.  He was an active member of the Red Bank Methodist Episcopal church and held the offices of deacon and steward at the time of his death.  He was a member of K. of P., Valley lodge, No. 262.  Funeral services were held at 2:30 pm, Wed., Jan. 14, 1931, from his residence with the Rev. W. E. Daniels officiating.  Active pallbearers were E. J. Hicks, Cliff Jones, W. C. Harris, B. C. Lewis, R. A. Kirven and D. A. Parks.  J. Avery Bryan company in charge.  At the time of his death, his survivors included his widow; two sisters, Mrs. Clarence Moorman and Mrs. R. K. Triplett, of Chattanooga; and one brother, C. S. Jackson."

(IX)----Paul R. Jackson - (b. April 15, 1884) ...