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[Biographical info from 2014 GEDCOM import by Kirsten Rose. This info is similar to that found in many online trees.]
William was born in 1752. He died in 1856 (or 1836 [1] ).
WILLIAM COLLINGS3 REA (JAMES2, JOHN RAY/1 RHEA) was born March 06, 1752 in Virginia, and died May 27, 1856 in Milton, Rutherford, Tennessee [2] He married (1) SARAH. She died November 22, 1858 in Milton, TN. [3] (2) WINNIFORD WILSON Abt. 1777 in Henry Co., VA, daughter of J. WILSON and MARY GOODING. She was born in Henry Co., VA, and died Unknown.
In 1783 was granted land in Tennessee, 7 miles from Bledsoes Lick [citation needed] , and in 1789 he received land in Davidson Co. (Then most of central Tennessee) on the South side of the Cumberland River. [citation needed]
More About WILLIAM REA and WINNIFORD WILSON:
According to Dallas Rea [4]
Marriage: Abt. 1777, Henry Co., VA
Children of WILLIAM REA and WINNIFORD WILSON are:
In 1816 William C. Rea became an elder at Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Milton TN. [2]
Burial: Cook Cemetery, Milton, Rutherford, Tennessee
William Collings Rea is buried with his second wife Sarah "consort of"
[2]
[End of info from GEDCOM import]
[Alternate Biography]
William Collins Rea was born ~1755 in Cumberland County, Virginia Colony.
[5]
The Rea family left Cumberland County in the mid to late 1760s and moved to an area near the Little Marrowbone Creek in what is now Henry County, Virginia.
[6]
William C Rea married Winnifred Wilson ~1776. [5]. The annual personal property tax records show that they lived continuously in Henry County through 1811.
[7]
After his father died (~1789), William C Rea inherited most of the Rea family land
[8]
,probably with the understanding that he would care for his mother. His mother, Joanna, must have died ~1794 and William sold the land in 1795, except for the grounds where both his parents were buried.
[9]
After selling this land and another parcel in 1797
[10]
he remained in Henry County until ~1811.
Sometime after 1812 he settled in Warren County, Tennessee, near to where his brother John Rea was living. In 1814 he filed an entry for a small 15 acre tract of land which was adjacent to a 100 acre tract owned by his brother, John.
[11]
In 1815 he made a deed of gift to his son John and youngest daughter Hannah, giving them his household items and livestock. He probably died not long afterwards. At the time, William was living less than a quarter mile from the old Ray/Rhea Cemetery and although no stone has been found it’s very possible that this cemetery is his burial spot. [5]
Postscript:
Records in Marion County, Tennessee suggest that William Collins Rea’s widow, Winnifred, daughters Hannah and Jane Rea (m. John Overturf), and a probable son, Thomas Ray, all went to Marion County starting around 1822. After Winnifred died (~1830), the families dispersed, with most of them coming to Franklin County, Illinois where William Collins Rea’s oldest son, Wilson Rea, had established residence.
[12]
Ray-9765 18:10, 9 September 2023 (UTC)
[End Alternate Biography]
Birth: William Collins Rea was likely born ~1755. The 1770 personal property tax record for Pittsylvania Co VA shows that his father, James Rea Sen., has only one tithable [13] , which implies no son between 16-21 yrs old (i.e. b 1749-1754), so Wm C Rea probably born after ~1754. The James Rea family was living in Cumberland County, Virginia Colony as early as 1752, so Cumberland County is likely his place of birth.
Marriage: No marriage record has been found for William C Rea and Winnifred Wilson. However, If he was born ~1755 William would have been 21 yrs. old ~1776 which would be a typical marriage age for a male of this period. This is consistent with the probable birth date of his son, Wilson Rea (b ~1777). [Wilson Rea's obituary suggests that Wilson was b ~1770, but Wilson is not found as a tithable (over 16) until 1795, which would put his birth nearer 1778. The year 1778 is compatible with the 1850 census record, which shows Wilson Rea's age as 72. However, Wilson's marriage in Jan, 1796 would imply a very early marriage age (~17) and there is some evidence of this in his marriage record]
Children: Approximate dates of known children augmented by speculation based on a 2-3 year birth cycle. Entries without names would typically correspond either to a female or a male who did not reach adulthood. The gaps suggest at least several daughters and perhaps several children who died young.
Death: William Collins Rea probably died not long after he wrote a deed of gift in Warren Co TN in Oct, 1815. [14] In the deed of gift he gives and bequeaths his household goods and livestock to his son John and youngest daughter Hannah, with John also to get the crops John had raised on his land. The language of the gift suggests that it may have served in lieu of a LWT. William was living less than a quarter mile from the old Ray/Rhea Cemetery [15] and although no stone has been found it’s very possible that this cemetery is his burial spot.
Ray-9765 18:10, 9 September 2023 (UTC)
William C. Rea signed a marriage bond for his son Wilson Rea who wed Fanney Franklin in Henry Co., VA January 09, 1796.
MARRIAGE BOND TRANSCRIPT (Transcription by ?, similar but not exactly the same as one made by Dallas P Rea (1979))
Following information was researched by Lela C. Adams. Her collection is housed at the Bassett Branch Historical Center, Bassett, VA
Rea-545 was created by Kirsten Rose through the import of Rose_2012-01-29_2014-06-26.ged on Jun 26, 2014.
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His father, James Rea, used the spelling "Rea". Almost all records for William Collins Rea use the spelling "Rea" (There are a few rare instances of "Ray" or even "Rhea".)
(Note: Only a Profile Manager can make this change.)
The William Rea/Ray who appears in various records of Wilson and Rutherford Co, TN is often presumed to be William Collins Rea, originally of Henry Co, VA. My attached research note examines numerous records for William Rea/Ray in Wilson & Rutherford Counties and provides evidence that these are two different people.
As a result of this misidentification numerous items found in many trees for William Collins Rea are incorrect. These include his birthplace/date (1752, Ireland), death place/date (1856, Rutherford Co, TN), and the existence of a second wife (Sarah) and child (Eliza).
edited by Roger Ray