Captain
Joseph
Rea
Born in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of
Mehitable (Thorndike) Rea
— married
30 Aug 1755 in Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts Bay
Descendants 
Father of
Mary Rea, Joseph Rea, Ebenezer Eugene Rea, Isaac Rea, Gideon Rea, Molly (Rea) Ober, Mehitable (Rea) Thorndike and Ruth Rea
Died
at age 61
in Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States
Profile last modified
| Created 27 Oct 2016
This page has been accessed 172 times.
Biography
Captain Joseph Rea served with Essex County, Massachusetts Militia during the American Revolution.
Joseph was baptized at Beverly, August 1, 1736. He died "suddenly," on June 13, 1798. He served in the Revolution as Commander of the Company raised to defend the seacoast of Essex County, serving the Lines stationed at Beverly.[1]
Joseph and Mehitable Thorndike declared their intentions August 30, 1755 and married September 24, 1755 at Hampton, New Hampshire. Their children were:
- Mary (1756
- Joseph (1758-1759)
- Ebenezer (1760)
- Gideon (1764)
- Molly (1766)
- Joseph (1771)
- Ruth (1773)
- Lydia (1776)
Ebenezer and Isaac petitioned the court and it was granted on February 26, 1811, that they could change their surname from Rea to Ray. [2][3]
Home
The 2 1/2 story home Captain John Thorndike had built between 1696 and 1702 was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. [4] It is located 184 Hale Street in Beverly, Massachusetts. An original beam has "1702" inscribed in relief. A Plaque on the front of the home reads, "Built for Capt. John Thorndike Gentleman...1696 Home of Capt. Joseph Rea Seacoast Co. 1775, referring to his service in the American Revolution defending the coastline for Massachusetts. His wife, Mehitable, was the granddaughter of John Thorndike and she received 1/3 rights to the home and property through his will.[5]
A Plaque on the front of the home reads, "Built for Capt. John Thorndike Gentleman...1696 Home of Capt. Joseph Rea Seacoast Co. 1775, referring to his serivce in the American Revolution defending the coastline. Joseph served in the Revolutionary War on the ship "Resource". Merchant ship captain after the war. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63848794/joseph-rea: accessed 21 July 2023), memorial page for Capt Joseph Rea (1 Aug 1736–13 Jun 1798), Find a Grave Memorial ID 63848794, citing Central Cemetery, Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by V. Nareen Lake (contributor 46613568).
Sources
- ↑ Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War: A Compilation from the Archives, Prepared and Published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Accordance with Chapter 100, Resolves of 1891. Vol. 11 United States: Wright and Potter Printing Company, State Printers, 1903. Pgs. 312, 39, 606, 607, 1002, 1004, 1026. See also other volumes.
- ↑ Peirce, Henry Bailey. List of Persons Whose Names Have Been Changed in Massachusetts. 1780-1883. United States: Wright and Potter Printing Company, state printers, 1885.Pg. 23
- ↑ Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. United States: Lewis historical Publishing Company, 1908. Volume 3, Pg 1640.
- ↑ John Thorndike House
- ↑ Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB515/rd/13880/27549-co1/248366896
- FamilySearch.org: [1] source shows a list of all of Joseph and Mehitabel's children
- Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
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Rea-1048 Joseph Rea b. 29 Jul 1736 d. 13 June 1798 Beverly MA
Both were the father of Ebenezer Rea (1760-1843). (Two profiles currently exist for Ebenezer.)
Rea-2974 was created in 2023 from his Find A Grave profile. Rea-1048 was created in 2016 and has better documentation.
Note: Joseph was born in Salem on 29 July 1736. He was baptized in Beverly on 1 Aug 1736. He is the son of Gideon Rea and Mary Herrick.