Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 440 - 441

ROBERT M. RHEA, whose farm is pleasantly located on section 36, in Grand River Township, came to this county from his native State of Ohio in 1878, and purchased 160 acres of school land, paying therefor the sum of $510. His residence is near the little village of Garden Plain, and the home with its surroundings denotes the supervision of an intelligent farmer and capable business man, who at the same time has proved a useful member of society, and one deserving of the esteem and confidence of the people around him.

             The parents of our subject, Alex and Sarah (Conger) Rhea, were also natives of the Buckeye State, and at the time, of the birth of Robert M., which took place on the 15th of April, 1848, were residents of Dixon Township, Preble County. The family originated in Ireland, and the first representatives in this country settled in Virginia, while North Carolina was the home of the Congers. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Robert Rhea, removed from the Old Dominion to Ohio during the period of its early history, and his son Alex, the father of our subject, was born not long afterward, on the 14th of January, 1813.

             In early manhood Alex Rhea was a Whig, politically, but upon the abandonment of the old party became a Republican, and was Treasurer of Dixon Township for a period of fifteen years. He was also a devout member of the Christian Church, in which he officiated as Deacon and was one of its chief pillars. He died Dec. 16, 1880, at his home in Eaton, Preble Co., Ohio. His wife, Sarah, the mother of our subject, was born Nov. 20, 1811, and departed this life at her home in Ohio, on the 9th of September, 1877. The parents were married Feb. 18, 1834.

             The parental household of our subject included eight children, five of whom grew to years of maturity, but only two are now living. James T. was born Feb. 14, 1835, and died on the 8th of October following; John Conger was born Sept. 19, 1836, and during the Civil War was in the 100-days service; he owns property in both Sedgwick and Kingman Counties, this State. His family resides in the latter county, but he at present is holding down a claim in Washington Territory; he is the father of four children. William L. was born Nov. 11, 1840, and died July 7, 1854; Sarah C. was born March 26, 1843, and died on the 13th of March, 1866; she became the wife of Michael Pentecost, of Indiana, and left one child, a daughter Eva, who is now the wife of Charles Witter, of Lane County, this State; Robert M., of our sketch, was the next in order of birth; Mary E. was born July 14, 1851, and died on the 12th of August, 1875; she was the wife of James W. Pattenger, and left two children-James M. and Charles A. Samantha C. was born Jan. 14, 1854, became the wife of Julius Lane, of Ohio, and departed this life on the 27th of June, 1877, leaving one child, a son, Vespasian.

             The early days of our subject were spent on the farm where he was born, and he received a good education in the common schools. When twenty-two years of age he commenced the cultivation of land on his own account, which he followed in his native township until a man of thirty years. He had been married at the age of twenty to Miss Sarah E. Harvey, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Ohio, on the 26th of July, 1868. Mrs. Rhea is a native of Union County, Ind., where she was born May 17, 1848, and is the daughter of Samuel and Sophronia (Hazleton) Harvey, natives of Tennessee. They were the parents of nine children, and Mrs. Rhea was next to the youngest. Her eldest brother, William N., is married and lives in Howard County, Ind.; Isabelle is the wife of William Beall, of Clifton County, Ind.; Mehitable, Mrs. Jacob Nelson, lives in Labette County, this State, and is the mother of several children; Levi P. served in the army as Corporal and died in 1862; Mary is the wife of John G. Larsh, of Preble County, Ohio, and the mother of several children; Ann, Mrs. Moses Harvey, lives in Union County, Ind., and has two children; Martha J., the wife of Absalom G. Collins, lives in Sweetwater, Monroe Co., Tenn., and has six children; Royal M. is farming in Rice County, this State, is married and the father of two children. The father of Mrs. Rhea died at his home in Preble County, Ohio, in 1875, and the mother followed ten years later, dying in the summer of 1885.

             The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Rhea are recorded as follows: Samantha L. was born July 4, 1869, and died Dec. 24, 1878, when an interesting child nine years of age; her remains were laid to rest in the country cemetery in Attica Township, known as Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. Rolandus Everheard was born Feb. 25, 1872, and is living at home; Royal Conger was born Nov. 22, 1874, and Orvie, Feb. 29, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Rhea occupied a small farm in Preble County, Ohio, about four years, and our subject then not being satisfied with the outlook, sold out and came to this county. He has found no reason to repent of his removal, and has one of the pleasantest homes in Grand River Township. Both he and his wife were reared in the doctrines of the Christian Church, but there being no organization of the kind in this township, united with the Baptists. In this church our subject is a Deacon and Trustee, and both he and his estimable lady are numbered among the most valued members. Mr. R. is a Republican politically, but has steadily declined becoming an office-seeker.

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