Sebird Smith Rhea - 1795-1878 - From Tennessee to Missouri A Short History of the Sebird Smith Rhea Family, 1795 to 1910 "Sebird Rhea, born in Virginia, Febuary 12, 1795, and wife Nancy Cook(e) Rhea, born in South Carolina January 9, 1797, married January 23, 1817, moved from the state of Tennessee to the state of Missouri in 1838, bringing with them their family consisting of the following children: Mariah Perkins and her husband, Reuben Perkins; Susan; Robert P.; Ransom H.; Amanda; Permelia H,; and M.C., leaving the eldest son, Spartan F. who afterwards came through on horseback; ... also with the family came two negro women (one was Aunt "Tiller") and one negro girl. It may be interesting to know that on this long trip Sebird Rhea rode horse-back, riding on ahead of the company, in a one-horse carry-all with the two youngest children, and the others rode in the wagons pulled by oxen part of the time, while others walked and drove the cattle and loose horses. "The first stop was made in the forks of Grand River, a few miles north of where Trenton now is, in Grundy County, (but at that time what is now Grundy County and Mercer County was part of Livingston County) on what was known as the 'Lyda Farm,' leaving a part of the family there to winter, and taking those that were able to make a 'hand,' proceeded north to what is known as "Goshen Prairie" and bought two claims from Emery Hickman and Jackson Williams (two squatters), and then began to improve what is known as the "Old Rhea Farm" situated about 8 miles northwest of Princeton and about three miles southwest of Goshen. Aftewards Mr. Rhea went to the land office and entered this land. It was among the first land ever entered in the county, he being the third permanent settler here. In those days and for several years following the mail was brought from Chillicothe, Mo. and the milling done at that place. One man in the county would go to the mill and get the mail for all the rest. The bill of fare consisted of corn bread and hog meat with almost any wild game desired, and lye hominy thrown in for a change, with plenty of milk and butter, and a little "coffee, if you please", of a Sunday morning. There were all sorts of game, from the cottontail rabbit to the deer. "Along about the fall of 1847 or '48 Seabird Rhea bought of Rev. Thompson, living in Grundy county near where the town of Spickard now is, two negro boys. The oldest one whose name was William, always called "Nigger Bill", was 13 years old when he came to the Rhea farm, and the other, whose name was Simon, was about 11 years old. The two boys and the oldest negro woman (Aunt "Tiller") that he brought from Tennessee stayed with the Rhea family until the spring of 1865, when Sebird Rhea sold the old farm and moved to Leon, Iowa, taking all of them with him. Then the negro boys went to working for themselves, but in 1872 the old farm was re-purchased by him and the negro woman (Aunt "Tiller") came back to Missouri and stayed with the family until the death of Mr. and Mrs. Rhea, which occurred February 2nd, 1878 and February 6th, 1879 respectively. Then Aunt "Tiller" (the negro woman) as she was familiarly called, went to Leon, Iowa, and died March 16, 1894, living to a ripe old age. The youngest of the negro boys (Simon) died in Davies county, Mo. several years ago. The oldest one (William Rhea) died in Leon, Iowa, October 16, 1910. "In regard to the children of Sebird and Nancy Rhea: The eldest son Spartan F. married Nancy Mickey early in the '40's and eventually moved to Kansas, where he died several years ago. Mariah married Reuben Perkins in Tennessee, before they came west, and lived and died near Goshen, where they first settled. Susan married George Clinkenbeard, and lived and died in Harrison county, Mo. February 29, 1904. Robert P., better known as 'Perry,' married Lucy Prichard and finally moved to Kansas, where he died a few years ago. Ransom H., better known as 'Huston', married Lyda Evertt and lived in Harrison county, Mo., dying March 2nd, 1904. Amanda married Dr. Josiah R. McClelland, March 18, 1853. Both are buried at Leon Iowa cemetery. They had three children, Edgar Bell, Etta May (Mrs. J.P. Hall) and Emma G. (Mrs, Clark). "M. Helen married David Thompson, and are buried at Goshen Cem. Another son, Marcus L., died in childhood. M.C., known as Clayton, the youngest that came from Tennessee -- being at that time two years old, married Maranda Melton, who died many years ago, and he is now living with his only daughter in Leon, Iowa." Excerpt taken from: Rogers' History of Mercer County, Missouri, pgs 691-693. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Contributed by: MarilynQQ1 By way of: clueness@webtv.ne