Bios:  RHEA, Clarence B., Indiana Co, PA

SUBJECT: RHEA, Clarence B.
SUBMITTER: E.K. Warner
EMAIL: wgene@twd.net
DATE: Feb 06, 2000
PASSWORD>
SURNAMES: Barkley, Cadwell, Cooper, Fairman, Gillen, Graham, Kunkle,
Lydick, Lyons, McFarlin, McHenry, Stutchel, Rhea
as recorded by Prof. J. T. Stewart in Indiana County, Pennsylvania
- Her People, Past and Present
Published by J. H. Beers & Co., 1913 Reformatted by E.K. Warner, February
2000

CLARENCE B. RHEA, who is carrying on agricultural operations in Young
township, and is also the proprietor of a livery business near Jacksonville,
Indiana Co., Pa., was born Sept. 12, 1879, in Center township, Indiana
county, and is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Stutchel) Rhea.

William Rhea, the paternal grandfather of Clarence B. Rhea, was born
May 10, 1805, in Center township, Indiana county, and there spent
his entire life on a well-cultivated farm, on which he made numerous
improvements, including a brick residence, barn and other buildings.
During his declining years he was tenderly cared for by his daughter-in-law,
the wife of his son Alexander Rhea, and to her he willed the farm
in appreciation of her loving devotion. He was a member of the United
Presbyterian Church, in the faith of which he died, and he was buried
at Jacksonville cemetery. In political matters he was a Republican,
although he was never an office seeker, and took only a good citizen's
interest in matters of a public nature. On Dee. 21, 1826, he was married
to Ann McFarlin, who was born Sept. 3, 1803, and died Sept. 20, 1857,
in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church; she was buried in
Jacksonville cemetery.

Alexander Rhea, son of William Rhea, and father of Clarence B. Rhea,
was born Dec. 5, 1831, in Center township, Indiana county, and there
received his education in the district schools and was reared to agricultural
pursuits. He always remained on the homestead place, where he became
extensively engaged in raising cattle and dealing in cattle and horses,
in this line being known all over the county. His reputation was that
of an upright, honest citizen, with the highest business principles,
and while he met with reverses in his ventures he never never lost
the confidence of those who were associated with him in any of his
enterprises. Progressive in his ideas, and possessed of great public
spirit, he was instrumental in advancing the interests of his community
in a material manner, and throughout Indiana county he could boast
of a host of friends and well-wishers. Politically he was a Republican.
He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and was laid to
rest in Oakland cemetery, at Indiana.

Alexander Rhea was united in marriage with Elizabeth Stutchel, daughter
of Thomas and Margaret (Kunkle) Stutchel, and she still survives,
living at Jacksonville, where she is an active member of the United
Presbyterian Church. They had the following children : Anna, born
Sept. 20, 1864, married Dudley C. Lyons, of Derry township, Westmoreland
county; Laura J., born Jan. 10, 1866, married Stewart Graham Sept.
1, 1887; William B. T., born Aug. 1, 1867, married Mary Barkley, and
is a resident of Youngwood, Westmoreland Co., Pa.; Henry H., born
Jan. 13, 1870, is residing in Young township; Albert T., born Sept.
11, 1871, is deceased; George W., born Sept. 21, 1873, was married
March 13, 1902, to Mary Kunkle; Calvin A., born Jan. 23, 1877, was
married Feb. 22, 1904, to Minnie Gillen and resides in Illinois; Clarence
B. is mentioned below; Charles W., born Dec. 15, 1881, died Jan. 9,
1882; Lillis M., born May 9, 1884, died Sept. 18, 1884; Leslie H.,
born Sept. 20, 1886, married Margaret Cooper, and is engaged in farming
in Illinois.

Clarence B. Rhea, son of Alexander Rhea, received his education in
the public schools of Center township, and worked at home with his
father until he was nineteen years of age, at which time he accepted
a position in the lumber and saw mill of J. E. Frick, of Indiana,
there becoming thoroughly conversant with all the details of the business.
In 1900 he embarked in the manufacture of lumber, with a portable
sawmill, and during the next ten years conducted a successful business,
cutting and sawing lumber in Young, Conemaugh, Blacklick and Center
townships, principally under contract to railroad companies, furnishing
ties and other building material to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
and the B. R. & P. Railroad Company. In the meantime, in 1907, Mr.
Rhea began agricultural operations, on the T. S. Neal farm near Jacksonville,
a tract of 118 acres which he has been cultivating ever since. Here
he erected a fine dwelling house and remodeled the barn and other
buildings, made modern improvemeets of all kinds, and now has one
of the finest tracts of its size in Indiana county. In connection
with his farm he has estatefished a livery stable, where he keeps
horses and buggies for hire, and during the past three years has also
operated a steam power threshing outfit during the season, in Young
and adjoining townships. He has met with gratifying success in all
of his ventures, and the position he has gained is all the more satisfactory
in that it has been attained entirely through the medium of his own
effort. In political matters Mr. Rhea is a Republican, but he is no
offlce seeker, although in 1911 he was appointed supervisor of roads,
and in 1912 was elected to that office for a term of four years.

In 1900 Mr. Rhea was married to Martha Olive Lyons, daughter of Alexander
Lyons, and they have had seven children : Oliver Boyd, Clarence P.,
Olive Lyons, Glenn, two who died in infancy, and William Howard.

On the maternal side, Mr. Rhea is descended from an old and honored
family of Indiana county, which was founded here by John Stutchel,
his great-great-grandfather, who came to White township in 1785, and
whose children were : Abraham, who married Barbara Lydick; Christopher;
Jacob, who married Margaret Fairman; Mary, who married John McHenry;
and a daughter who married a Mr. Caldwell.

Christopher Stutchel, son of John Stutchel, was a farmer of White
township, and served as a soldier during the war of 1812. His wife's
name was Elizabeth, and they had several children.

Thomas Stutchel, son of Christopher, and grandfather of Clarence B.
Rhea, was born March 31, 1810, and spent his life in White township,
Indiana county, where he was married May 20, 1841, to Margaret Kunkle,
who was born March 1, 1826, and they had several children.;

Elizabeth Stutchel, daughter of Thomas Stutchel, was born Oct. 15,
1843, married Alexander Rhea, a farmer of Center township, and still
survives, making her home in Jacksonville.




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