LEON RESIDENT A FORMER SLAVE

RHEA, MCCLELLAND, COMBS, SQUIRES, PRIOR, COOK, WATSON, PERKINS

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 11/8/2009 at 15:51:22

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Iowa
Thursday, June 23, 1910

In the last issue of the Princeton Telegraph the following concerning a Leon

Resident appears:

WILLIAM RHEA, seventy-five years of age and a resident of Leon, Iowa, is
Probably the only Mercer County slave living who was freed by Abraham
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. This aged colored man was a
Mercer County visitor Monday and returned to his home yesterday after making

A visit to Mrs. JAMES COMBS and Mrs. WM. SQUIRES, grandchildren of his old
Master. He was formerly the property of SEABOLD RHEA, who emigrated from
Tennessee in 1839 and settled on a farm three miles southwest of Goshen.
Coming with Mr. RHEA and his family were three slaves, all of whom were
Natives of Georgia.

These were named WILLIAM, SIMON and TILLER, the last named a colored woman,
Who, after the death of her master and mistress, thirty years ago, took up
Her abode with the MCCLELLAND family at Leon and afterwards married there,
Dying a few years ago. SIMON died in this county and is buried in the Goshen

Cemetery. WILLIAM, the only survivor, now in his seventy-sixth year, is a
Hale and hearty old Negro, with a good memory. He spent a few hours in
Princeton Monday and talked interestingly of the old days. He had been to
The old RHEA homestead, now occupied by BAZIL MELTON and family, but saw
Little there that he could remember. In fact, an aged oak tree was the only
Landmark that he was sure he recognized. Acquaintances of the old slave
Inform us that after the death of his master he moved to Leon, where, by
Economy and industry, he accumulated considerable property. He is honest
And reliable and is held in high regard by the people of that section. He
Never married.
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I will give a summary of Sebird (spelled many different ways) Rhea family;
William Rhea and the Josiah McClelland families & how they are related..
Some of the information has come from the Mercer County, Mo website:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~momercer/index.html There are pictures
Of Sebird and his wife, Nancy (Cook) Rhea on the Ancient Faces page; also
Their daughter Mariah, who married 'Elder' Reuben Perkins.

Mercer County, MO Lineages:

SEIBIRD SMITH RHEA was born February 12, 1795 in Botetourt County, VA., the
Son of EZEKIEL and ELIZABETH (PRIOR) RHEA. He married NANCY COOK, the
Daughter of ROBERT and SUSANNAH (WATSON) COOK on January 23, 1817 and 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; SUSAN; ROBERT P.; RANSOM HOUSTON; AMANDA; PERMELIA H.;
And M.C. Leaving the oldest son SPARTIN F. Who later came through on
Horseback. They purchased two claims in what was known as the "Goshen
Prairie", situated about eight miles southwest of Princeton, and about three

Miles southwest of Goshen. They were the third permanent settlers here.
SEBIRD died February 2, 1878 and is buried in the Goshen Cemetery. NANCY
COOK RHEA died February 3, 1879 near Goshen. She is also buried at the
Goshen Cemetery.
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Elder REUBEN PERKINS was born in White county, Tennessee February 8, 1816.
He was married to MARIAH RHEA on July 2, 1819 (sic) and moved to Mercer
County in 1838. They were the parents of 13 children: LOUISA F.; JESSE
LICURGIS; NANCY ANN; JAMES BIRCH; LUCY MUNDAIN; AMANDA COOK; LEVI FIELDEN;
CINTHA ELIZABETH; MARGRET JANE; MARY ADELIA; DICY MARIAH; ALMEDA MABEL; and
SUSAN AMELIA. REUBEN joined the Christian Church at age 16; he was ordained
At the age of 25. He died March 13, 1896. Mariah died August 14, 1891.
They are buried at the Goshen Cemetery.

By Allie
Lambrecht
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1860 Medena; Mercer Co., MO Census:

Sebira Rhea, 65, farmer, real estate-4,000; personal estate-6,000
Nancy Rhea, 63

Living in the next house:

Clayton Rhea, 24, farmer
Maranda Rhea, 22
M.F. Rhea, 4
S.W. Rhey, 2
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1870 Leon; Center Twp; Decatur Co., IA Census:

Sebird Rhea, 75, farmer, real estate-11,000; personal estate-4,000
Nancy Rhea, 70, keeping house
Tiller Rhea, Black, 53, servant
Note: They are living in the house next to Josiah McClelland family.
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S.G. Bird Rhea (sic) - died February 2, 1878; buried Goshen Cemetery; MO
Nancy Rhea - died February 6, 1879; buried Goshen Cemetery; MO
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The first census I find WILLIAM RHEA on is:

1880 Leon; Decatur Co., IA

William Rhea, Black, 37, waiter and laborer at a restaurant owned by Samuel
A. Miller.

1900 Leon; Town; Decatur Co., IA

William Rhea, Black, Head, single
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William Rhea died in 1910 and is buried in the Leon Cemetery; IA
( I will look for an obituary for him - as he died after the article that
was written June 23, 1910..)
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Cool... My great grandmother Ola Hacker has a reference to Bill in her
Memoirs.

" Bill Rhea, an ex-slave, lived with Eva Rhea. Her father had given Bill
His freedom but he stayed with Eva and did odd jobs. He always raked leaves
In the fall and piled them in the road, then would come at dusk and light
Them. What fun we girls had with him. He always had candy for us."

By Brian Gegner
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TO BE CONTINUED . . . JOSIAH R. MCCLELLAND FAMILY.