JAMES T. RHEA
OBITUARY
James T. Rhea, Lumber dealer and President of Somerville Bank and Trust Company. Shot and Instantly killed Sunday night.
Returning from Church he passed through his back premises and to a chicken yard gate near the back yard of J. N. Pulliam. Mr. Pulliam heard something in his chicken yard and thinking he saw a man crouching by the fence fired three times. He fired three shots not knowing he had struck Mr. Rhea. Mr. Pulliam went back into his house. Nearly an hour passed before the body of Mr. Rhea was discovered.
He was born in Sullivan County, Tennessee, 67 years ago and lived there until after close of the war. Son of James D. Rhea of that county. During war he joined Home Guards, a Confederate organization of that county and was member of Company of Capt. White, notable Confederate leader of East Tennessee.
Member of Presbyterian Church. Served as Superintendent of Sunday School. Educated at King College, Bristol, Tennessee. Married to Mary Frances Rhea, daughter of Matthew Rhea of Fayette County who survived him and four children, Rev. Alfred Rhea of Augusta, Arkansas, James D. Rhea, an attorney of Memphis, Howard M. Rhea of Washington City, D. C. and Mrs. J. K. Crawford of Williston.
Ten nephews acted as pallbearers. Funeral at Presbyterian Church and buried at Somerville Cemetery.
(NOTE: June 17, 1847 - July 5, 1914).
James T. Rhea was the great-grandfather of MARY KAY DANCY SMITH.