BIOGRAPHIES - RHEA, Albert Gallatin, Logan County, Kentucky From: Laura Gill Date: 13 Jun 2001 HISTORY of KENTUCKY The Blue Grass State 322886 VOLUME III ILLUSTRATED THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO - LOUISVILLE 1928 Pages 237, 238, 239 ALBERT GALLATIN RHEA As a newspaper publisher and citizen, Albert Gallatin Rhea has made substantial contribution toward the development of Russellville, his native town, where he has creditably filled public offices of trust and honor. He traces his ancestry to the colonial epoch in American history and through his achievements has brought added luster to a name which for more than a century has been an honored one in southern Kentucky. Mr. Rhea's forebears in the paternal line emigrated from the north of Ireland to the new world, settling in North Carolina when that region was largely a wilderness, and subsequently crossed the Cumberland mountains on their journey to Tennessee. His great- grandfather, Dr. Robert Rhea, was a successful physician and practiced in Tennessee for many years. He was a soldier in the Continental army and his father also served in the Revolutionary war. John Rhea, another son of the latter, was elected to congress and for twenty years represented Tennessee in the national halls of legislation. Charles Rhea, a son of Dr. Robert Rhea, was born in 1790 near Knoxville, Tennessee, and in his youth moved to Kentucky, becoming widely known as a journalist. In 1812, when twenty-two years of age, he started the Russellville Messenger, of which he was editor and publisher, and for many years this was the only newspaper west of Louisville. It has been in continuous operation for one hundred and four years and is now known as the News-Democrat, Albert G. Rhea being the present owner. The constitution of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, adopted and ratified by the Synod of Cumberland held at Suggs Creek, Tennessee, April 5, 1814, was printed and published in a book of one hundred and thirty- seven pages in 1821 in the establishment of Charles Rhea, who had one of the best plants of that period. He supported the whig party and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South: He was a victim of the cholera epidemic of July, 1835, and died at the age of fortyfive years. He had married Clarissa Roberts, who was born at Frankfort, Kentucky, in March, 1800, and passed away at Russellville in 1863. Their son, Albert Gallatin Rhea, Sr., was born February 3, 1822, and read law under the supervision of Judges Elijah Hise and Ephraim Ewing, of Russellville, where he always made his home. He was a man of high legal attainments and following the close of the Civil war was circuit judge of the seventh judicial district, which position he filled with distinction. He enjoyed a large practice of a most important character and was local attorney for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company from the time of its organization until his death, November 25, 1884. He was first a whig and later supported the democratic party, was a member of the lower house of the Kentucky assembly for two terms and afterward served as state senator. He was a member of the Episcopal church, a Royal Arch Mason and a man of exemplary character, honored and respected by all who were brought within the sphere of his influence. His wife, Jane (Stockdale) Rhea, was also a lifelong resident of Russellville. She was born May 24, 1828, and her demise occurred on the 4th of May, 1899. She was a daughter of Thomas Ward and Laurenda (Hise) Stockdale, the latter of whom was born in August, 1800, in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and died at Russellville in June, 1884. Thomas W. Stockdale was born in Durham, England, in 1790, and devoted his attention to mercantile affairs. He was a Jacksonian democrat and a member of the Episcopal church. He attained the age of forty-eight years, passing away at New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1838. His parents, Thomas Ward and Minerva (Ward) Stockdale, were also natives of England and always resided in that country. His father was a shipbuilder and also engaged in merchandising. In the family of Albert G. and Jane (Stockdale) Rhea were eight children: Elizabeth, who was united in marriage to A. C. Brizendine, a traveling salesman, and died at the age of thirty-eight; Martha J., who died in infancy; John S., who served for eight years as county attorney of Logan county, for a similar length of time as representative of the third congressional district of Kentucky in congress, and for eight years was judge of the seventh judicial district; Jennie, who passed away at Russellville, when forty-six years of age; Albert Gallatin, Jr.; Charles, who became a successful lawyer and died at Russellville at the age of forty-eight years; Merrie; and Thomas S., who served as sheriff of Logan county, as state treasurer and also as president of the Southern Deposit Bank of Russellville. In 1913 three members of this prominent family, John S., Thomas S. and Albert G., were residing with their sister in Russellville, at which time John S. Rhea was circuit judge, Thomas S. Rhea was state treasurer and A. G. Rhea was sheriff of Logan county. Albert G. Rhea, Jr., was born February 9, 1861, and became a student at Bethel College, which he attended until he reached the age of sixteen, when he entered the Bank of Russellville in the capacity of errand boy. His diligence and fidelity to duty were rewarded by promotion to the position of bookkeeper. He was later made teller and remained with the bank until 1897, when he became editor of the Herald-Ledger of Russellville. He was connected with the paper until 1905 and during that time was city clerk for four years. From 1903 until 1905 inclusive Mr. Rhea was a member of the state board of equalization under Governor Beckham and represented the second appellate court district of Kentucky. In 1906 he was appointed tax deputy sheriff, serving under his brother, Thomas S. Rhea, whom he succeeded at the end of four years, and filled the office of sheriff for a similar period. He was afterward tax deputy sheriff under Sheriffs Taylor and Stewart and in 1911 became a director of the Bank of Russellville. He was elected its president in 1919 and has since remained at the head of the institution, which was founded in 1873 and for fifty-three years has been a vital element in the upbuilding of this locality. Mr. Rhea's connection with political affairs constitutes an important chapter in his life record. In July, 1886, he was chosen a member of the democratic executive committee of Logan county, on which he represented precinct No. 3 until July, 1913, when he moved to precinct No. 4. He was unanimously elected to fill the vacancy in this voting district, which is now known as precinct No. 5, and has since been retained as its representative on the county executive committee, of which he was secretary for six years and chairman for fifteen years. In 1897 he was elected a member of the democratic state central committee by the third congressional district and served until 1904. In 1908 he was chosen a member of the democratic executive committee from the state at large and in 1912 was reelected, serving until 1915. Mr. Rhea has been a member of the Russellville board of education for a period of ten years and was recently reelected without opposition for another term of four years. He is connected with the Russellville Board of Trade and through the columns of his paper champions every project destined to prove of benefit to his town and the surrounding district. Since its organization in 1918 he has been chairman of the executive committee of the Logan County Chapter of the Red Cross and holds a life membership in that society. He was actively associated with the local drives during the World war and for three years was a member of the Kentucky National Guard. He is a Rotarian and for diversion turns to reading and motoring. He is affiliated with the Episcopal church and his fraternal connections were with the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias. ------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ------------------------------------------------------