Rhea County named after John Rhea – an American solider and POLITICIAN

John Rhea was born in Ireland, in 1753. He immigrated to the United States in 1769 with his parents, who settled in Philadelphia, PA. John Rhea was an American solider and politician of the early 19^th century. He was a Revolutionary War solider at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Rhea represented Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1803-1815 and 1817-1823. Rhea also served as a member of the North Carolina State House of Commons, Delegate to the Tennessee State Constitution Convention in 1796 and a member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives from 1796-1797. He retired and was residing on the Rhea plantation near Blountville where he died on May 27, 1832. He was buried in the Blountville Cemetery in Blountville, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Rhea County, Tennessee, and Rheatown, a community and former city, in Greene County, Tennessee were both named honoring him.