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Rea Surname Group

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The Rea Surname Group is for all people researching the surname Rea or its spelling variations (Rhea, Ray, etc.) in any location.

Website: http://garyr50.tripod.com/Rea_Surname_DNA_Project.htm
Members: 20
Latest Activity: Feb 6, 2023

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Comment by Melissa Beth Stokes on June 23, 2011 at 8:44am: Hi! I am glad to find this group. My great grandfather was Ocie Dean Ray from AL. We know little about his family and would love to know more. I have been told he had 1 sister Martha and 3 brothers (one named Robert) and do know of a nephew named James Earl Ray. Ocie was born Sept 21, 1880. His mother was part Choctaw or Cherokee.

Comment by David Jenkins on August 8, 2009 at 1:37pm: I am a descendant of Joseph and Mary Ray. Glad to join your group.

Comment by Gen Story Girl on August 5, 2009 at 7:57pm: Hi John, There are quite a few of us who are researching the John Ray and Mary "Polly" Taylor Ray line. We are fairly certain that Joseph M. Ray and Mary Fouts are not John Taylor's parents but I thank you for taking the time to post the information.

Comment by GaryRea on July 29, 2009 at 10:17am: Well, good for them! Even if it did cause you some extra research work. ;)

Comment by GaryRea on July 29, 2009 at 9:04am: Sounds like an interesting "journey," alright, Karen. Why do you suppose the name was foreshortened to Ray? Maybe to dissociate from the former slaveholder? That would be my guess, anyway.

Comment by GaryRea on July 29, 2009 at 12:04am: Hi, Karen. Welcome to the Rea Group! Your situation is a pretty unusual one, in my experience. I have seen MacReas drop the "Mac" or Mc," but your line is the first one I've seen to foreshorten Rayford to Ray.

Comment by GaryRea on July 22, 2009 at 10:59pm: Hi, Lizzie, and welcome to the Rea group! Interesting music connection, there. I'm a distant cousin of Donnie and Marie Osmond, myself. Our common ancestor lived in the 1300s.

Comment by Gen Story Girl on July 22, 2009 at 7:05pm: Hello! My Ray ancestor is my gggreat-grandfather John RAY b. 1800 in GA d. 1884 in Wise Co, TX. He was married in 1825 to Mary "Polly" TAYLOR b. 1801 in TN d. 1887 in Wise Co, TX. She was the daughter of William S. TAYLOR and part Cherokee. John and Mary Taylor RAY lived in Fayette Co. AL, Itawamba Co. and Alcorn Co. MS, Johnson Co. and Wise Co. TX, and Arkansas. John was a farmer and a Baptist preacher. I have not been able to locate who his parents were though in the 1880 Wise Co, TX census he states his father was born in NC and his mother was born in VA. An interesting fact about my ggg-grandfather John RAY is that he was also the Great-Great Grandfather of Charles Hardin Holley, known in the entertainment world as BUDDY HOLLY.

Comment by GaryRea on July 22, 2009 at 9:03am: Hi, Michelle, and welcome to the Rea group! My emigrant ancestor was Matthew Sutherland Rea, who left Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland in 1774 and came to Pennsylvania, where he ultimately settled in Franklin County. The family migrated from there to Wisconsin in 1840 and to Minnesota in 1875. My genealogy can be seen at: http://www.reagenealogy.garyrea.com

Comment by Michelle McKenzie on July 22, 2009 at 8:06am: I'm researching the Rea name in Washington County, NY. John Rea, b 1744 in Scotland, d April 20, 1832 in Hebron, Washington County, NY was married to Isabel, d. 1752, d Spetember 22, 1818 in Hebron, NY. They had children John 1786-1852 who was the husband of Isabel Dick and Margaret who was the wife of Robert McClellan.