Victor Edwin Rhea is easier to write about. My cousin, Patty, and I had to good fortune to meet Sheldon Livesay and his wife, Linda, last year when we made a trip to Tennessee to find our “roots”. Sheldon manages “Of One Accord Ministry”, an outreach that feeds and ministers to those in need. It’s a great program and we were blessed to have the chance to see it in action. Sheldon is our 2nd cousin and Victor’s grandson.
Sheldon and Linda
Not only did Sheldon share the work he does, he took the time to show us where the family lived and all the places they would have been. It was a great experience. We were disappointed to find the Home Place gone but the foundation was still there. He showed us Victor’s home but the forest is reclaiming it too. We saw the river and the land they farmed. Sheldon also unearthed a treasure trove of photo's that Victor's daughter Jewelle had saved. It was a fantastic find and added so much to the research.
Victor was the 7th child of John and Jane. He was born July 13, 1880.
Victor was the son closest to Jane. Her letters to my grandparents were all about what Victor was doing. My grandmother wrote to him and told him after Jane died, that anything she had should go to him as "he has been faithful to his mother".
Victor married Cornie Hutson when he was 35-years-old in 1915. She was 24. They had three daughters. I think it was to offset the seven boys Floyd had.
Jewelle Leona Rhea was born in 1917 and passed away in 2002. Opal Olive Rhea was born in 1920 and died in 2002. Mossie Rhea, Sheldon's mother, came along 5 years later in 1925 and died in 1992.
Cornie, Victor, Mossie, Opal, and Jewelle
Victor and Cornie's home
Victor's farm was not far from his childhood home. He and Cornie lived there until they were much older and then moved to Rogersville to live with Jewelle.
Victor passed away in April 1973 and Cornie joined him in July of the same year. He outlived all his siblings and was 92 when he died.
Cornie and Victor Rhea
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