Kings County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



 
FRANK REA
 
The Rea family is one of the early Virginia families. Edward Rea, 
great-grandfather of Frank Rea, came from Ireland and settled in Virginia before 
the Revolutionary war. He was a Universalist in religion and every generation of 
the Reas has clung to that faith as does the present representative of the 
family. It was in Macon
county, Ill., that Frank Rea was born June 9, 1845, and he attended public 
schools until he reached the age of sixteen. Enlisting in the Civil War, he 
rendered faithful service to the Federal cause as a private soldier during three 
eventful years. After the war he returned home and for one year attended Lombard 
University, then completing a commercial course at Decatur, Ill. He worked for 
his father until after he became of age. During the succeeding four years he was 
engaged in farming in Illinois. Then he came to California and after spending 
two years in the Santa Clara valley came in 1874 to Kings county and later 
located on what has come to be known as his homestead. During the first few 
years of his residence here he worked for others, but as soon as water was 
obtained he went into stock-raising, dairying and fruit-growing. He has been 
active in ditch construction, and for some years was a director in the company 
controlling the outer ditch, which was under his superintendency a year, and 
consequently one of his public responsibilities after he came to the county. He 
has served as trustee of schools by election as a Republican, he being a member 
of that party, a venerator of its history and an ardent advocate of all its 
economic policies. By membership with the Grand Army of the Republic, he keeps 
alive memories of the Civil war days which tried men's souls. Mr. Rea has been a 
director in the Alta Irrigation District for fourteen years, and on February 6, 
1913, was re-elected for another term of four years.
Even beyond his expectations Mr. Rea has been prosperous. From time to time he 
has bought land until he is the owner of ten hundred and eighty acres, eighty 
acres of which is devoted to fruit, the remainder to ranching and stock-raising. 
His cattle herd averages two hundred head of blooded stock. The improvements on 
his land are up-to-date and in every way first-class, and his home is one of the 
most attractive and hospitable in the county. His marriage occurred in 
September, 1868, to Miss Mattie Ehrhart, who was born in Macon county, Ill., in 
January, 1848. Their five children are named respectively Clara, Edgar, Frank, 
Bunn and Neva.
 
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - 
Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp.  814-815
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler