Robert was the son of Sebird Smith and Nancy (Cooke) Rhea. He married Lucy Ann Pritchard.

WOODSON COUNTY DEATHS:
Rhea, R P -84
Yates Center
16 September 1908
2-55

Yates Center Sun, (Woodson County, Kansas) 2 Oct 1908, Vol 32, #22, 1st page, 4th Column from the left.

OBITUARY: R. P. Rhea died at his home Yates Center September 23, 1908. Mr. Rhea was a pioneer, having come to Kansas thirty nine years ago. He brought his family with him from Nebraska, bought land two miles southeast of where Yates Center now stands and there he lived until removing to Yates Center a few years ago. Mr. Rhea was born in White county, Tennessee, March 5, 1825, of Virginia ancestry who had their part in the Revolution. In 1838 he moved with his father's family to Mercer county, Mo. Eight years later he was married to Luann Pritchard, whose parents were also "first settlers," coming over the Cumberland mountains into Kentucky, and years later to Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Rhea were of two of the first five families who settled in Mercer county. At the close of the war they removed to Cass County, Neb., and in 1869 to this county and state. Woodson county had hitherto received few settlers. The roads were prairie trails through grass taller than a man. The Woodruff and Landes families had farms in the locality and the Davidson and Agnew families came shortly after. Many others came, too, during the years that followed, but most of them soon gave up the struggle, and left to stronger and braver spirits the holding of the country. No other hardship or disaster that befell the family during these early years was so great as the loss of the wife and mother in 1874. Mr. Rhea was a strong and vigorous man, but for more than a year before his death he had been in declining health. His final illness lasted but a few days. The funeral service was held Friday morning at the residence, Rev. M. Moore and G. H. Lamb officiating. Interment was made in the Kalida Cemetery. Deceased is survived by his sons, Myron and Robert, and daughter, Mrs. McKinney, all of this city, his oldest daughter living in Nebraska and his oldest son in Washington. Miss Metta Rhea is a granddaughter, her father having been killed by a railroad train in 1891.