Well I have never run into an instance where I couldn’t actually nail someone’s first name down so this is a first. Lots of men in the early days went by their initials only as in this instance, W.C.S. Rhea. Two census records that I found show his name as William and the others with his initials, W.C.S. However his official death record calls him out as Walter C.S. Rhea and his son was named Walter Scott Rhea. Then again, I found two references that call him Winfield C. Scott Rhea. So for simplicity, I will refer to him in his bio as W.C.S. and keep his name as Winfield in the heading since that was how he was listed as alderman for the city of Marion in 1904. I suspect it’s more likely that his name was Winfield C. Scott since a lot of young men born in this era were named after historical figures like General Winfield Scott of the War of 1812 and the Mexican American war fame.
W.C.S. Rhea was born on May 28, 1852 on his father’s farm about a mile and a quarter north of Johnston City next to what is now Illinois Route 37. His farmer father, Ezekial Calvin Rhea, purchased the land in the 1850’s in Shawneetown. Rhea’s mother’s name was Melissa Duncan and in the 1870 census, the family was found to be living in Lake Creek Township on the farm with children W.C.S. 18, Francis 16, James B. 13, Mary 11 and Eliza aged 8.
By the 1880 census, the family is still in the same location but the mother, Melissa, has died and there are only three children at home, W.C.S. aged 28 who was teaching school, James B. aged 23 and Eliza aged 17. Living with the family is Melissa’s mother, Francis Duncan, aged 71.
Though the clues are thin it appears that over the next years, W.C.S. pursued the practice of law and moved to Marion to follow his career.
An article from the Egyptian Press newspaper stated that a Marion newspaper started in 1886 called “The Marion Independent” was sold one year later, in 1887, to E.E. Mitchell, John H. Duncan, W.C.S. Rhea and William Boles. A follow up article that year stated that the first issue of the “Marion Weekly Leader” newspaper was issued with W.C.S. Rhea and Ed Mitchell as editors.
Goodspeed’s History of Williamson County published in 1887 noted W.C.S. Rhea as a current member of the Marion Bar Association.
On April 3, 1891, W.C.S. married Ella Lamaster, daughter of civil war veteran Rev. George W. Lamaster.
Throughout this period of time W.C.S. became heavily involved in Republican state politics and was mentioned numerous times through the 1890’s and into the early 1900’s as a State Delegate and Republican representative for the district in his party. His ideals may not always have aligned with the party because an article appearing in 1902 indicated that the senatorial committee of the 50th district was trying to remove him as chairman and select a chairman that was more in harmony with the state administrator.
Articles indicated that W.C.S. and his wife accompanied by Judge Bishop and his wife attended the Chicago World Fair in 1893. In 1894 an article appeared in the Leader newspaper stating that W.C.S. won’t be spending much time bear hunting this winter due to the arrival of a new son. Later the same month an article indicated that the newborn had died.
In 1898, W.C.S. served as Marion city alderman under Mayor Brice Holland. A newspaper article in 1899 stated that W.C.S. had made a trip to Carbondale to check out their engine to fight fires since Marion was so plagued with fires.
By 1900, W.C.S. was an established lawyer in Marion and member of the Williamson County Bar Association who appears to have shared a law office with his cousin W.W. Duncan called Duncan & Rhea. Up and coming lawyer R.R. Fowler studied law in their law office located on the second floor of the Cline building located in the NE corner of the square next to our old City Hall. A fire in 1903 did major damage to the Cline building and even collapsed a wall that fell into the City Hall/Marion State and Savings Bank building in the corner.
The 1907 Marion Street directory indicated that W.C.S. and his wife resided at 302 S. Market and that his office was located at 101 Public Square, which would have been in the City Hall.
On March 9, 1908, W.C.S.’s wife, Ella, passed away after a brief illness. She was an active worker in the local Methodist Church. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
In the 1910 federal census, a widowed W.C.S. age 57, was living in his home at 302 S. Market Street with his remaining children. Those listed were Edith 13, Walter Scott 8, Clemmons B. age 4. Also living with them was a live-in domestic servant named Rebecca Skaggs. It was noted that W.C.S. owned the home mortgage free and was a general practice lawyer. In fact, he was serving as the Williamson County Master in Chancery for Williamson County.
In October 1912, an article appeared in the Egyptian Press newspaper stating that W.C.S. Rhea was committing himself under his own petition to the Anna State Hospital due to his suffering from nervous trouble. W.C.S. remained in the hospital until March 1917 when he was discharged and moved to Johnston City to re-open his law practice.
The 1920 federal census located W.C.S., aged 67, in Johnston City living alone as a boarder in the home of Anton Eberhardt at 1211 Jefferson Avenue.
On January 27, 1926, W.C.S. was discovered dead in his room at the American Hospital in Johnston City at the age of 74. At the time, he was thought to be the oldest attorney in Williamson County. Rhea, a widower and cousin of Supreme Justice W.W. Duncan, lived alone. Three children survived him, Mrs. Edith Norman of Marion, Walter Scott Rhea of St. Louis and Clemmons Rhea, a student in high school at Marion living with his sister Edith. Services were held at the First Christian Church in Marion. After his death, his body was brought to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Paul Norman, 203 N. Lear Street. Burial was In Rose Hill Cemetery assisted by the Masonic Lodge of Johnston City. Members of the Williamson County Bar Association served as pallbearers and those attending were a who’s who of Marion and county professionals.
(Sources: Federal Census Records, Marion City Street Directories, FindaGrave.com, Marion City Cemetery records, 1905 Historical Souvenir book, the Marion Weekly Leader, The Leader, the Egyptian Press, the Daily Free Press, the Marion Daily Republican, the Chicago Tribune, Goodspeed’s History of Williamson County. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 9/15/2023)