Discovering family satisfies a curiosity. One learns of the challenges faced by ancestors, struggles endured, accomplishments shared, the good and sometimes the bad. In this writing, the author spent years researching, documenting and writing to absorb the wealth of Rhea family ancestors. The Rheas of what was Augusta County, Virginia, which later became Bath County and other counties, included in this writing descended from Robert, Archibald, and William Rhea who first settled in Augusta County in the mid-1700s and those of Margaret Rhea, a cousin to the brothers. These three Rhea brothers and Margaret are thought by researchers to be grandchildren of Matthew Campbell Rhea of Scotland and Ireland. And, so, the author's story begins with him.