The National tribune., 1900-06-07
DEATH OF PAST COMMANDER-IN-
CHIEF EEA.

and enthusiastic worker for its wcll-being
and who had been honored by it with ad
vancement to the highest position in its
gift.
Past Commander-in-C Chief John p. Rca
died at his home in Minneapolis, May %
of cirrhosis of the arteries. He had been
i'll for some months, and greatly troubled
with rheumatism, which treatment al
West Baden Springs failed to relieve.
Comrade John Patterson Rea was born
in Chester Co, Pa, Oct. 13, 1910, and
came of distinguished Revolutionary an
cestry. He went to Ohio to attend col
lege, but promptly enlisted in Co. b, 18th
Ohio, in the first call. After his discharge
he helped raise Co. /, 1st Ohio Cav, and
was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in
it. He served three years in this regi-
ment, rising 70 be Captain, and being
brevetted Major for gallantry in action at
Cleveland, Tenn. When mustered out he
was the senior Captain of his regiment
and had n splendid record for faithful ser
vice and bravery. Returning to Ohio, he
re-entcred the Ohio Wesleyan University
at Delaware. o., and graduated in 1867,
ut the head of his class. He was admitted
to the bar, and went to Lancaster, Pa, to
practice. While there he helped organize
| Geo. ii. Thomas Post, and became its
| Commander. President Grant appointed
a1 60. tl,p
Ninth District of Pennsylvania.
In 1876 he went TO Minneapolis, to be-
come editor of the Minneapolis Tribune,
! which position he held a year, and then
returned TO the practice of the law, which
he continued ever afterward, except when
sitting on the bench, and achieved fine
position in the Minnesota bar. He was
twice elected Probate Judge, and declined
a third term, and served four years as
Judge of the Fourth Jndicial District. He
was earnest in G.. A. r. work, became
mander, and Commander Of the Depart
cmnt of Minnesota, was elected Senior
Vice Commander-in-C Chief of the Grand
Army of the Republic in 1884, and Com
mander-in-Chief in 1887. He was pres
cnt at every Encampmcnt, Department or
National, and took the livelest interest in
all the proceedings
Judge Reas remains were TO be re-
moved on the evening of May 80 to his
old home in Lancaster Co., Pa, and after
the Memorial Day services at the Exposi-
ton Building in Minneapolis a large num-
ber of comrades and friends gathered at
his late home on ,Nicollet Island to pay
their last tribute over his body.
1t was then realized forcibly that for
the first time since the institution of Me-
mortal Day the voice of Commander John
7. Rea was silent, for he had always felt
it Il duty to respond TO calls for his SER
vices as n speaker; for he had the gift of
impressing audiences by his sympathetic,
thoughtful utterances always worthy of
the occasion.
The services at the residence were un-
der the charge of Morgan Post.
Fervent and eloquent addresses were
representative of the Loyal Legion and
by Judge Henry G. Hecks for the Grand
Army. \ guard composed of members of
the 18th MINI. National Guard, who had
been in service in Manila, escorted the
body to the depot. Co. A of that regiment
lad been organized by COmrade Rea some
its first Captain. The remains were taken
to Pennsylvania by Mrs. Rea and her sis
ter-in-Iaw, Mrs. Gould, and on reaching
Philadelphia they were met by Adj't.-Gen.
I. j. Stewart, representing National
Headquarters, G. A. r.; Past Command
ers-in-C Wagner and Beath, Depart
ment Commander Jas. +. Morrison, De-
partment Chaplain John w. Sayers, Gen.
st. Clair A. Mulholland, Col. A G.. Ber-
byshill and others.
A uniformed guard from several Posts
covered by the flag, to the Pennsylvania
Railroad station.
On reaching Lancaster the remains were
taken in charge by Post No. 81, of which
Post Comrade Rea had been charter
member, and from here were taken to Lit
tie Britain Township, in Lancaster
County, to the home of his sister, Mrs. |
William Black, where the final services
ere held under charge of the Rev. Il. J. |
Mclean, pastor of the Little Britain
Presbyterian Church. In addition to the |
services, addresses were made by |
Mai. Fulton, of Oxford, Pa, an intimate |
friend of Judge Rea from boyhood days |
and by Col. Robert Il. Beath, for the G. |
\. II.
The interment was in the same plot in |
the church yard where Judge Rea's father |
and mother and other relatives are buried |
The services at the grave were under |
charge of Post 81, of Lancaster, assisted |
by members of the Posts at Quarryville |
and Oxford. 4 large number of mourn
ing relatives aud friends were also pres
ent. ,-a1
rpttr d.c;s.;n1, i'm tho S,nron,a Court |