Connections: A Unique Rea of Light

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that making interesting connections (whether to famous people, between local families, or even to friends I’ve known for years) is one of my favorite things to do. Just recently I talked about Delila Brown Ward and the numerous connections to other Armuchee Valley families I discovered through her. One of those families was the Rea family.

If you’ve been paying close attention, you will note this is not the first time I’ve mentioned the Reas. A look back to my post on Henry Morris Pope shows a connection to the same Rea family. This is a perfect example of how my mother’s lines and my father’s lines intersect in distant but fascinating ways.

But the most fascinating connection to the Rea family comes in the form of another–quite unexpected–surprise. I recently discovered that one of my friends from high school descends from this family. And unlike my other recent high school connection, this–because of Delilah Brown Ward–is a blood connection. Rebecca McConnell, a Rea/Brown family descendant, and I were voted “Most Unique” in our senior year at Trion High School. It was a fitting distinction for us both if I might say so myself… and, perhaps, unlike many such senior superlatives, I’d say it has held true throughout the years. The above photo is our senior superlative portrait taken for the yearbook. And just for fun, below is a more casual shot taken in 1998.

So, cousin Rebecca, thanks for staying true to yourself. Thanks for your uniqueness. I’ve said this over and over: we’re all one. Yes, it’s true. But there’s always more than enough room for a little individuality.