US Congressman. He was a United States Representative from the State of Pennsylvania. He was born one of three children to Samuel Rea (1725-1811), and his wife Eleanor Snodgrass Rea (1725-1783), in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on January 27, 1755. He was educated locally and completed preparatory studies. He then served with the rank of Private with Captain William Hendrick's Company and with the Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Militia during the American Revolutionary War in July 1775. He also marched with Colonel Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), during the attack on Quebec on December 31, 1775, and was eventually captured and imprisoned by the British forces until he was released from captivity on August 7, 1776. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and then to Captain of the Eighth Regiment of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 1777. He saw action at the Battle of White Plains, New York, on October 28, 1776, the Battle of Trenton, New Jersey, on December 28, 1776, the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey, on January 3, 1777, the Battle of Brandywine, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 1777, the Battle of Germantown, Pennsylvania, on October 4, 1777, and the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, on June 28, 1778. He was then commissioned the first coroner of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on October 20, 1784, and shortly thereafter took an interest in politics. He then was elected and served as a Member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in 1785, 1786, 1789, 1787, 1788, 1789 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801, and again in 1802. He also served as Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Auditor from 1793 to 1794. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Thomas Boude (1752-1822), on March 4, 1803. A Member of the Democratic Party, he then served Pennsylvania's 7th District (Eighth Congress, and the three succeeding Congresses including, the Ninth Congress, the Tenth Congress, and the Eleventh Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1803, to March 3, 1811. He was re-elected in 1804, 1806, and again in 1808, but was an unsuccessful Candidate for re-election to represent the Twelfth Congress in the United States House of Representatives in 1810. Following his term in the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative William Piper (1774-1852), on March 4, 1811. After leaving the United States Congress, he served with the rank of Brigadier and Major General of the Eleventh Division of Militia during the War of 1812, serving until 1821. Following his military service, he then decided to run for another seat in the United States Congress and was elected during a special election to represent the Thirteenth Congress and fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Robert Whitehill (1738-1813), on April 8, 1813. As a Democratic-Republican Candidate, he had received 2,534 Votes and 55.7 Percent, while his opponent Federalist Candidate United States Representative Edward Crawford had received 2,011 Votes and 44.3 Percent. A Member of the Democratic Party, he then served alongside United States Representative William Crawford (1760-1923), to represent Pennsylvania's 5th District (Thirteenth Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from May 11, 1813, to March 3, 1815. Following his term in the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative William Maclay (1765-1825), on March 4, 1815. After leaving the United States Congress, he served a term as a Member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 15th District from 1823 until his resignation from office in 1824. He lived in retirement until his death. He passed away in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on February 26, 1829, at the age of 74, and he was buried in Rocky Spring Churchyard in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. He was married to Elizabeth Culbertson Rea (1784-1836), in 1806, with whom he had eleven children including, Samuel Rea (1808-1878), John P. Rea (1809-1884), James D. Rea (1811-1865), Andrew Jackson Rea (1815-1841), William Rea (1820-1892), Elizabeth Rea Scott (1817-1895), Charles Rea (1818-1818), William Rea (1820-1892), Charles Rea (1823-1911), Hannah Ann Rea (1823-1823), and David Rea (1825-1827). His wife Elizabeth passed away on June 6, 1836, at the age of 52, and she is buried in Maria Forge, Pennsylvania.