Hi Kelley,
I am the great niece of Samuel Rea McIlhone (b.1866), my great grandfather was his brother William James McIlhone (b.1873). Their parents were John McIlhone from Tyrone, and Jane Rea from Down, they married in 1865. All their six children were born in wedlock and many had Rea as a middle name.
The Rea name is very confusing. We know nothing of Jane Rea’s family and why their name was so important to them.
Interestingly, Samuel’s death at the Graving drydock was registered as Samuel Rea McElhone. It’s strange that all his children could retain Rea when it wasn’t really their name! It’s something that makes research difficult as McElhone is such a rare name in comparison to Rea. If only Samuel hasn’t changed his name! Samuel’s death entry:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1917/05216/4443233.pdfWe had not heard anything about money being the reason for the name change, but I suppose it is possible. Through the information we have via his brother William, we felt that the Catholic aspect seemed to be the problem. We don’t know why Samuel dropped the McIlhone/McElhone name, but for awhile his father John dropped it also.
The Wikitree is somewhat out of date. I have lots more dates. I will upload a new GED file next week with added data, and look at merges. My Ancestry.com tree is more current, do you have an ancestry account? If so let me know and I will add you.
Is your John Rea born 19 Feb 1894 and marrying Maggie Wilson in 28 Nov 1917? That is the info I have.
Cheers,
Laura