William Francis Rhea (April 20, 1858 – March 23, 1931) was aU.S. Representative fromVirginia, a Virginia state court judge, and a member of the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Born on a farm nearBristol, Virginia inWashington County, Rhea attended rural and private schools. He graduated fromKing College inBristol, Tennessee, in 1878, studied law and wasadmitted to the bar in 1879 and commenced practice inBristol, Virginia.He served as judge of the county court for Washington County in the years 1880–1885.He served as member of theSenate of Virginia in the years 1885–1888.He served as judge of the Corporation Court for the City of Bristol, Virginia.He resigned in 1895 and resumed the practice of law.

Rhea was elected as aDemocrat to theFifty-sixth andFifty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1903), defeatingJames A. Walker, the previous incumbent. Walker contested the result of both elections. At a deposition related to the 1898, a shootout occurred, and Walker was wounded. The contest of the 1900 election ended on the death of Walker in 1901.

Rhea was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1902 to theFifty-eighth Congress, losing to the RepublicanCampbell Slemp, and resumed the practice of law in Bristol, Virginia. He moved toRichmond, Virginia, when appointed a member of theState Corporation Commission in 1908 and served until 1925. Rhea made his home in Richmond across the street from the Robert E. Lee camp for confederate veterans; the house built in 1922 on Grove Avenue is now the "Museum District Bed and Breakfast," near theVirginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Rhea died in Richmond on March 23, 1931. He was interred inHollywood Cemetery.

• United States Congress."William F. Rhea (id: R000183)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

• William F. Rhea atFind a Grave
• A Guide to the William Francis Rhea Papers, 1899-1902, Library of Virginia
• A Guide to the Papers of William Francis Rhea 1899-1902, University of Virginia
• Museum District B & B, About Us

 This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

• 1858 births
• 1931 deaths
• Burials at Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia)
• Virginia lawyers
• Virginia state court judges
• Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia
• People from Bristol, Virginia
• 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives

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• Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress