Person Page - 1

     Thomas McClure Rice was born in 1801 at Ohio; no proof of Thomas' middle name being McClure other than handed down through genealogy researchers. The 1810 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of Nathan Rice's household; Rice, Nathan, head, males: 1 male up to 10 (Thomas ~9), 1 male 45 up (Nathan 48); females: 2 females to 10 (Lucy 3, Sabrina 7), 2 females 10-16 (Zilpha 10, Luceba 11), 1 female 45 up (Jemima 40). The 1820 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of Nathan Rice's household; Rice, Nathan, head, males: under 10=1 (?), 16-26=1 (Thomas), 45 up=1 (Nathan); females: 10-16=1 (Lucy), 16-26=2 (Luceba, Sabrina), 45 up=2 (Jemima, ?). They had either relatives or boarders, (mother and son?), living with them. Two persons were involved in agriculture (Nathan and young man). Thomas McClure Rice married Elizabeth Wilson, daughter of Hugh Wilson and Mary Chambers, on 28-Sep-1824 at Marietta, Washington County, Ohio. Thomas McClure Rice had 2 horses and 4 cattle in 1830; 1 horse and 3 cattle in 1831; no carriages Union Township, Washington County, Ohio. He is listed on the Muster Roll, Capt. James L. Holmes' Co. of Kentucky Volunteers, Velasco on 27-Aug-1836. Pvt. Thomas Price (could be Rice?) listed with Company B, 1st Regiment Cavalry, enlisted at Camp Johnston on 24-Oct-1836. He is listed as owning one saddle horse and no property. He is later listed as delinquent for the 1840 taxes of $1.25, Austin Centinel newspaper 15-Jul-1841 Fort Bend County, Texas. He served in the Texian Militia during War for Texas Independence. "After the capture of San Antonio on September 11, 1842, by Brig. Gen. Adrián Woll in the second of the Mexican invasions of 1842, Texan forces gathered on Salado Creek under Col. Mathew Caldwell to repel the raiders. While Texas arms were succeeding at the battle of Salado Creek on September 18, 1842, a calamity was occurring only a mile and a half away. In response to Caldwell's call for volunteers, Capt. Nicholas M. Dawson had raised a fifty-three-man company, mostly from Fayette County, and marched down from La Grange."
"The next addition was four men from the County of DeWitt, and their names were Thomas J. Butler, Elijah Garey, Thomas Rice and William Savage. We know this because of the claims entered by these four for compensation against the State for losses of life and property." Marker Location: Corner of Washington and Colorado, La Grange. Marker Number: 1184; Marker Title: The Dawson Expedition/Historic Oak; Marker Text: It was under this historic oak when the men of Capt. Nicholas Mosby Dawson's company assembled on September 15, 1842 and went to the relief of San Antonio to repel the invasion of Texas by the Mexican Army under Gen. Adrian Woll. In the fight near Salado Creek, September 18, Dawson and 35 of his men were killed, 15 captured and imprisoned in Castle Perote in Mexico, and 3 escaped. Here on the courthouse square, the scarred remains of what was once a mighty oak marks the spot from which La Grange has on every occasion sent its sons to battle. In fights with the Indians, the struggle with Mexico, in the War Between the States, the Spanish American War, and in two World Wars, sons of Fayette County were first marshaled under this tree. Wives, mothers, sweethearts here bade farewell and sent their men to battle, each time to win acclaim as true patriots. Year Marker Erected: 1963. at La Grange, Fayette County, Texas. He died at on 18-Sep-1842 at Dawson Massacre, Bexar County, Texas. Marker location: 6 miles N San Antonio on Holbrook Road, 1 block off Ritterman Road in San Antonio; Marker Title: The Battle of the Salado; Marker Text: "Decisive in Texas history, was fought here, September 18, 1842. Col. Mathew Caldwell and Capt. John C. Hays, commanding a force of Texas volunteers, opposed the Mexican Army under General Adrian Woll that had captured San Antonio, and, with the loss of only one man, checked the last Mexican invasion of Texas and thereby prevented the capture of Austin, capitol of the Republic of Texas." He was buried at Monument Hill State Historic Park, La Grange, Fayette County, Texas. The Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register, published in Houston, Texas, Sept. 28th, 1848 reported the proceeding as thus:
The Funeral Ceremonies on the Interment of the Remains of the Decimated Mier Prisoners, Capt. Dawson's Command and Others.
This solemn ceremony took place at La Grange, Fayette County, on Monday the 18th of September. The procession was formed in the Courthouse square by the marshal, Col. Lester; 1st, The hearses contained the remains, escorted by the military, under the command of Col. Martin K. Snell, of this city, who, being a soldier of the revolution, and early identified with the fortunes of the country, was kindly tendered the command on the occasion; Pall-bearers then followed successively, the relatives and friends of the deceased; Masonic Fraternity, Officers of the State, County and citizens and strangers. The procession moved from the square at 10 o'clock A.M. for the place of interment, about a mile from town, on a commanding and beautiful bluff on the west bank of the river. Between two and three thousand persons were present, including a large number of ladies. Arriving on the ground, a chaste and appropriate sermon was delivered by Rev. Mr. Kinney - seats being prepared for the occasion - the remains were deposited in the vault and the usual military ceremonies performed. The procession then moved on to town. The Masonic fraternity were escorted to the lodge by the military and c & c. Upon no occasion was ever before more order and quiet maintained. on 18-Sep-1848. On 18-Sep-1848 at Monument Hill State Historic Park, La Grange, Fayette County, Texas, where the Historical Marker reads:
"Monument Hill Tomb -In September 1848, the remains of Texans killed in the 1842 Dawson Massacre and the 1843 'Black Bean Death Lottery' were reburied at this site in a sandstone vault. The Kreische family did its best to care for the grave during their ownership of the property, but it suffered from lack of formal oversight. In 1905, the state authorized acquisition of .36 acres here, and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas raised funds for a new cover for the tomb in 1933. During the 1936 Texas Centennial celebration, the 48-foot shellstone shaft with a stylized, Art Deco-influenced mural was erected to mark the mass grave more prominently. Local citizens purchased 3.54 acres as a donation to the state for parkland in 1957".
Marker Location: 414 St. Loop 92, Monument Hill-Kreische Brewery State Historical Site interpretive center. Marker Number: 12756; Marker Title: Monument Hill Tomb; Year Marker Erected: 1936. Affidavits by Richard H. Chisholm, Jacob A. Miller and Samuel Anders signed on November 7, 1854, swearing that they were acquainted with Thomas Rice and know that he had a horse and equippage that was lost when he was killed at the massacre of Capt. Dawson's Company in the Woll campaign. Elizabeth Rice (signed with her mark) a document naming Nicholas J. Ryan as her attorney to collect all sums of money due her from the Late Republic of Texas for the 'services of Thomas Rice my husband who served during the Woll Campaign in September, 1842', dated August 15, 1854. A document dated 22nd day of Sept 1854, signed by N. J. Ryan, authorized the payment of $80.75 each on the claims of Thomas Rice, Winfield L. Lowe and Elijah Garey. Three weeks service at $22.50 per month = $15.75 and one horse killed in battle = $65.00 equals $80.75 on 7-Nov-1854 at DeWitt County, Texas.

      The 1850 Lavaca County Census lists Elizabeth Rice, age 44, born Tennessee, owner of real estate valued at $150. With her in household number 96, are William B. White, age 18 and James H. Rice, age 7. Elizabeth and James are found in the 1860 Lavaca County Census, household number 81. Elizabeth’s age is 53, no occupation listed, and James is 17, a laborer. Also on this census in household number 363 is James Rice, age 29, with wife Sarah and two children, John, age 5, and Virginia, age 3/12, all born in Tennessee.

Elizabeth Rice signed her mark on the application for land grant Certificate No. 2, and swore that she emigrated in 1838 and was head of a family since her residence in the Republic. This was witnessed by J. B. White and Patrick Dowlearn in the town of Cameron in DeWitt County. Cameron was the first county seat of this county formed in 1846.

After carefully reviewing the land grant papers from the Texas General Land Office, it is my conclusion that Elizabeth Rice residing in Lavaca County is not our Elizabeth Rice, widow of Thomas McClure Rice. Elizabeth Wilson was born in 1805 at County Down, Ireland. She emigrated in 1818 from Ireland. She married Thomas McClure Rice, son of Nathan Rice and Jemima McClure, on 28-Sep-1824 at Marietta, Washington County, Ohio. Elizabeth Rice is not listed in the Texas 1846 Poll List book [could this be because they did not own any real estate at the time?]. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated her as head of household on 1-Sep-1850 DeWitt County, Texas; Rice, Elizabeth, head, 45/f, born Ireland; Oliver, 20/m, farmer, born Ohio; Thomas, 8/m, born Texas. She was The State of Texas; County of DeWitt Know all men by these presence that Elizabeth Rice of the State and County aforesaid and the surviving wife of Thomas Rice deceased have made nomination and appointed Nicholas I. Ryan my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and for my use and benefit To ask demand and receive of the Government of The State of Texas all sums of money debts dues and demands whatsoever which are now due or owing to me from the late Republic of Texas for the services of Thomas Rice my husband who served during the Woll Campaign in September of 1842 and upon receipt thereof to make and deliver a release or discharge for the same as tho I would personally present myself and I do hereby ratify and inform whatsoever my said attorney shall lawfully do in the premises; In witness whereof I have hereinto set my hand and scroll for a seal. This the 15^th day of August of 1854. Elizabeth Rice (her mark) Attest ? D McCullough, Achilles Stepp on 15-Aug-1854. AFFIDAVIT OF ELIZABETH RICE: The State of Texas; County of DeWitt
Know all men by these presence that Elizabeth Rice of the State and County aforesaid and the surviving wife of Thomas Rice deceased have made nomination and appointed Nicholas I. Ryan my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and for my use and Benefit To ask demand and receive of the Government of The State of Texas all sums of money debts dues and demands whatsoever which are now due or owing to me from the late Republic of Texas for the services of Thomas Rice my husband who served during the Woll Campaign in September of 1842 and upon receipt thereof to make and deliver a release or discharge for the same as tho I would personally present myself and I do hereby ratify and inform whatsoever my said attorney shall lawfully do in the premises; In witness whereof I have hereinto set my hand and scroll for a seal. This the 15^th day of August of 1854. Elizabeth Rice (her mark); Attest ? D McCullough; Achilles Stepp. She executed the following document: "The State of Texas; County of DeWitt; Know all men by these presence that Elizabeth Rice of the State and County aforesaid and the surviving wife of Thomas Rice deceased have made nomination and appointed Nicholas I. Ryan my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and for my use and benefit to ask demand and receive of the Government of The State of Texas all sums of money debts dues and demands whatsoever which are now due or owing to me from the late Republic of Texas for the services of Thomas Rice my husband who served during the Woll Campaign in September of 1842 and upon receipt thereof to make and deliver a release or discharge for the same as tho I would personally present myself and I do hereby ratify and inform whatsoever my said attorney shall lawfully do in the premises; In witness whereof I have hereinto set my hand and scroll for a seal. This the 15th day of August of 1854. Elizabeth Rice (her mark). Attest: _ D McCullough, Achilles Stepp" on 15-Aug-1854. She died before 7-Jul-1859 at Clinton, DeWitt County, Texas. When Asa was 14 years old, on 8-Jul-1859; 'The State of Texas; Oliver Rice et al; County of DeWitt; Deed of Release: Know all men by these presents on the Eighth day of July, 1859, that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of Elizabeth Rice, deceased of said State and county. Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of the Said Elizabeth Rice do by these presents do bind ourselves and agree that the settlement that we have this day made in the Estate of the said Elizabeth Rice Shall be binding to each and all of us the Heirs of the said Elizabeth Rice and that we have this day made a fair and equal division of all the cattle of the said Estate and the Joseph Newman has in and for his son Leander Newman one of the Heirs of said Estate given unto Asa Asa Rice one of equal kin with Leander Rice all and every part and parcel of the said Leander Newman share in the said Estate forever-- Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the said Estate do hereby acknowledge by these presents the receipt of all or part and portion of all the property of the said Estate of Elizabeth Rice owned and we do by these presents receive it as a full and final settlement forever -- Whereunto we sit our hand this date above mentioned. Oliver Rice In Presence of (his mark) Amos A Hill; J S Newman; Joseph Bennett; A A Rice; T R Rice. The State of Texas: Personally appeared before me; County of DeWitt; James N Smith clerk of the County Court of said County: Amos A Hill; one of the subscribing witness to the foregoing instrument of writing who to me is well known and he after being duly sworn on his oath says that he is acquainted with all the party subscribing the same and that he saw each of them sign and seal the same and they acknowledge to be their act and deed for the purpose therein set forth and that they requested him to witness the same -- Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton the 19^th day of July A D 1859: James N Smith Cty Clerk. The State of Texas; County of DeWitt; I hereby certify that the above instrument of writing was filed in my office for record on Tuesday the 19^th day of July A D 1859 at 10 oclock a m and that it was duly recorded in Record Book - - In Book H on page 455 on the same day and date as 11 oclock a m. Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton this 19^th day of July A D 1859.      James N Smith Cty Clerk.' This Deed of Release, Oliver Rice et al, was transcribed by Anita J. Cooper. She marker placed at Clinton Cemetery by Thomas McClure Rice Association in 1995. By Steve Holzheauser: H.R. No. 731; 74R11313 SAJ-D; R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to commemorate the dedication of a Texas historical marker at the Clinton Cemetery, near Cuero, paying tribute to one of the original daughters of the Republic of Texas, Elizabeth Wilson Rice; and
WHEREAS, Born in Ireland in 1805, this courageous woman immigrated to the United States around 1818 and settled in Ohio, where she married Thomas McClure Rice in 1824; and
WHEREAS, Well regarded by all who knew them as decent and upstanding citizens, the couple raised four fine children and established themselves as dedicated and hardworking members of the community; and
WHEREAS, Inspired by General Sam Houston's impassioned call for volunteers, the Rices moved their young family to the Lone Star State in 1836 to fight for the freedom of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Exhibiting the energy, grit, and determination that have made our state strong and great, these pioneer Texians settled and farmed near Little Brushy Creek in DeWitt County, where their fifth child was born in 1842; and
WHEREAS, Later that year Mrs. Rice was widowed when her husband died while fighting at the Battle of Salado Creek; in 1848, he was posthumously honored for his meritorious service when he was enshrined with other Texian soldiers on Monument Hill in LaGrange, with Senator Sam Houston, of the newly annexed State of Texas officiating; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Rice marshaled her incredible fortitude, energy, and bravery to raise her family alone and continued to reside in DeWitt County until her passing in 1859, and she is believed to be buried in Clinton Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Rice were people of unsurpassed strength, courage, and compassion who made great sacrifices for the good of our state, and their legacy of heroism and bravery continues to serve as a source of pride and inspiration not only for their many descendants but for all the people of Texas; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of a Texas historical marker in memory of Elizabeth Wilson Rice at the Clinton Cemetery and commend the citizens of Cuero for their outstanding efforts to preserve an important part of Texas history. on 8-May-1995.

     James Rice was born in 1826 at Ohio [listed on the 1850 census as 24 years old and the 1860 census as 31 years old]. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of R. B. Darst's household; age 30, Eliza 21, Albert W. 5, Robert H. 1, Mary Ann 3/12 and James Rice, 24, laborer, born Ohio, can not read or write. James Rice sold all of his part of his mother's estate to his brother, William Rice, witnessed by Amos A. Hill and Alice A Hill on 10-Dec-1859 at DeWitt County, Texas. The 1860 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of William Wilson Rice's household; Rice, William W., head, 25, m, farmer, real estate value 252, personal estate value 1,050, born Ohio; Nancy Ann, 17, f, born Alabama; Asa S., 15, m, born Texas; James, 31, m, born Ohio. James Rice died before 1870. Family stories relate that James was driving a freight wagon on the Austin to Lavaca route. He is believed to have been killed by hijackers close to the Mott Family land. He is supposedly buried where he fell on the Mott property in DeWitt County. Kraig Rice visited that cemetery on the banks of the Tokaway Creek and found no headstones.

     Mary L. Rice was born in 1830 at Ohio. She married Joseph Austin Newman, son of Joseph Newman and Rachel Rabb, on 9-Feb-1848 at Wharton County, Texas. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated her as a member of Joseph Austin Newman's household; Newman, Joseph A., head, 22/m/farmer, real estate value 600, born Texas; M. L., 20/f, born Ohio; Asa, 4/m, born Texas; L. G., 1/m, born Texas. Mary L. Newman died after 14-Sep-1850 in childbirth.

     Oliver Hugh Rice was born on 1-Aug-1830 at Ohio. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of Elizabeth Rice's household; Rice, Elizabeth, head, 45/f, born Ireland; Oliver, 20/m, farmer, born Ohio; Thomas, 8/m, born Texas. Oliver Hugh Rice married Adeline Prudence Courtney, daughter of Truman Courtney and Amanda Garey, on 23-Mar-1854 at DeWitt County, Texas. Oliver Hugh Rice witnessed the Estate of Elizabeth Rice on 8-Jul-1859 at DeWitt County, Texas; 'The State of Texas; Oliver Rice et al; County of DeWitt; Deed of Release: Know all men by these presents on the Eighth day of July, 1859, that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of Elizabeth Rice, deceased of said State and county. Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of the Said Elizabeth Rice do by these presents do bind ourselves and agree that the settlement that we have this day made in the Estate of the said Elizabeth Rice Shall be binding to each and all of us the Heirs of the said Elizabeth Rice and that we have this day made a fair and equal division of all the cattle of the said Estate and the Joseph Newman has in and for his son Leander Newman one of the Heirs of said Estate given unto Asa Asa Rice one of equal kin with Leander Rice all and every part and parcel of the said Leander Newman share in the said Estate forever-- Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the said Estate do hereby acknowledge by these presents the receipt of all or part and portion of all the property of the said Estate of Elizabeth Rice owned and we do by these presents receive it as a full and final settlement forever -- Whereunto we sit our hand this date above mentioned. Oliver Rice In Presence of (his mark) Amos A Hill; J S Newman; Joseph Bennett; A A Rice; T R Rice. The State of Texas: Personally appeared before me; County of DeWitt; James N Smith clerk of the County Court of said County: Amos A Hill; one of the subscribing witness to the foregoing instrument of writing who to me is well known and he after being duly sworn on his oath says that he is acquainted with all the party subscribing the same and that he saw each of them sign and seal the same and they acknowledge to be their act and deed for the purpose therein set forth and that they requested him to witness the same -- Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton the 19^th day of July A D 1859: James N Smith Cty Clerk. The State of Texas; County of DeWitt; I hereby certify that the above instrument of writing was filed in my office for record on Tuesday the 19^th day of July A D 1859 at 10 oclock a m and that it was duly recorded in Record Book - - In Book H on page 455 on the same day and date as 11 oclock a m. Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton this 19^th day of July A D 1859.      James N Smith Cty Clerk.' This Deed of Release, Oliver Rice et al, was transcribed by Anita J. Cooper. The 1860 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 27-Jul-1860 DeWitt County, Texas; Rice, Oliver, head, 39/m/farmer, real estate value 186, personal estate value 1,200, born Ohio, Adaline, 21/f, born New York, Wm H., 3/m, born Texas, Aaron A.D., 5/m, born Texas, Oliver Jr., 1/m, born Texas. Oliver Hugh Rice died before 16-May-1870. The date that his widow, Adeline, married Abraham Bowen. Different family stories relate the death of Oliver Rice. One is that Oliver was helping build a log house. He was a powerful, stout man. He tried to stop a log from falling on some men by holding it up. He was killed when it fell on him, saving the others from injury. Another is from Sybil Northcutt, DeWitt and Lavaca County historian. Oliver and his son were cutting trees. One fell on Oliver and killed him. He was buried at Hollan Family Cemetery, Terryville, DeWitt County, Texas. Or on the private property of Rastch Wagener which is next to County Line Cemetery. There is no marker for Oliver at either cemetery . Family stories relate that the roads were too muddy to transport him to Alexander Cemetery for burial in the family plot.

     Thomas Richard Rice was born on 11-Feb-1842 at DeWitt County, Texas. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of Elizabeth Rice's household; Rice, Elizabeth, head, 45/f, born Ireland; Oliver, 20/m, farmer, born Ohio; Thomas, 8/m, born Texas. Thomas Richard Rice witnessed the Estate of Elizabeth Rice on 8-Jul-1859 at DeWitt County, Texas; 'The State of Texas; Oliver Rice et al; County of DeWitt; Deed of Release: Know all men by these presents on the Eighth day of July, 1859, that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of Elizabeth Rice, deceased of said State and county. Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of the Said Elizabeth Rice do by these presents do bind ourselves and agree that the settlement that we have this day made in the Estate of the said Elizabeth Rice Shall be binding to each and all of us the Heirs of the said Elizabeth Rice and that we have this day made a fair and equal division of all the cattle of the said Estate and the Joseph Newman has in and for his son Leander Newman one of the Heirs of said Estate given unto Asa Asa Rice one of equal kin with Leander Rice all and every part and parcel of the said Leander Newman share in the said Estate forever-- Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the said Estate do hereby acknowledge by these presents the receipt of all or part and portion of all the property of the said Estate of Elizabeth Rice owned and we do by these presents receive it as a full and final settlement forever -- Whereunto we sit our hand this date above mentioned. Oliver Rice In Presence of (his mark) Amos A Hill; J S Newman; Joseph Bennett; A A Rice; T R Rice. The State of Texas: Personally appeared before me; County of DeWitt; James N Smith clerk of the County Court of said County: Amos A Hill; one of the subscribing witness to the foregoing instrument of writing who to me is well known and he after being duly sworn on his oath says that he is acquainted with all the party subscribing the same and that he saw each of them sign and seal the same and they acknowledge to be their act and deed for the purpose therein set forth and that they requested him to witness the same -- Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton the 19^th day of July A D 1859: James N Smith Cty Clerk. The State of Texas; County of DeWitt; I hereby certify that the above instrument of writing was filed in my office for record on Tuesday the 19^th day of July A D 1859 at 10 oclock a m and that it was duly recorded in Record Book - - In Book H on page 455 on the same day and date as 11 oclock a m. Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton this 19^th day of July A D 1859.      James N Smith Cty Clerk.' This Deed of Release, Oliver Rice et al, was transcribed by Anita J. Cooper. Thomas Richard Rice served in the Confederate Army during Civil War between 1861 and 1865 was a Sergeant in the 2nd Texas Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Mounted Rifles. He married Martha Ann Alexander, daughter of James Sidney Alexander and Anna S Allison, on 12-May-1864 at DeWitt County, Texas. Thomas Richard Rice was on the tax rolls at DeWitt County, Texas, on 3-Aug-1867 and stated that he lived in the precinct and county for 10 years, state for 21 years. The 1870 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of William Wilson Rice's household; Rice, William W., head, 35/m/w, stockraiser, real estate value 1,000, personal estate value 1,000, born Ohio, Ann, 29/f/w, born Alabama, Thomas, 27/m/w, stockdriver, born Texas, Martha, 23/f/w, born North Carolina, Nannie A., 5/f/w, born Texas, Sidney, 1/f/w, born Texas, Meranda Sermon, 13/f/w, born Louisaina, William Fatheree, 7/m/w, born Texas, Martha F Fatheree, 3/f/w, born Texas, Louise Fatheree, 9/12/f/w, born Texas. Thomas Richard Rice recorded three cattle brands on 22-May-1874 at Terryville, DeWitt County, Texas. The 1880 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 5-Jun-1880 DeWitt County, Texas; Thomas Rice, head, w/m/38, farmer, born Texas, father born Ohio, mother born Ireland; Martha Ann w/f/35, born North Carolina, father born North Carolina, mother born South Carolina, Nanny Ann w/f/14, Sidney Lola w/f/10, Talitha w/f/8, Charles Allison w/m/5, Joann Alfretta w/f/2, all born Texas. He is listed on the tax rolls as having 100 acres, 1 carriage, 3 horses, 100 mules, 3 cattle for a total value of $665 in 1885 at DeWitt County, Texas. He was sold property inherited from Elizabeth Rice's estate to Mary A. Rice, widow of William W. Rice on 20-Apr-1887. He died on 11-May-1887 at DeWitt County, Texas, at age 45.

     Nathan Rice was born on 18-Jun-1762 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts; per tombstone: born 1763. He served in the Provencial Militia during Revolutionary War between 1779 and 1780 as a Private; on payroll of a company of volunteers who enlisted from Capt. Nathan Hamilton's Co., belonging to 3d Precinct in Brookfield, upon application to Committee of Safety of Brookfield by Samuel Webb, Conductor of Ordnance Stores at that place; service from Jan 1, 1779, to Feb 6, 1779, 1 mo. 6 days, under Lieut. Joseph Olmstead guarding magazine stores; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Maj. Peter Harwood, of 6th Mass. regt., at Springfield, July 1, 1780; age, 18 yrs; stature, 5 ft. 8 in; complexion, light; engaged for town of Brookfield; marched to camp July 1, 1780, under command of Ensign Joseph Miller; also, payroll for 6 months men raised by the town of Brookfield for service in the Continental Army during 1780; marched June 30, 1780; discharged Dec 6, 1780; service, 5 mos. 14 days, including travel (150 miles) home. "He was a Minuteman during the Revolutionary War. He participated in the battles of Concord, Bunker Hill, and the Ticonderoga Campaign." DAR Member #65663. DAR Patriot Index Vol III, Index to the Spouses of Soldiers and Patriots: Jemima McClure - Nathan Rice I 566. He married Jemima McClure, daughter of Thomas McClure and Zilpha Leech, circa 1795 at Bunker Hill, Massachusetts. The 1803 Ohio State Census enumerated him as head of household on 1-Jul-1803 Waterford, Washington County, Ohio; Rice, Nathan, head. Nathan Rice bought land from Anna Hart, wife of Josiah Hart on 30-Jan-1806 at Worster, Washington County, Ohio. He bought land from Israel Putnam on 21-Nov-1806 at Worster, Washington County, Ohio. The 1810 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household in 1810 Adams Township, Washington County, Ohio; Rice, Nathan, head, males: 1 male up to 10 (Thomas ~9), 1 male 45 up (Nathan 48); females: 2 females to 10 (Lucy 3, Sabrina 7), 2 females 10-16 (Zilpha 10, Luceba 11), 1 female 45 up (Jemima 40). Owned 180 acres in Rainbow survey 1810 Adams Township, Washington County, Ohio. He was bought land from Josiah Hart on 11-Apr-1810 at Adams Township, Washington County, Ohio. He was bought land from Jordine Stone on 18-Oct-1810 at Washington County, Ohio. The 1820 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on in 1820 Union Township, Washington County, Ohio, Rice, Nathan, head, males: under 10=1 (?), 16-26=1 (Thomas), 45 up=1 (Nathan); females: 10-16=1 (Lucy), 16-26=2 (Luceba, Sabrina), 45 up=2 (Jemima, ?). They had either relatives or boarders, (mother and son?), living with them. Two persons were involved in agriculture (Nathan and young man). Owned horses and cattle, no carriages between 1827 and 1837 Union Township, Washington County, Ohio. The 1840 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household in 1840 Union Township, Washington County, Ohio; Rice, Nathan, head, 1 male 70-80 (Nathan), females 1 10-15, 1 30-40, 1 60-70 (Jemima). He died on 18-Jan-1841 at Union Township, Washington County, Ohio, at age 78. He was buried at Rainbow Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio. He left a will probated on on 19-May-1841 at Washington County, Ohio, giving all to his wife, Jemima Rice; and at her death, to his four children Zilphia, Thomas, Subrina and Lucy. Zilphia received 1/10th of the personal property; Thomas received $3.00 and all his wearing apparel; to Subrina went 1/2 of the personal property, same proportion to Lucy; all real estate went to Lucy after the death of Jemima. The estate's personal property was appraised at $144.27. The wearing apparerel willed to Thomas consisted of 1 domestick frock coat & overcoat, 1 coat, 2 vests, 4 pair of pantaloons, 2 shirts, 4 pair of socks, 1 hat and 2 handkerchiefs, valued at $13.00. He migrated to Ohio possibly with the Swett's (spelling Sweete, etc.) of Newbury, Mass and the Hussey's.

     Jemima McClure was born on 10-Sep-1770 at Brimfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. She married Nathan Rice, son of Oliver Rice and Lucy Rice, circa 1795 at Bunker Hill, Massachusetts. The 1810 Federal Census enumerated her as a member of Nathan Rice's household; Rice, Nathan, head, males: 1 male up to 10 (Thomas ~9), 1 male 45 up (Nathan 48); females: 2 females to 10 (Lucy 3, Sabrina 7), 2 females 10-16 (Zilpha 10, Luceba 11), 1 female 45 up (Jemima 40). The 1820 Federal Census enumerated her as a member of Nathan Rice's household; Rice, Nathan, head, males: under 10=1 (?), 16-26=1 (Thomas), 45 up=1 (Nathan); females: 10-16=1 (Lucy), 16-26=2 (Luceba, Sabrina), 45 up=2 (Jemima, ?). They had either relatives or boarders, (mother and son?), living with them. Two persons were involved in agriculture (Nathan and young man). The 1840 Federal Census enumerated her as a member of Nathan Rice's household; Rice, Nathan, head, 1 male 70-80 (Nathan), females 1 10-15, 1 30-40, 1 60-70 (Jemima). Jemima McClure died on 26-Sep-1850 at Union Township, Washington County, Ohio, at age 80. She was buried beside her husband at Rainbow Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio.

     Oliver Rice was born on 7-Nov-1726 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He married Lucy Rice, daughter of Peter Rice II and Dinah Wolcott, circa 1752. Oliver Rice witnessed the will of Azariah Rice on 8-Jul-1772 at Worcester County, Massachusetts; Volume 15, page 293-296
Will: Azariah Rice, July 8, 1772

In the name of God Amen. The eighth day of July, one thousand seven hundred & seventy two: I Azariah Rice of Brookfield in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being in health and of sound disposing mind & memory, thanks be given to God but calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that all men must once die, do make this my last will and testament, that is to say, first of all I give & I recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it, & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, not doubting but at the General resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God-And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
I?. My will is that all my just debts & funeral charges paid by my Executors out of my estate.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Benj’n. About two acres of half of meadow more or less as the same is in the southerly side (illegible illegible) Pond, bounded all round by (illegible) & said Pond which is his full part with what I have given him heretofore.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Oliver, one half part of four acres of meadow for quantity & quality, lying near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per Brookfield Book of record. I also give him more, viz. two acres of meadow at Bartlett’s Point (so called) be it more or less, as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Jonas one half part of four acres of meadow near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Ephraim one half part of my house where I now live with the building thereon both for quantity & quality with all my husbandry tools and living stock of creatures of every kind I shall die seized of as the name is bounded southwesterly part on Jonas Rice & part on Elisha Rice, west on Cyprian Rice and four acres of my own land here after mentioned on a town road. Northerly on a town road. Easterly part on (Ralph’s ?) land & part on south pond southerly, southerly on John Rice his land. Said homelot lyes on both sides a town road & contains in the whole about one hundred acres, more four acres lying on the northerly side a town road, more or less as per record. I also give him ten acres of meadow on Qualange River bound on north on the river, south & east on Josiah Partredge, west on Bartlett’s Point. I give him more viz my part in the Meeting house and all my wearing apparel with all the money which is due or coming to me from my late brother Mattathias Rice deceased his estate with all my money I shall die seized & possessed of. Said bequests are on the conditions following viz. That the said Ephraim improve the half heretofore bequeathed in a good husband-like manner during my life & deliverance yearly the whole produce of the same of every sort affordance to be to my sole use & disposal. And also to provide for my comfortable support in sickness & health during my natural life if I stand in need & at my death to give a decent Christian burial. And also pay out the legacies hereafter mentioned to his two sisters & my granddaughter.
Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter’s Miriam & Mary in equal parts all my household goods of every sort & name, as iron, (illegible) pewter, wood, bed & bedding, linen & woolen of every sort & whatever else of indoor moveable not mentioned by name. And ten shilling money to each of them. And to Mary one milking cow to be paid by my executor at my decease.
Item. I give, bequeath to my granddaughter Zerciah Sanford, one heifer two years old, to be delivered to her by my executor within six months after my decease.
Item. I constitute my son Ephr. Rice, sole executor to this my last will and testament. And I utterly disallow & disannul all & every other former or other wills, legacies and bequests or Executors by me made, willed or bequeathed. Ratifying & conforming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have put my hand & seal, the day & year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared said Azariah Rice as his last will & testament in the presence of these subscribers: Wm Ayres, William Ayres Jr, Benjamin Ayers.
Azariah Rice (seal)

Worcester ss. To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln, Judge of the Probate of wills, in the County of Worcester, within the State of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, sendeth Greeting.
Know ye, that on the seventh day of September, anno domini 1779. The instrument herewith annexed purporting the last will & testament of Azariah Rice, late of Brookfield in the County aforesaid, deceased, was presented for probate by Ephraim Rice the executor herein named. Then present William Ayres & Benjamin Ayers, two of the witnesses of the hereto described who made oath that they saw the said testator sign seal & heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will & testament & that they with the other subscribing witnesses subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the said testator’s presence and that he was this to the best of their judgement, of sound & disposing mind:
I do prove, approve & allow of the said instrument as the last will & testament of the before name deceased and do commit that the administration thereof in all matters the same (illegible) & of his estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Ephraim Rice the before named executor work faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of the said deceased according thereto, who accepted of his said inst. and he shall render an inventory of said estate into the Probate office according to law, and he shall render an amount upon oath of his proceeding when thereunto lawfully required.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this day & year above written. Levil Lincoln, J. prob.
Entered from the original, Josiah Wheeler Regr. Oliver Rice served during Revolutionary War between 1775 and 1783 a Private in Lexington Alarm, April, 1775; Sergeant 4th Continental Infantry, 1st January to 31st December, 1776; Sergeant Major 9th Massachusetts, 1st March, 1777; Ensign, 2d June, 1778; Lieutenant, 5th September, 1780; transferred to 4th Massachusetts, 1st January, 1783, and served to 3d November, 1783. He served during Revolutionary War on 30-Jun-1778 on the list of men, dated Brookfield, June 30, 1778, showing service credited to them, respectively, as returned by the committee chosen to make an average of the service rendered to the credit of the 3d Precinct of Brookfield; total amount of service rendered made to average 5 1/2 months for each single poll in said precinct; said Rice credited with 4 1/2 mos. service. He died on 23-Mar-1812 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, at age 85. He left a will written October 26, 1803, probate date April 14, 1812: To my beloved wife Lucy Rice, farm, buildings, livestock and house, daughter Lois, $1.00; daughter Persis, $1.00; son Jesse, $36.00; daughter Eunice, $40.00; son Nathan, $27.00; son Josiah, $58.00; son Simeon, $7.00; son James $3.00; and all the real & personal property going to the youngest son, Phineas at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

     Lucy Rice was born on 12-Feb-1732 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. She married Oliver Rice, son of Azariah Rice and Hannah Bartlett, circa 1752. Lucy Rice died on 26-Mar-1809 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, at age 77.

     Azariah Rice was born on 13-Aug-1693 at Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He married Hannah Bartlett, daughter of Joseph Bartlett (II) and Hannah Hyde, on 17-Jun-1720 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Azariah Rice left a will on 8-Jul-1772 at Worcester County, Massachusetts; Volume 15, page 293-296
Will: Azariah Rice, July 8, 1772

In the name of God Amen. The eighth day of July, one thousand seven hundred & seventy two: I Azariah Rice of Brookfield in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being in health and of sound disposing mind & memory, thanks be given to God but calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that all men must once die, do make this my last will and testament, that is to say, first of all I give & I recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it, & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, not doubting but at the General resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God-And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
I?. My will is that all my just debts & funeral charges paid by my Executors out of my estate.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Benj’n. About two acres of half of meadow more or less as the same is in the southerly side (illegible illegible) Pond, bounded all round by (illegible) & said Pond which is his full part with what I have given him heretofore.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Oliver, one half part of four acres of meadow for quantity & quality, lying near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per Brookfield Book of record. I also give him more, viz. two acres of meadow at Bartlett’s Point (so called) be it more or less, as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Jonas one half part of four acres of meadow near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Ephraim one half part of my house where I now live with the building thereon both for quantity & quality with all my husbandry tools and living stock of creatures of every kind I shall die seized of as the name is bounded southwesterly part on Jonas Rice & part on Elisha Rice, west on Cyprian Rice and four acres of my own land here after mentioned on a town road. Northerly on a town road. Easterly part on (Ralph’s ?) land & part on south pond southerly, southerly on John Rice his land. Said homelot lyes on both sides a town road & contains in the whole about one hundred acres, more four acres lying on the northerly side a town road, more or less as per record. I also give him ten acres of meadow on Qualange River bound on north on the river, south & east on Josiah Partredge, west on Bartlett’s Point. I give him more viz my part in the Meeting house and all my wearing apparel with all the money which is due or coming to me from my late brother Mattathias Rice deceased his estate with all my money I shall die seized & possessed of. Said bequests are on the conditions following viz. That the said Ephraim improve the half heretofore bequeathed in a good husband-like manner during my life & deliverance yearly the whole produce of the same of every sort affordance to be to my sole use & disposal. And also to provide for my comfortable support in sickness & health during my natural life if I stand in need & at my death to give a decent Christian burial. And also pay out the legacies hereafter mentioned to his two sisters & my granddaughter.
Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter’s Miriam & Mary in equal parts all my household goods of every sort & name, as iron, (illegible) pewter, wood, bed & bedding, linen & woolen of every sort & whatever else of indoor moveable not mentioned by name. And ten shilling money to each of them. And to Mary one milking cow to be paid by my executor at my decease.
Item. I give, bequeath to my granddaughter Zerciah Sanford, one heifer two years old, to be delivered to her by my executor within six months after my decease.
Item. I constitute my son Ephr. Rice, sole executor to this my last will and testament. And I utterly disallow & disannul all & every other former or other wills, legacies and bequests or Executors by me made, willed or bequeathed. Ratifying & conforming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have put my hand & seal, the day & year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared said Azariah Rice as his last will & testament in the presence of these subscribers: Wm Ayres, William Ayres Jr, Benjamin Ayers.
Azariah Rice (seal)

Worcester ss. To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln, Judge of the Probate of wills, in the County of Worcester, within the State of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, sendeth Greeting.
Know ye, that on the seventh day of September, anno domini 1779. The instrument herewith annexed purporting the last will & testament of Azariah Rice, late of Brookfield in the County aforesaid, deceased, was presented for probate by Ephraim Rice the executor herein named. Then present William Ayres & Benjamin Ayers, two of the witnesses of the hereto described who made oath that they saw the said testator sign seal & heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will & testament & that they with the other subscribing witnesses subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the said testator’s presence and that he was this to the best of their judgement, of sound & disposing mind:
I do prove, approve & allow of the said instrument as the last will & testament of the before name deceased and do commit that the administration thereof in all matters the same (illegible) & of his estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Ephraim Rice the before named executor work faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of the said deceased according thereto, who accepted of his said inst. and he shall render an inventory of said estate into the Probate office according to law, and he shall render an amount upon oath of his proceeding when thereunto lawfully required.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this day & year above written. Levil Lincoln, J. prob.
Entered from the original, Josiah Wheeler Regr. He died before 7-Sep-1779 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, of cancer; will probated on this date.

     Hannah Bartlett was born on 17-Feb-1694/95 at Sherborn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She married Azariah Rice, son of Benjamin Rice and Mary Rice, on 17-Jun-1720 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Hannah Rice died on 30-Jun-1754 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, at age 59.

     Zerviah Rice was born on 23-Sep-1721 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. She married (?) Sanford. Zerviah Rice died on 21-Mar-1740/41 at age 19.

     Miriam Rice was born on 26-Nov-1724 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. She married (?) Nowell. Miriam Rice married Amos Hamilton. Miriam Rice witnessed the will of Azariah Rice on 8-Jul-1772 at Worcester County, Massachusetts; Volume 15, page 293-296
Will: Azariah Rice, July 8, 1772

In the name of God Amen. The eighth day of July, one thousand seven hundred & seventy two: I Azariah Rice of Brookfield in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being in health and of sound disposing mind & memory, thanks be given to God but calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that all men must once die, do make this my last will and testament, that is to say, first of all I give & I recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it, & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, not doubting but at the General resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God-And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
I?. My will is that all my just debts & funeral charges paid by my Executors out of my estate.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Benj’n. About two acres of half of meadow more or less as the same is in the southerly side (illegible illegible) Pond, bounded all round by (illegible) & said Pond which is his full part with what I have given him heretofore.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Oliver, one half part of four acres of meadow for quantity & quality, lying near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per Brookfield Book of record. I also give him more, viz. two acres of meadow at Bartlett’s Point (so called) be it more or less, as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Jonas one half part of four acres of meadow near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Ephraim one half part of my house where I now live with the building thereon both for quantity & quality with all my husbandry tools and living stock of creatures of every kind I shall die seized of as the name is bounded southwesterly part on Jonas Rice & part on Elisha Rice, west on Cyprian Rice and four acres of my own land here after mentioned on a town road. Northerly on a town road. Easterly part on (Ralph’s ?) land & part on south pond southerly, southerly on John Rice his land. Said homelot lyes on both sides a town road & contains in the whole about one hundred acres, more four acres lying on the northerly side a town road, more or less as per record. I also give him ten acres of meadow on Qualange River bound on north on the river, south & east on Josiah Partredge, west on Bartlett’s Point. I give him more viz my part in the Meeting house and all my wearing apparel with all the money which is due or coming to me from my late brother Mattathias Rice deceased his estate with all my money I shall die seized & possessed of. Said bequests are on the conditions following viz. That the said Ephraim improve the half heretofore bequeathed in a good husband-like manner during my life & deliverance yearly the whole produce of the same of every sort affordance to be to my sole use & disposal. And also to provide for my comfortable support in sickness & health during my natural life if I stand in need & at my death to give a decent Christian burial. And also pay out the legacies hereafter mentioned to his two sisters & my granddaughter.
Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter’s Miriam & Mary in equal parts all my household goods of every sort & name, as iron, (illegible) pewter, wood, bed & bedding, linen & woolen of every sort & whatever else of indoor moveable not mentioned by name. And ten shilling money to each of them. And to Mary one milking cow to be paid by my executor at my decease.
Item. I give, bequeath to my granddaughter Zerciah Sanford, one heifer two years old, to be delivered to her by my executor within six months after my decease.
Item. I constitute my son Ephr. Rice, sole executor to this my last will and testament. And I utterly disallow & disannul all & every other former or other wills, legacies and bequests or Executors by me made, willed or bequeathed. Ratifying & conforming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have put my hand & seal, the day & year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared said Azariah Rice as his last will & testament in the presence of these subscribers: Wm Ayres, William Ayres Jr, Benjamin Ayers.
Azariah Rice (seal)

Worcester ss. To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln, Judge of the Probate of wills, in the County of Worcester, within the State of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, sendeth Greeting.
Know ye, that on the seventh day of September, anno domini 1779. The instrument herewith annexed purporting the last will & testament of Azariah Rice, late of Brookfield in the County aforesaid, deceased, was presented for probate by Ephraim Rice the executor herein named. Then present William Ayres & Benjamin Ayers, two of the witnesses of the hereto described who made oath that they saw the said testator sign seal & heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will & testament & that they with the other subscribing witnesses subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the said testator’s presence and that he was this to the best of their judgement, of sound & disposing mind:
I do prove, approve & allow of the said instrument as the last will & testament of the before name deceased and do commit that the administration thereof in all matters the same (illegible) & of his estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Ephraim Rice the before named executor work faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of the said deceased according thereto, who accepted of his said inst. and he shall render an inventory of said estate into the Probate office according to law, and he shall render an amount upon oath of his proceeding when thereunto lawfully required.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this day & year above written. Levil Lincoln, J. prob.
Entered from the original, Josiah Wheeler Regr.

     Levinah Rice was born on 17-Mar-1729 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He died on 18-Mar-1772 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, at age 43.

     Jonas Rice was born on 30-Jun-1731 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He married Deborah Force. Jonas Rice witnessed the will of Azariah Rice on 8-Jul-1772 at Worcester County, Massachusetts; Volume 15, page 293-296
Will: Azariah Rice, July 8, 1772

In the name of God Amen. The eighth day of July, one thousand seven hundred & seventy two: I Azariah Rice of Brookfield in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being in health and of sound disposing mind & memory, thanks be given to God but calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that all men must once die, do make this my last will and testament, that is to say, first of all I give & I recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it, & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, not doubting but at the General resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God-And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
I?. My will is that all my just debts & funeral charges paid by my Executors out of my estate.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Benj’n. About two acres of half of meadow more or less as the same is in the southerly side (illegible illegible) Pond, bounded all round by (illegible) & said Pond which is his full part with what I have given him heretofore.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Oliver, one half part of four acres of meadow for quantity & quality, lying near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per Brookfield Book of record. I also give him more, viz. two acres of meadow at Bartlett’s Point (so called) be it more or less, as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Jonas one half part of four acres of meadow near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Ephraim one half part of my house where I now live with the building thereon both for quantity & quality with all my husbandry tools and living stock of creatures of every kind I shall die seized of as the name is bounded southwesterly part on Jonas Rice & part on Elisha Rice, west on Cyprian Rice and four acres of my own land here after mentioned on a town road. Northerly on a town road. Easterly part on (Ralph’s ?) land & part on south pond southerly, southerly on John Rice his land. Said homelot lyes on both sides a town road & contains in the whole about one hundred acres, more four acres lying on the northerly side a town road, more or less as per record. I also give him ten acres of meadow on Qualange River bound on north on the river, south & east on Josiah Partredge, west on Bartlett’s Point. I give him more viz my part in the Meeting house and all my wearing apparel with all the money which is due or coming to me from my late brother Mattathias Rice deceased his estate with all my money I shall die seized & possessed of. Said bequests are on the conditions following viz. That the said Ephraim improve the half heretofore bequeathed in a good husband-like manner during my life & deliverance yearly the whole produce of the same of every sort affordance to be to my sole use & disposal. And also to provide for my comfortable support in sickness & health during my natural life if I stand in need & at my death to give a decent Christian burial. And also pay out the legacies hereafter mentioned to his two sisters & my granddaughter.
Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter’s Miriam & Mary in equal parts all my household goods of every sort & name, as iron, (illegible) pewter, wood, bed & bedding, linen & woolen of every sort & whatever else of indoor moveable not mentioned by name. And ten shilling money to each of them. And to Mary one milking cow to be paid by my executor at my decease.
Item. I give, bequeath to my granddaughter Zerciah Sanford, one heifer two years old, to be delivered to her by my executor within six months after my decease.
Item. I constitute my son Ephr. Rice, sole executor to this my last will and testament. And I utterly disallow & disannul all & every other former or other wills, legacies and bequests or Executors by me made, willed or bequeathed. Ratifying & conforming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have put my hand & seal, the day & year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared said Azariah Rice as his last will & testament in the presence of these subscribers: Wm Ayres, William Ayres Jr, Benjamin Ayers.
Azariah Rice (seal)

Worcester ss. To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln, Judge of the Probate of wills, in the County of Worcester, within the State of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, sendeth Greeting.
Know ye, that on the seventh day of September, anno domini 1779. The instrument herewith annexed purporting the last will & testament of Azariah Rice, late of Brookfield in the County aforesaid, deceased, was presented for probate by Ephraim Rice the executor herein named. Then present William Ayres & Benjamin Ayers, two of the witnesses of the hereto described who made oath that they saw the said testator sign seal & heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will & testament & that they with the other subscribing witnesses subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the said testator’s presence and that he was this to the best of their judgement, of sound & disposing mind:
I do prove, approve & allow of the said instrument as the last will & testament of the before name deceased and do commit that the administration thereof in all matters the same (illegible) & of his estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Ephraim Rice the before named executor work faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of the said deceased according thereto, who accepted of his said inst. and he shall render an inventory of said estate into the Probate office according to law, and he shall render an amount upon oath of his proceeding when thereunto lawfully required.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this day & year above written. Levil Lincoln, J. prob.
Entered from the original, Josiah Wheeler Regr. Jonas Rice served during Revolutionary War. He died in 1776 of small pox while in the military.

     Mary Rice married Jonathan Walker. Mary Rice was born on 20-Oct-1734 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. She witnessed the will of Azariah Rice on 8-Jul-1772 at Worcester County, Massachusetts; Volume 15, page 293-296
Will: Azariah Rice, July 8, 1772

In the name of God Amen. The eighth day of July, one thousand seven hundred & seventy two: I Azariah Rice of Brookfield in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being in health and of sound disposing mind & memory, thanks be given to God but calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that all men must once die, do make this my last will and testament, that is to say, first of all I give & I recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it, & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, not doubting but at the General resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God-And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
I?. My will is that all my just debts & funeral charges paid by my Executors out of my estate.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Benj’n. About two acres of half of meadow more or less as the same is in the southerly side (illegible illegible) Pond, bounded all round by (illegible) & said Pond which is his full part with what I have given him heretofore.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Oliver, one half part of four acres of meadow for quantity & quality, lying near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per Brookfield Book of record. I also give him more, viz. two acres of meadow at Bartlett’s Point (so called) be it more or less, as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Jonas one half part of four acres of meadow near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Ephraim one half part of my house where I now live with the building thereon both for quantity & quality with all my husbandry tools and living stock of creatures of every kind I shall die seized of as the name is bounded southwesterly part on Jonas Rice & part on Elisha Rice, west on Cyprian Rice and four acres of my own land here after mentioned on a town road. Northerly on a town road. Easterly part on (Ralph’s ?) land & part on south pond southerly, southerly on John Rice his land. Said homelot lyes on both sides a town road & contains in the whole about one hundred acres, more four acres lying on the northerly side a town road, more or less as per record. I also give him ten acres of meadow on Qualange River bound on north on the river, south & east on Josiah Partredge, west on Bartlett’s Point. I give him more viz my part in the Meeting house and all my wearing apparel with all the money which is due or coming to me from my late brother Mattathias Rice deceased his estate with all my money I shall die seized & possessed of. Said bequests are on the conditions following viz. That the said Ephraim improve the half heretofore bequeathed in a good husband-like manner during my life & deliverance yearly the whole produce of the same of every sort affordance to be to my sole use & disposal. And also to provide for my comfortable support in sickness & health during my natural life if I stand in need & at my death to give a decent Christian burial. And also pay out the legacies hereafter mentioned to his two sisters & my granddaughter.
Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter’s Miriam & Mary in equal parts all my household goods of every sort & name, as iron, (illegible) pewter, wood, bed & bedding, linen & woolen of every sort & whatever else of indoor moveable not mentioned by name. And ten shilling money to each of them. And to Mary one milking cow to be paid by my executor at my decease.
Item. I give, bequeath to my granddaughter Zerciah Sanford, one heifer two years old, to be delivered to her by my executor within six months after my decease.
Item. I constitute my son Ephr. Rice, sole executor to this my last will and testament. And I utterly disallow & disannul all & every other former or other wills, legacies and bequests or Executors by me made, willed or bequeathed. Ratifying & conforming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have put my hand & seal, the day & year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared said Azariah Rice as his last will & testament in the presence of these subscribers: Wm Ayres, William Ayres Jr, Benjamin Ayers.
Azariah Rice (seal)

Worcester ss. To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln, Judge of the Probate of wills, in the County of Worcester, within the State of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, sendeth Greeting.
Know ye, that on the seventh day of September, anno domini 1779. The instrument herewith annexed purporting the last will & testament of Azariah Rice, late of Brookfield in the County aforesaid, deceased, was presented for probate by Ephraim Rice the executor herein named. Then present William Ayres & Benjamin Ayers, two of the witnesses of the hereto described who made oath that they saw the said testator sign seal & heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will & testament & that they with the other subscribing witnesses subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the said testator’s presence and that he was this to the best of their judgement, of sound & disposing mind:
I do prove, approve & allow of the said instrument as the last will & testament of the before name deceased and do commit that the administration thereof in all matters the same (illegible) & of his estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Ephraim Rice the before named executor work faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of the said deceased according thereto, who accepted of his said inst. and he shall render an inventory of said estate into the Probate office according to law, and he shall render an amount upon oath of his proceeding when thereunto lawfully required.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this day & year above written. Levil Lincoln, J. prob.
Entered from the original, Josiah Wheeler Regr.

     Ephriam Rice was born on 28-Oct-1735 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He married Thankful Walker. Ephriam Rice witnessed the will of Azariah Rice on 8-Jul-1772 at Worcester County, Massachusetts; Volume 15, page 293-296
Will: Azariah Rice, July 8, 1772

In the name of God Amen. The eighth day of July, one thousand seven hundred & seventy two: I Azariah Rice of Brookfield in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being in health and of sound disposing mind & memory, thanks be given to God but calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that all men must once die, do make this my last will and testament, that is to say, first of all I give & I recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it, & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, not doubting but at the General resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God-And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
I?. My will is that all my just debts & funeral charges paid by my Executors out of my estate.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Benj’n. About two acres of half of meadow more or less as the same is in the southerly side (illegible illegible) Pond, bounded all round by (illegible) & said Pond which is his full part with what I have given him heretofore.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Oliver, one half part of four acres of meadow for quantity & quality, lying near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per Brookfield Book of record. I also give him more, viz. two acres of meadow at Bartlett’s Point (so called) be it more or less, as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Jonas one half part of four acres of meadow near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Ephraim one half part of my house where I now live with the building thereon both for quantity & quality with all my husbandry tools and living stock of creatures of every kind I shall die seized of as the name is bounded southwesterly part on Jonas Rice & part on Elisha Rice, west on Cyprian Rice and four acres of my own land here after mentioned on a town road. Northerly on a town road. Easterly part on (Ralph’s ?) land & part on south pond southerly, southerly on John Rice his land. Said homelot lyes on both sides a town road & contains in the whole about one hundred acres, more four acres lying on the northerly side a town road, more or less as per record. I also give him ten acres of meadow on Qualange River bound on north on the river, south & east on Josiah Partredge, west on Bartlett’s Point. I give him more viz my part in the Meeting house and all my wearing apparel with all the money which is due or coming to me from my late brother Mattathias Rice deceased his estate with all my money I shall die seized & possessed of. Said bequests are on the conditions following viz. That the said Ephraim improve the half heretofore bequeathed in a good husband-like manner during my life & deliverance yearly the whole produce of the same of every sort affordance to be to my sole use & disposal. And also to provide for my comfortable support in sickness & health during my natural life if I stand in need & at my death to give a decent Christian burial. And also pay out the legacies hereafter mentioned to his two sisters & my granddaughter.
Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter’s Miriam & Mary in equal parts all my household goods of every sort & name, as iron, (illegible) pewter, wood, bed & bedding, linen & woolen of every sort & whatever else of indoor moveable not mentioned by name. And ten shilling money to each of them. And to Mary one milking cow to be paid by my executor at my decease.
Item. I give, bequeath to my granddaughter Zerciah Sanford, one heifer two years old, to be delivered to her by my executor within six months after my decease.
Item. I constitute my son Ephr. Rice, sole executor to this my last will and testament. And I utterly disallow & disannul all & every other former or other wills, legacies and bequests or Executors by me made, willed or bequeathed. Ratifying & conforming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have put my hand & seal, the day & year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared said Azariah Rice as his last will & testament in the presence of these subscribers: Wm Ayres, William Ayres Jr, Benjamin Ayers.
Azariah Rice (seal)

Worcester ss. To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln, Judge of the Probate of wills, in the County of Worcester, within the State of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, sendeth Greeting.
Know ye, that on the seventh day of September, anno domini 1779. The instrument herewith annexed purporting the last will & testament of Azariah Rice, late of Brookfield in the County aforesaid, deceased, was presented for probate by Ephraim Rice the executor herein named. Then present William Ayres & Benjamin Ayers, two of the witnesses of the hereto described who made oath that they saw the said testator sign seal & heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will & testament & that they with the other subscribing witnesses subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the said testator’s presence and that he was this to the best of their judgement, of sound & disposing mind:
I do prove, approve & allow of the said instrument as the last will & testament of the before name deceased and do commit that the administration thereof in all matters the same (illegible) & of his estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Ephraim Rice the before named executor work faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of the said deceased according thereto, who accepted of his said inst. and he shall render an inventory of said estate into the Probate office according to law, and he shall render an amount upon oath of his proceeding when thereunto lawfully required.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this day & year above written. Levil Lincoln, J. prob.
Entered from the original, Josiah Wheeler Regr. Ephriam Rice died in 1810.

     Patience Rice was born on 20-Oct-1738 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. She died before 1772.

     Captain Benjamin Rice was born on 1-Feb-1722/23 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He married Sarah Upham. Captain Benjamin Rice witnessed the will of Azariah Rice on 8-Jul-1772 at Worcester County, Massachusetts; Volume 15, page 293-296
Will: Azariah Rice, July 8, 1772

In the name of God Amen. The eighth day of July, one thousand seven hundred & seventy two: I Azariah Rice of Brookfield in the County of Worcester & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being in health and of sound disposing mind & memory, thanks be given to God but calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that all men must once die, do make this my last will and testament, that is to say, first of all I give & I recommend my soul into the hand of God who gave it, & my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor hereafter named, not doubting but at the General resurrection, I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God-And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
I?. My will is that all my just debts & funeral charges paid by my Executors out of my estate.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Benj’n. About two acres of half of meadow more or less as the same is in the southerly side (illegible illegible) Pond, bounded all round by (illegible) & said Pond which is his full part with what I have given him heretofore.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Oliver, one half part of four acres of meadow for quantity & quality, lying near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per Brookfield Book of record. I also give him more, viz. two acres of meadow at Bartlett’s Point (so called) be it more or less, as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Jonas one half part of four acres of meadow near Pine Hill, be it more or less as per record.
Item. I give & bequeath to my son Ephraim one half part of my house where I now live with the building thereon both for quantity & quality with all my husbandry tools and living stock of creatures of every kind I shall die seized of as the name is bounded southwesterly part on Jonas Rice & part on Elisha Rice, west on Cyprian Rice and four acres of my own land here after mentioned on a town road. Northerly on a town road. Easterly part on (Ralph’s ?) land & part on south pond southerly, southerly on John Rice his land. Said homelot lyes on both sides a town road & contains in the whole about one hundred acres, more four acres lying on the northerly side a town road, more or less as per record. I also give him ten acres of meadow on Qualange River bound on north on the river, south & east on Josiah Partredge, west on Bartlett’s Point. I give him more viz my part in the Meeting house and all my wearing apparel with all the money which is due or coming to me from my late brother Mattathias Rice deceased his estate with all my money I shall die seized & possessed of. Said bequests are on the conditions following viz. That the said Ephraim improve the half heretofore bequeathed in a good husband-like manner during my life & deliverance yearly the whole produce of the same of every sort affordance to be to my sole use & disposal. And also to provide for my comfortable support in sickness & health during my natural life if I stand in need & at my death to give a decent Christian burial. And also pay out the legacies hereafter mentioned to his two sisters & my granddaughter.
Item. I give & bequeath to my daughter’s Miriam & Mary in equal parts all my household goods of every sort & name, as iron, (illegible) pewter, wood, bed & bedding, linen & woolen of every sort & whatever else of indoor moveable not mentioned by name. And ten shilling money to each of them. And to Mary one milking cow to be paid by my executor at my decease.
Item. I give, bequeath to my granddaughter Zerciah Sanford, one heifer two years old, to be delivered to her by my executor within six months after my decease.
Item. I constitute my son Ephr. Rice, sole executor to this my last will and testament. And I utterly disallow & disannul all & every other former or other wills, legacies and bequests or Executors by me made, willed or bequeathed. Ratifying & conforming this and no other to be my last will & testament.
In witness whereof I have put my hand & seal, the day & year above written.
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared said Azariah Rice as his last will & testament in the presence of these subscribers: Wm Ayres, William Ayres Jr, Benjamin Ayers.
Azariah Rice (seal)

Worcester ss. To all people to whom these presents shall come, Levi Lincoln, Judge of the Probate of wills, in the County of Worcester, within the State of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, sendeth Greeting.
Know ye, that on the seventh day of September, anno domini 1779. The instrument herewith annexed purporting the last will & testament of Azariah Rice, late of Brookfield in the County aforesaid, deceased, was presented for probate by Ephraim Rice the executor herein named. Then present William Ayres & Benjamin Ayers, two of the witnesses of the hereto described who made oath that they saw the said testator sign seal & heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will & testament & that they with the other subscribing witnesses subscribed their names together as witnesses to the execution thereof in the said testator’s presence and that he was this to the best of their judgement, of sound & disposing mind:
I do prove, approve & allow of the said instrument as the last will & testament of the before name deceased and do commit that the administration thereof in all matters the same (illegible) & of his estate whereof he died seized & possessed in said County unto Ephraim Rice the before named executor work faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of the said deceased according thereto, who accepted of his said inst. and he shall render an inventory of said estate into the Probate office according to law, and he shall render an amount upon oath of his proceeding when thereunto lawfully required.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this day & year above written. Levil Lincoln, J. prob.
Entered from the original, Josiah Wheeler Regr. Captain Benjamin Rice died on 8-Feb-1796 at age 73.

     Benjamin Rice was born on 22-Dec-1666 at Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He married Mary Rice, daughter of Samuel Rice and Mary Dix, on 15-Nov-1692 at Marlborough, Massachusetts; are first cousins.
Benjamin Rice left a will on 31-Dec-1744; naming sons Azariah, Zerubabel, and Matthias; daughters Lydia Rice, Elizabeth How, Rachel How, Priscilla Partridge and Damaris Brigham; and grandchild (of son Simon, deceased) Ebenezer. Zerubabel Rice, Executor. He died on 23-Feb-1748/49 at Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, at age 82. He was buried at Old Common Cemetery, Marlborough, Massachusetts. His estate was probated on 27-Mar-1749.

     Mary Rice was also known as Mary Graves; (in error). She was named incorrectly in Ward's the Rice Family. Note that the marriage specified by WARD is apparently in error and that the Rice Genealogical Register line has the correct line. The Sudbury VR lists the marriage of Benjamin Rice and Mary (Chamberlain) Graves on 1 april 1691. This would be the Benjamin Rice born 1640 at Sudbury. The Marlborough VR lists the marriage of Benjamin Rice and Mary Rice on 15 Nov 1692. This would be the Benjamin Rice born 1666 at Marlborough as shown here. She was born on 6-Aug-1669 at Marlborough, Massachusetts. She married Benjamin Rice, son of Deacon Edward Rice and Agnes (Anna) Bent, on 15-Nov-1692 at Marlborough, Massachusetts; are first cousins.
Mary Rice died on 22-Oct-1736 at Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, at age 67. She was buried at Old Common Cemetery, Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

     Deacon Edward Rice was born in 1618 at Barkhamstead, England. He was christened on 26-Oct-1622 at Stanstead, Suffolk County, England. He married Agnes (Anna) Bent, daughter of John Bent and Martha Blanchard, before 1646. Deacon Edward Rice died on 15-Aug-1712 at Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, at age 89. He Deacon Edward Rice was born circa 1622; (1619 per Ward).³ He was the son of Deacon Edmund Rice and Thomasine Frost. Deacon Edward Rice was christened on 27 October 1622 at Stanstead, co Suffolk, England; 26th per TAG, 20th per Rice Gen'l Register, under the name Rise. The 1622 baptism record gives the child's name as Edmund, not Edward. Nonetheless, your authors are convinced that Edward was the child baptized (and of course born) that year, and that he exaggerated his age in later life.^2,4,5 He married Agnes Bent, daughter of John Bent and Martha Blanchard, circa 1647.^3,2,6 Deacon Edward Rice died on 15 August 1712 at Marlborough, MA; at about age 93.^3,7
He received one lot in the Sudbury Two-Mile Grant in 1655.⁸ He resided in 1664 at Marlborough, MA, where he was a Deacon of the church.⁹ He declared age 47 in a paper filed in court on 2 October 1666 at Middlesex County Court, Cambridge, MA.¹⁰ He was assessed 8s 7d in the 1688 Marlborough tax roll.¹¹ On 1 April 1686 at Sudbury, MA, Edward and Agnes Rice gave to their son Edmund Rice of Sudbury, half of the farm lying within the bounds of Sudbury, "near the spring". (Edward had purchased some of this land from his father Edmund and some of the land from his brother Benjamin. John Rice of Sudbury, a brother of Edmund, had the choice half.) Deed recorded 16 August 1734.^3,12 He was elected deacon in 1687.¹³ In the year 1692 he was questioned in court - aged 70y.¹⁴ A 1712 obituary in the Boston News Letter gave the death year as 1711 and said he had been born in Berkhamstead in 1618. It also said he had 142 descendants at that time, of which 119 were living. It further said that Edward's brother Henry, who had died in Framingham in 1711, had a similarly large number of descendants.¹⁵
[S1] Andrew Henshaw Ward, The Rice Family, pp. 1, 5, 6.
[S3] Rice Gen'l Register, pp. 1, 2.
[S1] Andrew Henshaw Ward, The Rice Family, p. 6.
[S53] Mary Lovering Holman, "TAG, Vol. X, Notes on Edmund Rice", p. 134.
[S1171] Letter, Dr Joanna Martin to Dr Robert V Rice, 13 November 1997.
[S50] Allen H. Bent, Bent Family, p. 15.
[S22] Mass Marlborough, Marlborough, MA, Vital Records, p. 384.

     Agnes (Anna) Bent was born on 12-Dec-1631 at England. She married Deacon Edward Rice, son of Deacon Edmund Rice and Thomasine Frost, before 1646. Agnes (Anna) Bent left a will on 14-Sep-1672 at Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; is mentioned in the will of her father, John Bent: : ..."I give and bequeath unto Agnis Rice, my daughter, the summ of ten pounds to be paid within a year of my decease, that is to say, the one third part of it, and the other two thirds after the decease of Martha, my beloved wife, or at her marriage."... "I give to John Rice, the son of my daughter Agnis Rice, four pounds to be paid within a year after my decease."... She died on 1-Jun-1713 at Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, at age 81.

     Twice in the 20th century nationally recognized research genealogists have attempted to determine the parents and ancestors of Edmund Rice. Mary Lovering Holman described the negative result of her search for records in the parishes near Stanstead and Sudbury, Suffolk County, England in "English Notes on Edmund Rice … ", The American Genealogist, Volume 10 (1933/34), pp. 133 - 137. Mrs. Holman is considered by many to be one of the best research genealogists in the 20th century. In 1997 the Edmund Rice (1638) Association commissioned Dr. Joanna Martin, a nationally recognized research genealogist who lives in England only a few miles from Stanstead and Sudbury to search again for records of Edmund Rice's parents. Dr. Martin reported in 1999 that she found no record that identified Edmund's parents or ancestral line.

Several authors of published works and computer data sets have claimed names for Edmund Rice's parents. Regrettably they have not given sources that would assist in definitive genealogical research. For example, the Ancestral File and International Genealogical Index, two popular computer data sets widely distributed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, offer parent candidates that include: Henry Rice and Margaret Baker, Henry Rice and Elizabeth Frost, Thomas Rice and Catherine Howard, and Thomas Rice and Elizabeth Frost.

From Mrs. Holman's paper we have an excellent record of one Henry Rice's marriage to Elizabeth Frost in November 1605 at Stanstead. Mrs. Holman also documents the baptism of Edmund's first child on 23 August 1619 at Stanstead. If this is the Henry Rice and Elizabeth Frost to which the LDS records refer, the LDS records must be erroneous. Our researchers have not been able to find records that support any Henry Rice and Elizabeth Frost, Henry Rice and Margaret Baker, Thomas Rice and Catherine Howard, or Thomas Rice and Elizabeth Frost as parents of Edmund Rice.

A scholarly investigation by Donald Lines Jacobus, considered by many as the dean of modern American genealogy, appeared in The American Genealogist, Volume 11, (1936), pp. 14-21. Jacobus traced many of the false accounts to the book by Dr. Charles Elmer Rice entitled "By the Name of Rice … ", privately published by Dr. Rice at Alliance, Ohio in 1911.

Edmund Rice deposed in a court document on 3 April 1656 that he was about 62 years old. Sudbury, England includes three parishes, two of which do not have complete records for the years near 1594, which is Edmund's most likely birth year. Thus, if he were born in Sudbury, England his records have been lost and we may never know his origin.

In his address to the 1999 annual meeting of the Edmund Rice (1638) Association, Gary Boyd Roberts, Senior Researcher, New England Historic Genealogical Society, reviewed all of the genealogical sleuthing on Edmund's parentage. Mr. Roberts is well known for his research on royal lineage. He concluded that there was no evidence whatsoever that supports the published accounts of Edmund Rice's parents and no evidence that Edmund Rice was from a royal lineage.

The Edmund Rice (1638) Association is very interested in proving the ancestry of Edmund Rice. The Association encourages anyone who can identify a primary source that names Edmund and his parents to identify that source. Records of a baptism, estate probate, or land transaction naming Edmund and his parents are the most likely records to contain that proof.

Until someone can cite such a record, the Association must state emphatically that Edmund Rice's parents and ancestry are not known and that Edmund Rice's descendants can not claim royal ancestry. Deacon Edmund Rice was born in 1594 at Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England. He married Thomasine Frost, daughter of Edward Frost and Thomasine Belgrave, on 15-Oct-1618 at St. Mary's Church, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk County, England. Deacon Edmund Rice resided in 1627 at Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire County, England. He immigrated in 1639 to Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts,; was from Barkhamstead in Co. Herts, and of the first sett. 1639, appoint. to lay out the planta. freem. 13 May 1640, and among proprs. that yr. is a wid. Rice, perhaps his mo. was rep. in Oct. foll. and 1643, deac. and selectman. He married Mercy Brigham, daughter of John Hurd, on 1-Mar-1655. Deacon Edmund Rice died on 3-May-1663 at Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was buried . One possible site of the grave is marked by a monument designed by Arthur Wallace Rice of Boston, MA. It was dedicated by the Edmund Rice Association on 29 August 1914. A boulder with a bronze tablet was also erected by the Association and it marks Edmund's homestead on the Old Connecticut Path in Wayland. at Old Burying Ground, Wayland, Massachusetts. He "as a prominent man in the settlement. He early owned lands in and out of the town, some of which came by grant of the General Court. His first dwelling-place at Sudbury was on the old north street. Sept. 1, 1642, he sold this place to John Moore, and Sept. 13 of the same year leased for six years the Dunster Farm, which lay just east of Cochituate Pond. He bought of the widow Mary Axdell six acres of land and her dwelling-house, which were in the south part of town, and some years afterwards he bought of Philemon Whale his house and nine acres of land near "the spring" and adjacent to the Axdell place; and these taken together, in part at least, formed the old Rice homestead, not far from the "Five Paths." This old homestead remained in the Rice family for generations. Edmund sold it to Edmund, his son, who passed it to his sons John and Edmund, and afterwards John transferred his share of it to his brother Edmund, by whom it passed to others of the family, who occupied it till within the last half century. On Sept. 26, 1647, Mr. Rice leased the "Gover Farm" and what is now Weston; and June 24, 1659, the "Dunster Farm" was purchased by Mr. Rice and his son. He was one of the substantial men of the Sudbury plantation. He was a freeman May 13, 1640, and was one of the committee appointed by the Colonial Court, Sept. 4, 1639, to apportion land to the inhabitants. He served as selectman from 1639 to 1644, and was deputy to the General Court several successive years. He was prominent in the settlement of Marlboro, for which he was a petitioner in 1656. The Rice family in Sudbury have been numerous , and the name has been frequently mentioned on the town books." Quoted from the Annals of Sudbury, Wayland, and Maynard, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He As reported later in this account of Edmund Rice, no record of his birth or christening has been found.¹ Deacon Edmund Rice married 1st Thomasine Frost, daughter of Edward Frost and Thomasine Belgrave, on 15 October 1618 at St Marys Church, Bury St Edmunds, co Suffolk, England.^3,2,4,5 Deacon Edmund Rice married Mercy Hurd (?) on 1 March 1655/56 at Sudbury, MA; (literally 1655) registered as Mary Brigham.^2,6 Deacon Edmund Rice died on 3 May 1663 at Sudbury, MA; (not found in the published records).^1,2 He was buried at Old Burying Ground, Wayland, MA; One possible site of the grave is marked by a monument designed by Arthur Wallace Rice of Boston, MA. It was dedicated by the Edmund Rice Association on 29 August 1914. A boulder with a bronze tablet was also erected by the Association and it marks Edmund's homestead on the Old Connecticut Path in Wayland.²
He and Thomasine Frost resided in 1627 at Berkhamstead, co Hertfordshire, England.^7,8
In 1638 Edmund Rice acquired 4 acres in then Sudbury (now Wayland) and laid out in the fall of that year. He was one of the first to build in the area. According to Massachusetts Colonial Records, Volume 1, page 271, on 4 September 1639 Edmund Rice was one of the committee appointed by the Massachusetts General Court to lay out the land in Sudbury.
Edmund Rice's house was situated on the "Old North Street", near Mill brook. He received his proportion of "Meadowlands", which were divided "to the present inhabitants" under dates of 4 September 1639, 20 April, and 18 November 164-, his share being 42 1/2 acres. He shared in all the division of Uplands and Commons - the total number of acres which fell to his lot, as an original inhabitant, was 247.^9,10

Deacon Edmund Rice was a Selectman in 1644 and subsequent years; a Deacon of the church in 1648, and, in 1656, one of the petitioners for a new plantation that became known as Marlborough at Sudbury, MA.¹¹ He was designated a Freeman on 13 May 1640 at Massachusetts.^12,13 Edmund Rice was recorded as being present as a Deputy at the Massachusetts General Court (legislative assembly) in Boston on 7 October 1640.¹⁴ On 2 June 1641 at Boston Edmund Rice was appointed an assosiate(sic) for the Courts and comission'r for the toune (sic) of Sudberry (sic).¹⁵ He was a deputy to the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (the Massachusetts legislature) representing the Town of Sudbury, serving on 27 May 1652, 18 May 1653, and 3 May 1654 between 1652 and 1654 at Boston, MA.¹⁶ He resided after 1656 at Marlborough, MA, lived on "The Great Road" on the northerly side of the pond (Cochituate Pond), not far from Williams Tavern. The pond is also spelled Wachittuate, Caochituet, Chochichawicke, Coijchawicke, Catchchauitt, Charchittawick, Katchetuit, Cochichawauke, or Cochichowicke.¹⁷
Twice in the 20th century nationally recognized research genealogists have attempted to determine the parents and ancestors of Edmund Rice. Mary Lovering Holman described the negative result of her search for records in the parishes near Stanstead and Sudbury, Suffolk County, England in “English Notes on Edmund Rice”, The American Genealogist, Volume 10 (1933/34), pp. 133 - 137. Mrs Holman is considered by many to be one of the best research genealogists in the 20th century. In 1997 the Edmund Rice (1638) Association commissioned Dr. Joanna Martin, a nationally recognized research genealogist who lives in Hitcham, Suffolk, England, only a few miles from Stanstead and Sudbury, to search again for records of Edmund Rice's parents. Dr. Martin reported in 1999 that she found no record that identified Edmund's parents or ancestral line.
Several authors of published works and computer data sets have claimed names for Edmund Rice's parents. Regrettably they have not given sources that would assist in definitive genealogical research. For example, the Ancestral File and International Genealogical Index, two popular computer data sets widely distributed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, offer parent candidates that include: Henry Rice and Margaret Baker, Henry Rice and Elizabeth Frost, Thomas Rice and Catherine Howard, and Thomas Rice and Elizabeth Frost.
From Mrs. Holman's paper we have an excellent record of one Henry Rice's marriage to Elizabeth Frost in November 1605 at Stanstead. Mrs. Holman also documents the baptism of Edmund's first child on 23 August 1619 at Stanstead. If this is the Henry Rice and Elizabeth Frost to which the LDS records refer, the LDS records must be erroneous. Our researchers have not been able to find records that support any Henry Rice and Elizabeth Frost, Henry Rice and Margaret Baker, Thomas Rice and Catherine Howard, or Thomas Rice and Elizabeth Frost as parents of Edmund Rice.
A scholarly investigation by Donald Lines Jacobus, considered by many as the dean of modern American genealogy, appeared in The American Genealogist, volume 11, (1936), pp. 14-21 and was reprinted in the fall of 1968 and the winter of 1998 issues of Newsletter of the Edmund Rice (1638) Association. Jacobus traced many of the false accounts to the book by Dr. Charles Elmer Rice entitled "By the Name of Rice”, privately published by Dr. Rice at Alliance, Ohio in 1911.
Sudbury, England includes three parishes, two of which do not have complete records for the years near 1594, which is Edmund's most likely birth year. Edmund Rice deposed in a court document on 3 April 1656 that he was about 62 years old. Thus, if he were born in Sudbury his records have been lost and we may never know his origin.
In his address to the 1999 annual meeting of the Edmund Rice (1638) Association, Gary Boyd Roberts, Senior Researcher, New England Historic Genealogy Society, reviewed all of the genealogical sleuthing on Edmund's parentage. Mr. Roberts is well known for his research on royal lineage. He concluded that there was no evidence whatsoever that supports the published accounts of Edmund Rice's parents and no evidence that Edmund Rice was from a royal lineage.
The Edmund Rice (1638) Association is very interested in proving the ancestry of Edmund Rice. The association encourages anyone who can identify a primary source that names Edmund and his parents to identify that source. Records of a baptism, estate probate, or land transaction naming Edmund and his parents are the most likely records to contain that proof. Until someone can cite such a record, the association must state emphatically that Edmund Rice's parents and ancestry are not known and that Edmund Rice's descendants can not claim royal ancestry.^18,19,20
[S1] Andrew Henshaw Ward, The Rice Family, p. 5.
[S3] Rice Gen'l Register, p. 1.
[S1] Andrew Henshaw Ward, The Rice Family.
[S258] Harold F Porter, "The Strutt Ancestry of Thomasine Frost", p. 166.
[S1171] Letter, Dr Joanna Martin to Dr Robert V Rice, 13 November 1997.
[S2365] Sudbury MA, Sudbury, MA, Vital Records, p. 258.
[S53] Mary Lovering Holman, "TAG, Vol. X, Notes on Edmund Rice", p. 136.
[S120] David Kent Young, Young, Siobhan Eddy.
[S228] Josiah H Temple, Framingham Families, pp. 680-681.
[S1150] Nathaniel B Shurtleff, Massachuestts colonial records, vol. I, p. 271.
[S1] Andrew Henshaw Ward, The Rice Family, p. 1.
[S233] Lucius R. Paige, Freemen of Massachusetts.
[S1150] Nathaniel B Shurtleff, Massachuestts colonial records, vol. I, p. 377.
[S1150] Nathaniel B Shurtleff, Massachuestts colonial records, vol. I, p. 301.
[S1150] Nathaniel B Shurtleff, Massachuestts colonial records, vol. I, p. 328.
[S1150] Nathaniel B Shurtleff, Massachuestts colonial records, vol. 3, pp. 259, 297, 340.
[S1] Andrew Henshaw Ward, The Rice Family, p. 2.
[S53] Mary Lovering Holman, "TAG, Vol. X, Notes on Edmund Rice", pp. 133 - 137.
[S60] D. L Jacobus, TAG - 11, pp. 14 - 21.
[S61] Mary Lovering Holman, The American Genealogist, p. 227.

     Thomasine Frost was born on 11-Aug-1600 at Stanstead, England. She married Deacon Edmund Rice on 15-Oct-1618 at St. Mary's Church, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk County, England. Thomasine Frost resided in 1627 at Berkhamstead, England. She died on 13-Jun-1654 at Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, at age 53.

     John Bent was born in 1596 at Penton, Grafton, England. He married Martha Blanchard on 3-Oct-1644 at Penton, England. John Bent left a will on 14-Sep-1672 at Sudbury, Massachusetts; that names his wife Martha and his eldest son, Peter, as executors. The will also names sons Peter, Joseph, John, daughters Agnis Rice, Martha How; grandchildren Hannah Bent, daughter of son John; John How, son of daughter Martha How; John Rice, son of daughter Agnis Rice. Also named as overseeers are Henry Rice and John Stone. He died on 27-Sep-1672 at Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. His estate was probated on 2-Oct-1672.

     Martha Blanchard was born in 1600 at Penton, England. She married John Bent, son of Robert Bent and Agnes (Annis) Gosling, on 3-Oct-1644 at Penton, England. Martha Blanchard died on 15-May-1679 at Penton, England.

     Joseph Austin Newman was born on 2-Oct-1827 at Wharton County, Texas. He married Mary L. Rice, daughter of Thomas McClure Rice and Elizabeth Wilson, on 9-Feb-1848 at Wharton County, Texas. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 13-Sep-1850 Wharton District, Wharton County, Texas; Newman, Joseph A., head, 22/m/farmer, real estate value 600, born Texas; M. L., 20/f, born Ohio; Asa, 4/m, born Texas; L. G., 1/m, born Texas. Joseph Austin Newman married Elizabeth Dedrick Baker, daughter of William Baker and Vashti Baker, on 18-Jul-1852 at DeWitt County, Texas. Joseph Austin Newman witnessed the Estate of Elizabeth Rice on 8-Jul-1859 at DeWitt County, Texas; 'The State of Texas; Oliver Rice et al; County of DeWitt; Deed of Release: Know all men by these presents on the Eighth day of July, 1859, that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of Elizabeth Rice, deceased of said State and county. Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of the Said Elizabeth Rice do by these presents do bind ourselves and agree that the settlement that we have this day made in the Estate of the said Elizabeth Rice Shall be binding to each and all of us the Heirs of the said Elizabeth Rice and that we have this day made a fair and equal division of all the cattle of the said Estate and the Joseph Newman has in and for his son Leander Newman one of the Heirs of said Estate given unto Asa Asa Rice one of equal kin with Leander Rice all and every part and parcel of the said Leander Newman share in the said Estate forever-- Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the said Estate do hereby acknowledge by these presents the receipt of all or part and portion of all the property of the said Estate of Elizabeth Rice owned and we do by these presents receive it as a full and final settlement forever -- Whereunto we sit our hand this date above mentioned. Oliver Rice In Presence of (his mark) Amos A Hill; J S Newman; Joseph Bennett; A A Rice; T R Rice. The State of Texas: Personally appeared before me; County of DeWitt; James N Smith clerk of the County Court of said County: Amos A Hill; one of the subscribing witness to the foregoing instrument of writing who to me is well known and he after being duly sworn on his oath says that he is acquainted with all the party subscribing the same and that he saw each of them sign and seal the same and they acknowledge to be their act and deed for the purpose therein set forth and that they requested him to witness the same -- Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton the 19^th day of July A D 1859: James N Smith Cty Clerk. The State of Texas; County of DeWitt; I hereby certify that the above instrument of writing was filed in my office for record on Tuesday the 19^th day of July A D 1859 at 10 oclock a m and that it was duly recorded in Record Book - - In Book H on page 455 on the same day and date as 11 oclock a m. Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton this 19^th day of July A D 1859.      James N Smith Cty Clerk.' This Deed of Release, Oliver Rice et al, was transcribed by Anita J. Cooper. The 1860 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 1-Jun-1860 DeWitt County, Texas; Newman, Joseph A., head, 33, m, stock raiser, real estate value 100, personal estate value 5,000, born Texas; Elizabeth D, 27, f, born Alabama; Leander G., 10, m, born Texas; Joseph S, 5, m, born Texas; O., 3, m, born Texas; Thomas M., 4/12, m, born Texas. The 1870 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 1-Aug-1870 Clinton, DeWitt County, Texas; Newman, Joseph A., head, 43/m/w, farmer, real estate value 800, personal estate value 2670, born Texas; Elizabeth D., 33/f/w, born Alabama; Joseph S., 14/m/w, born Texas; Olivia Ann, 13, f/w, born Texas; James M., 12, m.w, born Texas; Mary Jane, 9/f/w, born Texas; Francis, 7/f/w, born Texas; Henry, 3/m/w, born Texas; Elizabeth D., 1/f/w, born Texas. Joseph Austin Newman died on 19-Nov-1872 at Wharton County, Texas, at age 45. He was buried at San Antonio, Texas.

     Asa Samuel Rice was born on 17-Sep-1845 at DeWitt County, Texas; [birth date on tombstone: Sep 15, 1846]. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of Joseph Austin Newman's household; Newman, Joseph A., head, 22/m/farmer, real estate value 600, born Texas; M. L., 20/f, born Ohio; Asa, 4/m, born Texas; L. G., 1/m, born Texas. Asa Samuel Rice witnessed the Estate of Elizabeth Rice on 8-Jul-1859 at DeWitt County, Texas; 'The State of Texas; Oliver Rice et al; County of DeWitt; Deed of Release: Know all men by these presents on the Eighth day of July, 1859, that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of Elizabeth Rice, deceased of said State and county. Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the Estate of the Said Elizabeth Rice do by these presents do bind ourselves and agree that the settlement that we have this day made in the Estate of the said Elizabeth Rice Shall be binding to each and all of us the Heirs of the said Elizabeth Rice and that we have this day made a fair and equal division of all the cattle of the said Estate and the Joseph Newman has in and for his son Leander Newman one of the Heirs of said Estate given unto Asa Asa Rice one of equal kin with Leander Rice all and every part and parcel of the said Leander Newman share in the said Estate forever-- Withforth that we the undersigned Heirs of the said Estate do hereby acknowledge by these presents the receipt of all or part and portion of all the property of the said Estate of Elizabeth Rice owned and we do by these presents receive it as a full and final settlement forever -- Whereunto we sit our hand this date above mentioned. Oliver Rice In Presence of (his mark) Amos A Hill; J S Newman; Joseph Bennett; A A Rice; T R Rice. The State of Texas: Personally appeared before me; County of DeWitt; James N Smith clerk of the County Court of said County: Amos A Hill; one of the subscribing witness to the foregoing instrument of writing who to me is well known and he after being duly sworn on his oath says that he is acquainted with all the party subscribing the same and that he saw each of them sign and seal the same and they acknowledge to be their act and deed for the purpose therein set forth and that they requested him to witness the same -- Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton the 19^th day of July A D 1859: James N Smith Cty Clerk. The State of Texas; County of DeWitt; I hereby certify that the above instrument of writing was filed in my office for record on Tuesday the 19^th day of July A D 1859 at 10 oclock a m and that it was duly recorded in Record Book - - In Book H on page 455 on the same day and date as 11 oclock a m. Given under my hand and seal of office at office in Clinton this 19^th day of July A D 1859.      James N Smith Cty Clerk.' This Deed of Release, Oliver Rice et al, was transcribed by Anita J. Cooper. The 1860 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of William Wilson Rice's household; Rice, William W., head, 25, m, farmer, real estate value 252, personal estate value 1,050, born Ohio; Nancy Ann, 17, f, born Alabama; Asa S., 15, m, born Texas; James, 31, m, born Ohio. Asa Samuel Rice served in the Confederate Army during Civil War and was a private in Mann's Regiment, Texas Calvary (Bradford's), Co. A. He was listed on the tax rolls of 3-Aug-1867 in DeWitt County, Texas. He married Mary Jane Bradley, daughter of Charles H. Bradley and Elizabeth Clare, on 26-Jan-1869 at DeWitt County, Texas. The 1870 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 1-Aug-1870 DeWitt County, Texas; head, 24/m/w, farmer, personal estate value 300, born Texas, Mary J., 21/f/w, born Texas, Mary E., 9/12(Oct)/f/w, born Texas. The 1880 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 1-Jun-1880 DeWitt County, Texas; age 33, wife Meary J, age 31; children Mary E, 10; Ann Elizabeth, 9; Oliver James, 7; Hermana Magdeline, 4; Edward Lee, 2. He was listed on the tax rolls of 1885 as having 250 acres, 1 carriage, 4 horses, 80 mules, 16 cattle, for a total value of $996. in DeWitt County, Texas. Asa Samuel Rice witnessed the land transaction of Thomas Richard Rice on 20-Apr-1887; sold property inherited from Elizabeth Rice's estate to Mary A. Rice, widow of William W. Rice. The 1900 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 7-Jun-1900 Stratton, DeWitt County, Texas; head/w/m/Sept/1846/53/married 31 years, born Texas, father born England, mother born Texas, farmer, home owned. Asa Samuel Rice swore on an Affidavit dated July 2, 1921, that he was 74 years old, a nephew of Wm. W. Rice and part heir to his uncle's property. He died on 22-Jul-1921 at Yoakum, Lavaca County, Texas, at age 75. He was buried at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Yoakum, Texas. He left a will which read:; probate of will by Molly J. Rice; to my wife with remainder thereof, on her decease, to our children as follows: to granddaughter Alma McCaslan, daughter of our son Oliver J. Rice, deceased, the sum of $500.00; the remainder of the estate to be paid to my children Ellen Layton, Maggie Bowen, Eddie Rice, Claude Rice, Fannie Rice and Ira Rice, share and share alike. He was a farmer and stockraiser.