Forgive the mess

I will be working on more updates soon. If you want the music to stop, go to the very bottom on the page and click the button to pause the player.

2008 Reunion

The annual reunion of the decendents of Fred and Essie (Thomas) Rice was held on May 31, 2008, at the Forkland Community Center.

Relationships to Fred and Essie are explained.

Brent Salyers (grandson-in-law) and "Sandy" Burger Rice (daughter-in-law).



Chatting it up!

In back: Joe Rice (son), Sandy Burger Rice (daughter-in-law), David Rice (son), Buelah Mae Cox Rice (daughter-in-law and wife of David), Nettie Laverne Cox Rice (daughter-in-law).
Middle: Lillian Rice Allender (daughter)
Foreground: Tina Bradshaw Rice (granddaughter-in-law)

Pouring the drinks (and giving looks...heeheehee!)

Tina Bradshaw Rice (granddaughter-in-law), Buelah Mae Cox Rice (daughter-in-law) and Lillian Rice Allender (daughter).

Filling those plates!

Pink shirt: Rebecca Hardin Judy (granddaughter)
Yellow shirt: Sandra Rice Hale (granddaughter)
Background in white shirt and cap: Howard "Curtie" Rice (son)
In blue shirt: Roger Cole, Curtie's son by marriage

Eat up!

Starting on left: Spencer Hardin (great-grandson), sisters Taylor and Gracie Judy (great-granddaughters), Jack Judy (grandson-in-law), Randall Hale (grandson-in-law), 2 guests, Christine Salyers (great-granddaughter), Chloe Hardin (great-granddaughter).

Chatting about our senior boys.

Teresa Hardin Salyers (granddaugher - me) and Tina Bradshaw Rice (granddaughter-in-law).

For some strange reason, we failed to take photos of each family together as is usually the tradition. And I didn't take as many photos as usual, so forgive me for leaving out (totally unintentional) all the others who were there. We had roughly 29 family members and 5 guests in attendance.

Kelly Dean Rice

Here is a copy of the obituary that the Danville Advocate-Messenger printed online for Kelly D. Rice. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

Kelly D. Rice
1937-2008

Kelly Dean Rice, 71, of Harrodsburg, husband of Doris "Peggy" Merriman Rice, died Monday at University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center in Lexington.

Born March 2, 1937, in Lincoln County, he was a son of the late John Jackson and Julie Southerland Rice. He was a retired drywall contractor and owner of Rice Drywall Co., a founding member of Shelby Baptist Church and a Kentucky Colonel. He enjoyed fishing and reading.
Other survivors include his sons, Ricky G. Rice and his wife Marie of Harrodsburg, Drew Rice and his wife Cari of Harrodsburg, and Robin Merriman, whom he raised as a son, and his wife Jackie, also of Harrodsburg; Jacqueline Darlene Merriman, whom he raised as a daughter; five brothers, Billy Rice of Nancy, Dwain Rice of Liberty, Paul Rice of Moreland, Charles Rice of Corinth and J.T. Rice of Junction City; his grandchildren, Megan and Ashley Rice, and Kellie Renee Schaub, whom he thought of as a granddaughter; three great-grandchildren, Jacob, Jeremy and Jenna Schaub; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by three sisters, Alice Crow, Julie Ann Griffith and Barbara Sue Rice; and his half-brothers and half-sisters.

Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, May, 15, 2008, at Alexander & Royalty Funeral Home with the Rev. Morris Trayner, Father John Hall and Dr. Tommy Valentine officiating. Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Tim White, Jeff Blankenship, Daniel Moore, Jeff Wilson, Kenny Stratton and Greg Drury. Honorary pallbearers are Teddy Walker, Ben Henson, Tommy Walker, Scott Bodner, Walter Cummins and Dr. Rick Angel.

Visitation is 5-8 p.m. today (May 14, 2008) and after 7 a.m. Thursday (May 15) at the funeral home.

Early History (part 2)

To read Early History (part one), click here or scroll down.

(Teresa's notes: A reminder that this was prepared by Jeannie Russell Bennett in 1972, daughter of Mary Rice Russell - daughter of Benjamin Hambright Rice. Regular text is from Mrs. Bennett's report on the Rice history that she found. Anything in italics are my own writing.)

William "Billy" Francis Marion Rice, son of William, was born in Greenville, S.C. on May 7 1814. In 1844 in Cleveland, TN, just outside of Chattanooga, he married Elizabeth de Armond who was born in Bradley County, TN in 1828. According to the Cattanooga relatives, she was the daughter of a French Baron and Baronness who fled France at the time of the French Revolution when noblemen were being killed by the revolting masses. They came to the United States and settled in TN. They reportedly had been very close to King Louis VI and Marie Antoinette. The De Armand's are well known in France yet, according to the French Consulate to the U.A., whom Lillian Rice Cox (preparer's aunt) met a few years ago. Elizabeth died with the birth of her fifth child in 1864 in Bradley County, TN, where she is buried. She was 36 years of age. Her husband "Billy" lived to the ripe old age of 97. He died July 10, 1911 at Flint Springs, TN. He had been named William Francis Marion not only after his father but also for Francis Marion (a close friend of "Billy's" grandfather, John Rice) who was known during the revolution as the "Swamp Fox". Billy and Elizabeth were the parents of John Samuel (note: Teresa's great-great grandfather), Benjamin Hambright (the preparer's grandfather), Steven, and some unknown others.

There was also a Kate Rice, who never married but had a prosperous business (hat shop, I think) in downtown Chattanooga. There were also three other girls of that generation, Ollie, Frances, and Ida. I do not know whether these girls were the daughters of John or of Steven Rice. (Must've been Steven's girls?) There may also have been some boys, brothers to these girls. There was a Tobe Rice, who was a son of John.

John Samuel Rice, son of "Billy" Rice, born 18 Feb. 1843-died in 1933. Married to Nancy Jane Benedict on 13 Apr. 1865. Nancy Jane (b. 14 Nov. 1842-d. 29 Mar. 1915) was the daughter of Jacob Shelby Benedict Jr. & (Mary?) Ellen Yates.

John S. Rice lived near Junction City, KY a great part of his life, but later moved to Chattanooga, TN where he made his home with his son, S. Thomas Rice. Tom Rice (Samuel Thomas, his 2nd son) was for many years a prominent jeweler in Chattanooga and it was my pleasure to visit him in his older days. Tom's wife's name was Jennie and he had several children, a daughter named Helen and two or perhaps three sons. Tom and his family including his father John, spent their winters in St. Cloud, FL.


John Samuel and Nancy Jane had a total of 9 children:


1. William Shelby "Tobe" Rice
b. 20 Mar 1866 - d. 1 Nov 1945 (burial in Hustonville Cemetery-Hustonville, KY)
m. 4 Nov 1881 to Sallie Camdon (b. 26 Aug 1873 - d. 5 Apr 1947)
children: Ernest, Nannie, Gennie, James, Sadie, & Hattie Bell (Hardin) hmmmm....

2. Samuel Thomas "Tommy" Rice
b. 18 Mar 1868 - d. ?
m. to Jennie Evans

3. Stephen "Steve" Harvey Rice
b. 9 Oct 1870 - d. ?
m. 4 Sept 1889 to Nettie Yaden (b. 1873 - d. 1 Nov 1947)
children: Nora, Bessil, Hartwell, Victor, & Edward Lynn "Dunk"



4. Sarah Elizabeth Rice (twin)
b. 25 Feb 1874

5. Martha Ellen Rice (twin)
b. 25 Feb 1874 - d. 27 Aug. 1965

6. Mary Malinda Rice
b. 16 Aug 1876 - d. 1 Oct 1877

7. Lou Ellen Rice
b. 31 Mar 1879 - d. ?
m. 18 Mar 1895 to Boone Joshlin
children: Ettie Lee Joshlin, b. 4 Aug 1896

8. John Jackson "Jack" Rice (Teresa's great-grandfather)
b. 15 Sept 1881 - d. 4 Oct 1964 (Bellevue Cem. - Danville, KY)
married 3 times, total of 16 children
m. 1903 to Julie Clem, b. 1881- d. 1918 (Benedict Cem.)
children: Chester Lee, Virgil Carpenter, Roy Jackson, Fred Stephen (Teresa's grandfather), Nancy Elizabeth "Lizze", Margaret Josephine, & William Samuel "Sam"
m. Julie Ann Southerland b. 1898 - d. 2 Aug 1942 (Butchertown Cem., Casey Co., KY)

(photo of John Jackson "Jack" Rice with 2nd wife, Julie Ann Southerland)

children: Julia Ann, John Thomas, Charles Edward, Robert Dwain, Elmer Paul, Alice Marie, Billy Gene, Kelly Dean, & Barbara Sue

m. Jewell McCowan Rothwell, b. 7 Nov 1908 - d. 18 Dec 2000 (Belleview Cem. Danville, KY)

9. Ceney Josephine Rice
b. 3 Jan 1885 - d. 1981
m. ? Cox

Benjamin Hambright "Ham" Rice, son of "Billy" was my (Jennie Russell Bennett) grandfather. He was born in Bradley County near Chattanooga, TN on December 25, 1950 (Christmas) and died on April 11, 1914 (Good Friday) and was buried on Easter Sunday at Junction City, KY.

In his young days he travelled all over the U.S. as an itinerant Presbyterian preacher and later changed his denomination to the Church of God and continued preaching most of his life. While in Casey County, KY on his tours, he met and married Josephine Vaught (1855-1934). They returned to TN (Flint Springs) where they had their first 3 children. Then they moved back to Casey Co., KY where 4 more children were born.

1. Mary Rice (preparer's mother)
b. 2 Jun 1876 - d. 19 Oct 1962 (buried in Hustonville Cem. in Hustonville, KY)
m. Finley Logan Russell (of Casey Co., KY)
children: Helene, Charles Mack, Mabel, Lloyd, Jennie, Martin, Logan & Alberta (twins), & Robert

2. William Marion Rice
b. 19 Jun 1880 - d. 14 Jul 1958 (buried at Bellevue Cem. in Danville, KY)
m. Viola ?
children: Cecil, Mary, Lillian, Eleanor, Henry, Bernice, Osie, Issac Steele, Georgia Mae, & Stanley

3. James McFerrian
b. 1883 - d. 1968 (buried at Junction City Cem. KY)
3 wives (dates unknown)
children: Eva, Catherine, Hazel, Virginia, Alice, Edna, Ethel, James Thomas, Sadie Geneva, & Naomi Ruth

4. Lillian Rice
b. 1885 (in Casey Co. KY) - d. 1968 (Irvine, KY)
m. Price Cox
children: Mildred, Raymond, Walter

5. Martin Luther Rice
b. 1888 (in Casey Co. KY) - d. 1940 (buried in Bellevue Cem. in Danville, KY)
m. Clara
children: Larry & Wyona
m. Mabel

6. Elbert Rice
b. 1891 - d. 1948
m. Mollie ?

7. Alice Elizabeth Rice
b. 7 Sept. 1893 - ?
m. 12 Dec 1912 to Price Hatchell
children: Edward, Charles, Albert, & Harold

Steven Rice, son of "Billy", dates unknown
possible childrens names may be: Kate, Ollie, Frances, Ida, and some brothers

Research update

I spoke with Paul (Elmer Paul, Fred's half-brother) in Wal-Mart this week. He was grocery shopping because his wife has a broken hip, having fallen in Wal-Mart. He said he'll be glad to help us identify some of the photos so the first ones I have at the bottom may be updated soon!

Also, research on the internet brought me to a fellow who was looking for info. on John Rice and his son, William. He may also be a descendant from this same line. So, I've emailed him (hello, to you if you are visiting!) and hopefully we can get another familiy's research to help confirm/correct places and dates.

Once again, don't get too excited about the "early history" until we close that big gap between John and Edmund, or get new information. Hey, anyone want to spring for the DNA test? LOL!