Person:Richard Rice (13)

Information from Don Rice, Macon, Georgia to Bill Rice, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Richard Rice was from Virginia and was born between 1770 and 1780. He evidently moved to Elbert County, Georgia after 1820, but prior to 1822. He was not listed in the 1820 Elbert County census, but does appear in 1830 and 1840. He married Elizabeth Johnson White on either January 1, 1822 or 1823. At the time of their marriage he was evidently over 40, and maybe 50 years of age. It is possible that he was married prior to his marriage to Elizabeth White. Elizabeth was born February 17, 1794 to John Martin White and Milly (Ballenger) White. Their marriage produced either four or five children. (There is some conflict when all data is examined, but it leans toward five). The children were: Francis R. - probably born in 1824 (May 11, 1823) Milly Ann - born February 28, 1825 Richard M. - born October 11, 1826 Asa M. - born September 4, 1828 Charles A. - born January 5, 1830

Elizabeth died on January 8, 1830, evidently from complications from birthing Charles three days earlier. Elizabeth's father, John Martin White, was a Captain in the Revolutionary War in the Spotsylvania County, Virginia Militia. "The History of Hart County Georgia", published in 1930, contains a great deal of information about John Martin White, his wife and their ancestors. Richard was between 60 and 70 years of age in 1840. Since he is not listed in the 1850 census, he probably died between 1840 and 1850. I have not yet located either his or Elizabeth's graves. It is possible that he remarried after Elizabeth died since an 1858 Hart County, Georgia will of Francis R. Rice lists two sisters; Milly and Susan, and four brothers: Richard, Asa, Charles and James. It is also possible that Susan and James were children from a previous marriage in Virginia. Richard had 17 slaves in 1830 and 5 slaves in 1840. There were several Richard Rices listed in the early Virginia censuses. I hope to eventually identify more information about Richard and prior ancestors.

Notes for Richard Rice from Leonard Rice, P.O. Box 1642, Orangeburg, South Carolina 29116, 4 November 2000:

On November 1-2, 2000, I visited the South Carolina Archives and History Center, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, South Carolina, to research the history of Richard Rice (1793-1841) in South Carolina. Rice family lore indicates that Richard Rice moved to Walhalla, South Carolina after being disowned by his family in Virginia. He reportedly bought a plantation there and became a slave trader. I am aware of other researchers who have visited Walhalla and searched Oconee County records for some evidence of his presence there without success. The following documents my assumptions, research and findings.

It is know that Richard Rice married Elizabeth Johnson White and moved to Elbert County, Georgia around 1822. I assumed that he would have been in South Carolina between 1810 and 1823. A search of the South Carolina 1810 Census Index did not locate a Richard Rice.

In the period from 1798 to 1826, the Walhalla area of South Carolina was located in the Pendleton District, which later became Oconee County. A librarian at the Center indicated that the Pendleton District records were inherited by Anderson County. I began my search by looking for evidence that Richard purchased property in this area. I looked at the following sources:

Oconee County RMC (Deeds): Grantee (Indirect) Index to Conveyance, 1789-1907. File C838 (microfilm)

Anderson County RMC (Deeds): Grantee Index to Conveyance, 1790-1948 (R). File C * (microfilm)

A search of these records found no trace of Richard Rice owning land in this area.

The South Carolina 1810 Census Index did not list a Richard Rice in the state. A search of the South Carolina 1820 Census listed two Richard Rice's in the state, one in Spartanburg County and one in Newberry County. The Spartanburg listing did not fit the profile of what was known about our ancestor. The Newberry County listing seemed to be a perfect fit. He was listed as being in the 26-45 White Male category and was the only free white male or female listed in the household. Other details indicated that there were 23 slaves attached to this household, which in my mind was significant if he was indeed a slave trader. This information was located at the following source:

US Census, Newberry District 1820. Page 148. File: CN011 (Microfilm)

A search of the Index to the 1830 South Carolina Census did not show Richard Rice being in the state, further supporting the profile of our ancestor.

The next step was to document the purchase of land in this area between 1811-1823. The following details my search and the results:

Newberry County Clerk of Court: Grantee (Indirect). Index to Deeds, 1785-1841.

Findings: (DOD = Date of Deed; DOR = Date of Record)

1. William Bailey to Richard Rice, 51 and 1/4 acres. $100.00. Book J, page 556. DOD and DOR: 26 July 1811. 2. Richard Rice to William Bowles, 51 and 1/4 acres. $105.00. Book K, page 58. DOD: 26 February 1812; DOR 7 March 1812. 3. Robert Pemberton to Richard Rice, 100 acres. $400.00. Book K, page 123. DOD and DOR: 11 August 1812. 4. Jesse Julien to Richard Rice. 6 and 1/2 acres. $65.00. Book K, page 144. DOD: 12 September 1812; DOR 5 October 1812. 5. Frederick Nance to Richard Rice, 41 and 1/2 acres. $124.50. Book K, page 443; DOD 23 August 1814; DOR 29 August 1814.

Copies of the actual deeds were found on Microfilm Reels Number C7369 (Book J) and Number C7370 (Book K).

While evidence continued to support the supposition that this was indeed our ancestor, I was concerned that there was no record of Richard Rice disposing of his South Carolina property around the time he moved to Elbert County, Georgia. Further searching uncovered a SECOND Deed Book that included Abstracts of Deeds from 1821-1822 that were left out of the original Deed Index.

Reference: Newberry County, South Carolina Abstracts of Deed Book P2, 1821-1822 And Plats, by Bundrick and Sease.

In the above reference I found Abstract P2-231, which states, "RICHARD RICE for $1500 paid by JOHN B. O'NEALL sels 160 3/4 acres on Bush River comprised of several tracts...", including Numbers 3, 4 and 5 listed above. The last line of this abstract is as follows:

"Dow. 01 Feb 1822 ELIZA J., wife of RICHARD RICE."

The totality of the evidence indicates that our ancestor, RICHARD RICE, settled in the Newberry District along the Bush River and not in the Walhalla area of South Carolina prior to his marriage to Elizabeth Johnson White and his move to Elbert County, Georgia in 1822. It may also clear up a question about Richard and Elizabeth's marriage date. Various sources have listed their marriage date as 1 November 1823, 1 January 1822 and 1 January 1823. researcher Brenda Holloway and I have discussed these variances and in a personal correspondence from her dated 15 September 2000, she indicated that she has a copy of the Marriage Register from Elbert County that lists Richard and Eliza's marriage. She states, "The date appears to be January 1, 1823 although it is written between two marriages that are 1822." She acknowledged the difficulty of reading handwriting from this period. Abstract P2-231 lends evidence that 1 January 1822 is the correct date of their marriage.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Richard Marion Rice Bible, printed 1815, in the possession of Margaret Rice Pierce, Lawrenceville, Georgia.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 United States, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. 1830 Census, Georgia, Elbert County - Richard Rice. (Name: 1830 Census, Series M19, Roll 17, Page 158; Georgia, Elbert County, Sheet 158;).
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 United States, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. 1840 Census, Georgia, Elbert County, District 200 - Richard Rice. (Name: 1840 Census, Series M704, Roll 40, Page 178; Georgia, Elbert County, District 200, Page 178;).