James Monroe Rice (1829 - 1876)

Born 26 Aug 1829 in Lisman, Webster, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 12 Sep 1876 at age 47 in Lisman, Webster, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

James Monroe Rice was a farmer, Confederate soldier, and a Mason. He died of pneumonia, as so many men did in those days, he listed his occupation in 1860 as Merchant, he was a propserous slave owner, financially ruined in the Civil War ^{[1] [2] [3]}. He enlisted in the Confederate Army with his brothers under Capt. James K. Kuey's Company of Confederate Calvary named Company K. Kearney and James both fought at the Battle of Fort Donelson where his brother was captured but James is not listed with the captured soldiers, he likely escaped with Forrest's Calvary. James' Company K was said to have had half its soldiers agree to follow Forrest into the unknown ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}. He moved to the Marion, IL area and owned 467.5 acres which he sold to Lewis Roberts on October 16,1866 , I estimate this farm to be located at 802 Golf Course Road, Marion, IL based off the description of the property in the deed ^[8].

A note from a descendant, Charles Rice, of James posted on his Ancestry.com profile about 10 years ago:

The muster roll for Captain James K. Huey's company shows three Rice brothers enlisting the same day: Frank Rice, James Ned Rice, and K. G. Rice. These were Francis Marion Rice and Kearney Godwin Rice. Their father Edward Rice was sometimes called Uncle Ned or Uncle Neddy, and my guess is that James Monroe Rice was called James Ned to distinguish him from his uncle James Rhodes Rice and James Rhodes Rice's son James Lawrence Rice. Otho B. Rice visited with my family for a few days in the mid 1960s, and I pumped him for family information. He told me his grandfather - James Monroe Rice - had served in the Confederate cavalry and once rode 60 miles without stopping to see his family. I think it most likely he made this ride when his little brother Frank died just one month after they enlisted. Sixty miles is about the distance to their home from Hopkinsville, were they were then stationed. The family would have taken a wagon to bring Frank's remains back to Shiloh (now Lisman) for burial in the CP Church cemetery. Kearney G. Rice was captured with the garrison at Fort Donelson on 16 February 1862, but James M. Rice's name is not on the list. Laban M. Rice, their double first cousin, also was captured. I presume that James Rice got away with Forrest's battalion and served out the remainder of his enlistment. Alternately, he may have escaped capture on his own, ridden home, and hidden from the enemy, as did many Confederate soldiers caught behind the Union lines in the chaos of the disaster at Fort Donelson. Whatever happened, he did not serve in the army beyond his one year enlistment. It is interesting that he did not register for the Federal draft in July 1863, as was required. He was still a Rebel at heart ^[9].

Providence, KY Family Biographies: THE RICE FAMILY James Rhodes and Edward Rice of Orange County, N. C. came into western Kentucky in the early part of the century. They established a trading post and did a thriving business at Belleville on Tradewater River. A few years afterwards they moved about 8 or 9 miles north of a place named Shiloh, now known as Lisman.

In 1825 Edward married Miss Mary Nichols. James Rhodes Rice married Miss Elizabeth Nichols. Their father was a preacher from Raleigh, N. C. A number of distinguished men and women have descended from both marriages. Among the descendants may be mentioned:

Laban Rice, farmer, tobacconist, and capitalist, son of James Rhodes and Elizabeth Rice, father of the noted Kentucky writer, Cale Young Rice and the philanthropist and educator Col. Laban Lacy Rice. Their mother was Miss Mattie Lacy, daughter of the Rev. Nicholas Lacy. K. G. Rice, son of Edward and Macy Rice, prominent Providence citizen for many years. He was interested in many enterprises. He was born Dec. 17, 1830; died Aug 5, 1890. He was a Confederate soldier and was taken prisoner at Donelson. His cousin, J. C. Tapp, son of Sallie Rice and Henry Tapp, also attained the rank of Sergeant-Major under Gen. John H. Morgan.

Dr. E. N. Rice son of Joseph and Mrs. Elizabeth Givens Rice, was a popular and beloved physician here for many years ^{[10] [11] [12]}.

Sources

1. ↑ Some Webster County, Kentucky Families by Minerva Bone Bassett, Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore, 1983 [1]
2. ↑ 1850 Federal Census [2]
3. ↑ 1860 Federal Census [3]
4. ↑ Prisoner of War Records [4]
5. ↑ History of the Orphan Brigade, Page 1012 [5]
6. ↑ Webster County History [6]
7. ↑ Forrest's Escape Historical Marker Database [7]
8. ↑ East Marion Township Plat Map [8]
9. ↑ James Rice Ancestry.com Profile [9]
10. ↑ Providence, KY family Biographies [10]
11. ↑ Webster County, KY Family Biographies [11]
12. ↑ Tax Assessment List - Unknown Year showing James' income of $250 per year [12]

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