James Rice (bef. 1686 - aft. 1754)

Born before 4 Apr 1686 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, Virginia

Died after 1754 after age 67 in St. Paul's Parish, Hanover, Virginia

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Biography

James Rice was a Virginia colonist.

James was baptized 4 April, 1686 to parents Thomas and Marcy. He was a bachelor who had no children.

James was early referred to as a bachelor by early Thomas and Marcy Rice genealogists. His nephew Rev. David Rice describes James in his diary. ^[1] Rev David describes James thusly: "for 15 or twenty years my uncle James never walked without crutches or on a good day with a staff in each hand; yet when helped on a horse he rode tolerably well." He describes in quite detail James religious history. How he could not sleep well as he searched for answers. James found old books to read - some written by the Puritans. He reread them a lot. He frequently discussed religious views with his neighbors and frequently repeated whole pages. He encouraged a friend to read some things it thought were helpful. His friend saw the light. He was more outgoing than James and he started a little church of no particular denomination. They got in trouble with the authorities for not attending the regular church. At no point does David mention a wife as he mentions other spouses of father’s siblings.

At some point some person wrongly attributed Margaret House to James Rice as a wife and it was copied copiously. Then people started adding children of his brothers to him since people were not sure which brother they belonged to. The basis was probably a misunderstanding of the the St. Paul Vestry Book records. The book lists many records of reimbursing parishioners for taking care of others in the parish. For example, Marcy Rice was reimbursed for taking in an orphan which she committed to care for until she was 18. James’ brother Edward was reimbursed for care of John Baker. Widdow House was cared for by the Parish and died as Widdow House. She was never married to James Rice nor mother of any Rice children attributed to her.

• The first entry in 1718 for Widdow House was reimbursement to the Church Wardens for her care. Vestry Book of St. Paul: Page 82
• Then in 1728 started a number of reimbursements to James Rice for care of Widdow House. Vestry Book of St. Paul: Page 119
• 9 Oct 1733 was the final reimbursement to James for her care including her burial expenses as Widdow House. So after at least 15 years as a widow she was buried as Widdow House and never married James Rice nor had any of the children attributed her born 1717 to 1742 - the last in 1742 after she died. Vestry Book of St. Paul: Page 137

So he had no wife. Some times Elizabeth Lacy is said to be his daughter. Its a misunderstanding about some old stories. Its not even even clear if Elizabeth was a Rice but if so she is not a daughter of James. James had no children.

Land Patents

A map of the Hanover and Louisa County Land Patents for the Rice Siblings and Allied Families

https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Rice-850

Sources

1. ↑ Collected and Arranged by Robert H Bishop “An Outline of the History of the Church in the State of Kentucky, During a Period of Forty Years : Containing the Memoirs of Rev. David Rice” Publisher Thomas T. Skillman 1824 pages 32-34 |https://www.google.com/books/edition/An_Outline_of_the_History_of_the_Church/sEkRAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover

• The Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1706-1786 published by The Division of Purchase and Printing, Richmond, 1940. Available online https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001263665
• http://dna-explained.com/2014/05/02/joseph-rice-1700-1766-a-dissenter-52-ancestors-18/ Joseph Rice 1700-1766
• http://www.vagenweb.org/newkent/stpete02.html REGISTER OF ST. PETER’S PARISH.] p 32
• "Virginia, Births and Christenings, 1853-1917," index, FamilySearch: (accessed 7 February 2015), Edward Rice,; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 6,048,679.