Caswell County NC Rices

Date: 1777 to 1820
Location: Caswell, North Carolina, United States
Surname/tag: Rice

In Caswell County NC in the late 1700s there are there are 5 John Rices, 3 Thomas Rices, 2 James Rices, and a Hezekiah Rice spread through 3 of the 4 districts. Fortunately, Caswell County has a lot of records which helps to sort them. All the following who died in Caswell left Wills or Estates with loose Estate papers. Addition sources are Grant Deeds and regular deeds, court records including road work, but especially helpful are Land Tax Records, Personal Tax records and a pre-1790 census. There is some Y-DNA tests who helped support the following. All but 2 of the following Rices descend from Thomas and Marcy Rice of Hanover VA

• Caswell District John Rice who lived there many years. He had a brother James Rice of Loudoun County VA (far north VA) who administered John’s estate. James lived there a couple of years after John’s death. They lived quite a distance away from the other Rices and had no interaction with the others in the records. James was illiterate. Y-DNA verified they are unrelated to Thomas and Marcy Rice.
• The following lived near each other although on different sides of the district line between St. David’s District and Gloucester District along Countyline Creek. Their sister Susannah Hart Rice and her family move to a part of Orange County NC in the late 1750s that would become Caswell County in 1777. She would be followed by her nephews starting by at least 1764. There were marriages between the families in subsequent generations and some of the family moved to the same location after Caswell.
• St. David’s District: John Rice Jr./Sr. will 14 Nov 1796 is the son of John Rice Sr.. John Rice Jr./Sr. had a son John Rice Jr. died 1794. John Rice Jr had a wife but no children. These 2 Johns along with the John Rice of Caswell District died within 2 years of each other and all 3 estate are in loose papers in one folder labeled John Rice 1794. He may have arrived at the same time as Thomas Rice Jr/Esq/Sheriff but the deed location for a John Rice is at an unknown location.
• St. David’s District: John Rice Jr./Sr. had a son Thomas Rice who died after 1804 when he got a part of his father’s estate. It is likely he is the Thomas Rice in Gloucester District near his father’s cousins James and John Rice.
• St. David’s District: Thomas Rice (Cabin Branch) died 1804 and was a brother to John Rice Jr./Sr. (Y-DNA evidence) and therefore a son of John Rice Sr.. Thomas had a son John Rice who was a big land entrepreneur in TN where he died 1792 Clarksville, Montgomery, TN. He never married and had no children.
• St. David’s District: Thomas Rice Jr/Esq/Sheriff died 1800. He was a son of Thomas Rice Jr of Hanover VA. This Thomas arrived by 1764. The land he bought is in Orange County but is located in what would become Caswell County Countyline Creek. This land is owned by his cousin James in 1777 when Caswell is formed.
• St. David’s District: Hezekiah Rice arrived shortly after Thomas Rice Jr/Esq/Sheriff. Y-DNA shows he is a Thomas and Marcy Rice grandson but it is unclear through which son.
• Gloucester District: Thomas Rice had no land in 1777 bur obtained some later. He had a large family and left the area late 1780 or early 1790s. It is likely he is the son of St. David’s District John Rice Jr./Sr listed in the estate in 1804 but it is not proven they are the same person.
• Gloucester District: brothers James Rice and John Rice and sons of David Rice of Hanover VA . John married Mary Rice the daughter of his cousin St. David’s District John Rice Jr./Sr.