Her burial record indicates she left three sons and two daughters, all of them married, and that one of her sons was at that time the minister at Dommartin_—thus confirming the parentage of the minister Abraham Samuel Borel.
[9462]
Vermont given as place of birth of father in 1880 census readings by children: Anne, Daniel & Ezra. Martin Co., MN county history also gives place of birth as Vermont.
Actual birthdate unknown, but with recent review of census records it would seem that Abner was born between 1785-87. Identified in 1820 as the Abner Rice living in Lebanon, Madison Co., NY, he was in the age range of 26-45. His wife was also in the same age range. Assuming that she was the Keziah, daughter of Daniel of Boonville, Oneida Co., NY, we have a birthdate of 1789 for her and I think we can safely say Abner was of the same age or possibly a few years older. Children listed in the 1820 census: 4 males, age 0-10 (Samuel, Daniel, Ezra and Hiram) and a daughter, age 0-10 (Mary).
By 1830, the family was still living in Lebanon, with Abner and Keziah in the 40-49 age range. Children: 2 males 0-4 (Owen and Benjamin); 2 males 5-9 (James and Hiram); 2 males 10-14 (Daniel and Ezra); 1 male 15-19 (Samuel). Female child 15-19 (Mary). The youngest daughter, Ann, was born about 1831 and we do not have her in a census until 1850 when she was already married to Joseph Lusignan and living in Mackinac Co., MI, along with several of her siblings.
We need to review early Vermont records, as well as those in New York. The search should be centered around the Boonville, Oneida Co. area where the Bucks lived in about 1810. For the ages of the children to be correct, this couple must have been married around 1810/11.
It is entirely possible that Abner and family lived with or near the Buck family after 1813 (and the insolvent discharge) making it possible that Daniel was born in Oneida Co. in 1815, as stated in the Rice bio in the Minnesota county history. They were in Lebanon, Madison Co., NY in 1820.
[9469]
The family of Abner Rice disappeared from the records of Madison Co., NY after 1830/31 when he was a delegate to the Anti-Masonic Convention and was also recorded in the US census.
An article about his son, Ezra Rice, appeared in the History of Grant Co. WI, 1881, in which it was stated that the Rice family left New York when Ezra was about 17 years old (circa 1834) and they lived in Pennsylvania for a time before moving further west to Ohio and Indiana. By 1850 at least half of the children were located in upper Michigan.
A Lusignan descendant related the story that Ezra Rice lived close enough to Niagara Falls to hear the falls but had never visited them. At the time, I completely dismissed this idea and told the researcher that Lebanon was a long way from Niagara and that someone must have been mistaken. But, as they migrated westward, perhaps the family lived for a time near Niagara, then headed into Pennsylvania and beyond. A thorough search of the area around Niagara should be undertaken.
There must have been some compelling reason for the Rices to migrate from upstate New York to upper Michigan. We only know that five of the children were there in 1850, but nothing more is known about Abner and Keziah after leaving Madison Co., NY (and little is recorded in that county). The parents could have died enroute and the children stayed together.
From about 1836 on we know that land was cheap in the upper penninsula. There were stands of white pine which brought Yankee loggers and lumbermen to Michigan. There is a book entitled Yankee Exodus by Stewart H. Holbrook, publ. by MacMillan Co., NY, 1950, which needs to be studied in depth. The author also has written a book entitled Holy Old Mackinaw, which I have been unable to locate. There is also a lot of information on the internet about The American Fur Company, started by Astor, that bears scrutiny. One of the earliest references to James Rice has to do with his work with that company. Some of the other members of the family were employed in the fishing industry and James eventually was a realtor but active in local affairs.
It would help to know more about the relationship with the Lusignan family and where they met the Rices. There were several marriages of Rice/Lusignan in more than one generation. Abner & the family may have been in the Green Bay, WI area for a time when Francois Lusignan was also there.
Having worked on this family intermittently since 1968, it is difficult to know what to search next. The parents didn't make a lasting impression anywhere, though the children (except for Mary, who has never been located) left a trail that could be followed. The records of Mackinac Co. WI are spotty, at best. Pennsylvania is a big state to tackle with no locality to zero in on and the same is true of the area around Niagara Falls.
Abner and his family do not appear in the 1840 census in Ohio. All Rice men with head of household named Abner have been ruled out. The family could have been in Ohio between census years, thus leaving no real records.
[14903]
Date of marriage was estimated from census records but the actual marriage record has not been found. Keziah is believed to be the daughter of Daniel Buck and Mary or Marietta Hayford of Bridgewater, MA, who later settled in Boonville, Oneida Co., NY. Madison Co., NY, where Abner and Keziah raised their family, is not far from Oneida Co.
The Buck lineage, which goes back to Pilgrim Francis Cooke of the Mayflower, has been entered into my database, but not connected. If, or when, a marriage is found for our Abner Rice and Keziah Buck, the records will be linked. There are other researchers who have already linked the two families, without benefit of proof, and this information can be found on the internet.
Abner could have been a descendant of Edmund Rice, who arrived in Sudbury, MA, circa 1638 or Robert Royce, who also arrived in MA during the early 1600's. So far, there is no real tie to either of these men. Both of them left countless descendants. Those descending from Robert Royce spell the surname alternately Royce or Rice.
Filed with deeds in Madison Co, NY, this "insolvent discharge" was difficult to understand. Debtor laws were harsh and it is still unclear whether Abner had to spend time in jail for his debts or if he was merely placed on "jail limits" as was a custom at that time.
Four males under the age of 9; One male aged 26 thru 44; One female under 9; one female aged 26 thru 44. Living nearby was one Hurlburt Rice, who might have been a relative. Also nearby were Ezra Gates and Silas Seymour, both named as creditors in the insolvent discharge filed in 1813.
Males: two aged 0 thru 4; two aged 5 thru 9; two aged 10 thru 14; one aged 15 thru 19; one aged 40 thru 49; Females: one aged 15 thru 19; one aged 40 thru 49. Other Rices in Lebanon were Isaac, Israel, Sherman, Halsey, Elias, Samuel, Paul & Billings.
"Annie" Lusignan designated as aunt. Birth given as May 1831. In various records her name appears as Ann, Anne or as in her husband's obituary, Anna L. Rice.
[9536]
Was she related to John or his wife, Elizabeth? This was a large multi-generational household. John's father, a nephew and another boarder besides Annie. This couple had two young daughters. See PDF file.
Mrs. Joseph Louisigneau died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Walter Marshall, at Mackinaw Island Wednesday. The lady was married 56 years ago and has raised a large family of children, four of whom are still living, her son Charles being keeper of Cheboygan light, and most of the family are well known in Cheboygan, and to all old residents.
NOTE:
[9539]
Four living children in 1905: Frank, living in WI; Mary A. Marshall; Charles, a lighthouse keeper in Cheboygan and Henry G.
Simpson, Barbara Louise Rice -- In Palo Alto, CA, July 22, 1987. Beloved wife of Conrad D. Simpson of Santa Clara. Loving mother of Mrs. J. (Careen) Johnston of Gilbert, AZ, Mrs. Don (Dennae) Adams of Orem, UT, Dairen Simpson of Sunnyvale and Branden Simpson of Palmdale, CA. Grandmother of fourteen. Dear sister of June Shepherd of San Jose, Marilyn Hughes of Carmichael, Agnes Waite of Colma, and Alice McCoy of Everett, WA. A native of Burbank, CA. Age 64. Friends and Relations are invited to attend Funeral Services Monday, July 27, 1987 at 11:00 a.m. at Santa Clara Stake Center LDS Church, 875 Quince St. Friends of the family are invited to come one hour prior to service. Arrangements under the direction of Santa Clara Funeral, 984-1000. Interment Mission City Memorial Park.
NOTE:
[9336]
Copy of obit sent to me did not have date or name of newspaper. I have assumed that it ran in the Mercury Herald, as that was the main local newspaper of the time.
USGenWeb online now has cemetery records for Santa Clara County. Mission City Memorial Park records show Bobbie's age to be 64 years, 3 mos., 21 days.
After the death of Conrad Simpson (Nov. 2007), the family had Bobbie's remains moved from Santa Clara to Orem, UT.
NOTE:
[9338]
E-mail information from Melody Jones, Dec. 2007. The remains were shipped to Utah but cemetery officials indicated that a funeral home in Utah made all the arrangements and they had no record of which cemetery accepted the remains. The Simpson children did not bother to inform us of this transfer. We can only assume the burial took place in Orem, UT where Conrad and Dennae Adams live.
Father: Abner RICE (b. ABT 1787, d. AFT 1834) Mother: Keziah BUCK (b. ABT 1790, d. AFT 1834)
[9533]
Ancestry.com has the information from Sarah Clark's records that shows Benjamin A. Rice died in MI in 1860. In fact, a definite date has been supplied, along with a marriage date for Benjamin and Ursula and naming Hellen Rice as their daughter. No other children were recorded. It is obvious that my efforts to provide factual information about Benjamin and his family made no impression. It was not Sarah Clark who submitted the information and I did not record the name of the person submitting the info.
Deed between Madeline, Augustus and Louis Cadotte to James C. Rice, witnessed by Samuel Abbott and Benjamin E. Rice. Deed was recorded 2 Oct. 1846 and establishes the presence of Benjamin Rice in Mackinac Co.
Several Rice siblings enumerated in the 1850 census for Mackinac Co., MI. Besides Samuel, Benjamin Rice was found in the household of James C. Rice and wife, Elizabeth. Benjamin, age 22, b. NY, employed as Clerk.
Benjamin was enumerated in the household of his brother, Owen Rice. By 1860 Benjamin and Ursula were either separated or divorced as she and two daughters were living with her brother, Benjamin Lusignan, still in Mackinac Co., MI.
Benjamin was honorably discharged on 31 Dec. 1863 but immediately reenlisted in same company on 1 Jan. 1864 at Huntsville, Alabama. He was promoted to Cpl. and was honorably discharged 19 July 1865.
NOTE:
[9523]
Only the most pertinent pages of this enormous file were saved. Papers relating to Sarah's application for widow's pension have also been discarded. Much of it was written in a squiggly back-hand that was difficult to decipher. It was unclear from this file if Sarah ever received a pension. Ancestry.com online has a database of U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-65, with Benjamin Rice being named. Rank in: Pvt; Rank out:Cpl. National Park Service records, Film #M546, Roll 8.
B.A. Rice, age 43, Saloon Keeper, b. NY; wife, Sarah, age 26, b. WI; daughters, Maud, age 4 and Lottie, age 3, both born WI. Also in this household was Mary Ray, a seamstress.
Benjamin, age 53, Saloon Keeper, b. NY, both parents b. US; Sarah, age 35, b. WI, parents VT & CT; Children: Maud, age 14; Carleton, age 5; Hattie, age 3, all b. WI. Also enumerated with the Rice family was Frank Louisignan, age 28, nephew, artist, b. MI, parents France & NY. (Frank known to be the son of Ann Rice & Joseph Lusignan of Mackinac Co., MI).
Only initials were used in this census: B.A. Rice, age 58, b. NY; S.E., wife, S.E., age 42, b. WI; children, all b. WI: M, female, age 19, C.B., male, age 14; H.B., female, age 9. (The children were Maud, Carlton and Harriet Beatrice). There was a child named Lottie, who is not enumerated here. Daniel B. Rice and family, as well as a Gould family were also living in Fairmont Village.
NOTE:
[9527]
Need to order this film again. What did I miss on earlier reading. Where was Henry N. and family?
Census was taken June 1890. Obviously, Benjamin was alive and living in Minneapolis. Sarah E., listed as "widow" was living in another area of Minneapolis. Both listed the same information as to Benjamin's war service and disability.
Benjamin Rice, inmate of the Soldier's Home when the census was taken (4 June 1900). Born 1827 in NY; parents born VT and MA. Soldier's home was in the 12th Ward of Minneapolis.
Soldier's Home was in Ward 12 of Minneapolis. Gives birth as Ohio/New York, ca 1827. Parents born VT & MA. Info obtained from Ancestry.com online.
NOTE:
[9531]
Birthplace listed above should be NY, rather than OH. Ben was consistent about the birthplace of his parents. He was in and out of this facility for several years and finally died there.
Thompson Last Rites Set Today. Los Gatos -- Rites will be held here this morning for Nadine Claire Thompson, 45, a former Evergreen area resident who died Sunday at her home at 224 Florence Dr., Aptos. Mrs. Thompson, a native of Sacramento, was a secretary during the 1950's to Chief of Detectives Barton L. Collins of the San Jose Police Department. She and her husband, Robert, were canary fanciers and participated in showings of the exotic birds. Manager of Loma Serena Stables in Monte Sereno, he is a frequent judge at horse shows, including the Grand National in the Cow Palace. They lived in Aptos the past six years. Also surviving are a son, Jess Robert Thompson, and daughter, Jennifer Claire Thompson, both of Aptos; and seven sisters, Ruth Horn and Marilyn Hughes, both of Sacramento, Alice McCoy of Seattle, Agnes Waite of San Francisco, June Shepherd of San Jose, Barbara Simpson of Santa Clara and Elizabeth McCraigh of Sunnyvale. Services will be at 11 a.m. at the Chapel of the Hills. Private inurnment will be in Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose. NOTE: Given names in this obit were in error. Her name was Charlotte Nadine, not Nadine Claire.
NOTE:
[9340]
Also on hand are the memorial card from the service, which I attended, as well as two other newspaper clippings sent to me by friends or relatives. Bob Thompson was so distraught over Nadine's sudden death that his sister, Wilma Thompson, made all of the arrangements. Unfortunately, she did not have Nadine's name right...referring to her as Nadine Claire when, in reality, her name was Charlotte Nadine. So, all of the clippings contain errors.
[9394]
Nothing is known about Daniel's early life in New York or exactly when he arrived in Indiana. However, by 1840 he was employed as a field surveyor, attached to the government land office at Fort Wayne, IN. (See Nickey Family by Ella M. Milligan). Shortly after his marriage Daniel turned to farming in Whitley Co., IN, where other members of his wife's family lived. He also dabbled in local politics as well, serving twice as County Commissioner.
After the death of Rosanna, and his marriage to Jennie, Daniel and his family moved to Minnesota where he opened a general store and helped start a new town, then known as East Chain Lake. In later years Daniel operated the East Chain grist mill, then the Victoria Mill. The family lived in Fairmont, MN for many years.
[14952]
Mary Jane or "Jennie" had a daughter, Etta, by her first husband. Etta was born circa 1862 in Pennsylvania. She was enumerated with the Rice family in Martin Co., MN in the 1870 federal census, as Etta Stewart. Also in the Minnesota state census for 1875. At the time of her marriage (20 May 1879) she was using the surname Rice, as reported in the local newspaper.
July 2006: On internet, (rootswebworldconnect) info from one Richard Belding Gilbert gives considerable info about the Belding family; where they resided after their marriage, etc. Etta's name is given as Etta Virginia Rice.
July 2006: Checked 1920 census on line and found Etta Belding in Tulsa, OK with son-in-law Dennis Swisher and wife, Naomi, who was Etta's daughter. Other daughter, Mae, was part of this household. Again, Stella Gould's notes were correct.
Birth information can also be found in "The Nickey Family in America" by Ella Metsker Milligan, 1940.
NOTE:
[9386]
Is it possible that Daniel was really born in Oneida Co., NY (as stated in MN County History)? Abner and family may have left Madison after his debts were settled and perhaps lived for a time with a relative? By 1816 Abner and Keziah joined the Presbyterian Church in Cazenovia. Membership record showed they had come from Wallingford; no state listed.
Census enumerated on 8 Oct.1850; Daniel Rice - farmer, age 34, b. NY; Real estate listed at $300. Neighbors included many of his Nickey in-laws (Jesse Briggs, Anna C. Nickey, Wells Smith, Samuel & Jacob Nickey and Jesse Long).
Daniel B. Rice, 45, farmer, Real Estate, $1200; Personal estate, $724., b. NY; Rosanna, age 43, b. VA; James, 19, b. IN; Henry, 17, b. IN; Ezra, 14, b. IN; Mary L., 8, b. IN; also Flora DePoy, age 6, enumerated with the Rice family. Living nearby were two DePoy families, probably one of them the parents of Flora.
D. B. Rice was enumerated in the 1870 cn for Martin Co., MN., Silver Lake Twp. Dwelling #64; Family #58. Daniel, age 54, farmer, R.E. $2000; Personal estate, $300; b. NY. Wife, Mary J., age 30, b. PA; Ezra, age 25, farmer, b. IN; Charles A., age 3, b. MN; Owen W., age 4, b. IN. Also enumerated with the family was Etta Stewart, age 8, b. PA (known to be the daughter of Etta by her first marriage) and a domestic servant, age 18, b. WI.
Daniel B., age 64, b. NY, Miller; Mary J., wife, age 39, keeping house, b. PA; children: Owen W., 15, driving stage, Charles A., age 13 and servant, Charlotte Walker, sister-in-law, age 23, b. PA.
This is the only census in which Daniel names the places of birth for his parents. Father b. VT and Mother b. MA, agreeing with his siblings who had earlier reported the same.
Obituary does not give place of death. Info from local historian (Feb. 2003) reveals Daniel was buried at Lakeside Cemetery, Fairmont, MN. Tombstone reads: Rice, Daniel B. - Aug. 2, 1815 - July 14, 1901.
[12701]
According to the latest Rice Assn. bulletin (Fall 2008) there is now DNA evidence to suggest that Edmund Rice was not Welsh in his paternal line. He was living in East Anglia at his earliest appearance in the public record and there is now no reason to suppose that his ancestors had not been living there since the Middle Ages. This is still speculation but, hopefully, future research will prove this is true.
