52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No.31, Easy: Henry Luther RICE, 1857-1934

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week's theme was Challenging, and I had another go at my 3rd great-grandmother, Charlotte BORTLE. This week's theme is EASY -  which turned out to be more challenging than last week's topic.  Here is Henry Luther RICE, my children's great-grandfather on their father's mother's line.

Henry may have been named for another Henry in the family, Henry C. Rice, born 1827, his uncle, his father Joel's brother. Uncle Henry married Arletta Healy, the sister of Joel's wife, Charlotte Healy.

Henry Luther RICE was the first-born of Joel RICE and Charlotte HEALY, who had married 19 Aug 1854 in White county, Illinois.  Born 26 July 1857 in Harrisburg, Salina, Illinois, Henry married for the 1st time to Ida May Barnes, 20 Apr 1881, in Illinois.  Ida, born 1862 in [likely] White county, Illinois, was the 3rd of 8 children of Theron Stares Barnes and Martha S. Mitchell.

Children of Henry Luther RICE & Ida May Barnes, born in White county, IL:
  1.  Charles Edward "Ted", b. 2 Jun 1882, d. 28 Apr 1942, Redlands, CA; m. with children
  2.  Calla "Caly" M., b. Aug 1884, d. 13 Apr 1913 Carrizo Springs TX; m. Earle Cook, 1 dau
  3.  Joel "Joe", b. Nov 1886;  unknown history

Unfortunately, Ida May died 5 Jan 1887, barely a month after Joel was born, leaving Henry with 3 children under 5 years.  I have not yet found a marriage record, but by 1887, he married Martha Jane VINEYARD, the 6th of 10 [or 12] children of Phillip Wesley Vineyard & Margaret C. WALTERS. [The couple may have adopted 2 Yates children].  And after Phillip died in 1874, Margaret married for the second time to Francis M. Berry and had 3 more children.  Martha Jane was born 2 Aug 1864 in White county, Illinois; her family may have been neighbours with the Rice family, as both families were farming in Indian Creek region of White County, IL. Indian Creek is a village next to Norris City township in White County.

Children of Henry Luther RICE & Martha VINEYARD:
  4.  Ada C., b. Aug 1888, d. 1983 in Mendocina CA; 1st m. [or not] unknown Mitchell, 1 dau; 2nd, m. [or not] Charles William LEWIS, 1 son.
  5.  Don Olin, b. 7 Jul 1891, d. 30 Jul 1967, San Bernardino co., CA; m 1915 to Inez A. Freel; 2 children
  6.  Barney Brooks, b. Feb 1893, d. 19 May 1945, San Bernardino co., CA in mental asylum; did not marry, mental illness after father died
  7.  Faye Jennie, b. May 1895, d. 18 Nov 1945, Fullerton, Orange, CA; m. Edwin A. Starr; 3 children
  8.  Reba Kathryn [direct ancestor], b. 23 Jun 1897, d. 27 Aug 1974 Vancouver BC Canada; m. [or not] approx 1934 to Charles William LEWIS; 2 sons
  9.  Helen, b. 1901; m. unknown Ewing; nothing further known; "died young" said Reba
10.  Marguerite LaVerne, b. 1903; m. abt 1922 to Barney Watje; 4 children
11.  Hazel Florence, b. abt 1904, d. abt 1998; m. ? Cummings; 4 children

Henry and his family lived in the Indian Creek township area of White County, Illinois until just after the last child was born.  While in Illinois, he sold Farm Implements, according to the 1900 Census.

The family moved after 1905 to Redlands, San Bernardino, California where they may be seen on the 1910 Census.  All the children are listed as born in Illinois. Henry's occupation at this time is Printer, owning/managing his own Printing shop, where his son Barney was also working with him. The elder three children by his first wife are not at home at this time, which would be normal considering their ages in 1910.

Henry continued to work in his own printing shop, as seen in the 1920 and 1930 Censuses, with Barney assisting in the shop.  Henry died 12 Jan 1934 in Redlands, and is buried there at Hillside Memorial Cemetery.  His second wife, Martha Jane, died 19 Mar 1954 in Los Angeles, and is also buried in Hillside Memorial Cemetery.

Information above is taken from Censuses, Marriage records, WW1 Draft Card records, FindAGrave headstones with their memorial writings, and personal information from Lewis/Rice family members. If any of this information is incorrect, please do contact me at my email below or through Comments. I am always happy to correct details, and add information as well.  And if you are related, my children and their cousins would be thrilled to connect with you!

Blogger - or my computer - is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented!  You truly make my day.