Elisha RICE, 1679-1761, Sudbury Massachusetts

Another RICE ancestor in our LEWIS-RICE family:  Elisha RICE, Jack & Bill's 5th-great-grandfather, 6th- to their children, and 7th- to their children. Elisha was the grandson of the first RICE immigrant to Massachusetts: Deacon Edmund RICE and his wife, Tamsin FROST who arrived in 1632. Much information on the RICE family is found on the Edmund RICE (1632) Family Association, and I have written on a number of their ancestors to date. Search on the surname in the search box to the right for more RICE family. 

Elisha RICE was born on 4 December 1679 at Sudbury, New Haven, Massachusetts, although another source states 11 December at Marlborough. His parents were Thomas RICE & Mary KING - about whom I have previously written - here is one post example. He was the 12th and last child of his parents. His father died Nov 16, 1681 when he was almost 3 years old; his mother did not remarry, and I'm assuming that there were others in the family nearby available to assist in his upbringing.  Image on right from Flickr, CC Elizabeth B. Thomsen. 

On February 10th, 1707/8 at Concord MA, he married Elizabeth WHEELER, the daughter of Obadiah WHEELER & Elizabeth WHITE. The latter was the granddaughter of Mayflower settler, Resolved WHITE, who came to Plymouth in 1620 with his parents William WHITE & Susanna JACKSON. So here we find the link for Mayflower descendency through this family. 

The couple lived in Sudbury until about 1719, when Elisha was a "proprietor" of Worcester, where he had 30 acres of land granted to him the previous year. I have not found the deed record/s for this land. He moved back to Sudbury after that year apparently. Elisha and Elizabeth had 7 known children:
    1.  Eliakim, b 27 Feb 1709, Sudbury, d after 1763; m. 14 May 1730 in Weston
             MA to Mehitabel Livermore; 5 children [1 died young].
    2.  Elisha [jr], b 27 May 1711, Sudbury; never married; apparently cared
             for sister Julia at times.
    3.  Elizabeth, b 3 Nov 1713, Sudbury, d 29 Mar 1799, Leicester MA; m
             28 Nov 1735 in Sudbury to Jonas Livermore; 8 known children.
    4.  Julia, b 20 Mar 1716, Sudbury, d after 1766, never married; apparently
              had severe mental illness, and her brother Elisha apparently cared
              for her at times.
    5.  Silas, b 28 Apr 1719, Worcester MA, d 24 Mar 1800 Northborough MA;
               m[1]Copia Broughton 10 Mar 1744/5; m[2] Lois Pollard 20 Sep 1770;
               m[3]Mehitable Goodnow 8 Dec 1784.  8 children from [1]marriage, 1
               child from [2]. 
    6.   Elija, ancestor, b 5 Mar 1721 Sudbury or Worcester, d Mar 1818 Holden
               MA; m 23 Nov 1748 Shrewsbury, MA to Huldah KEYES; 9 children
    7.  Zebulon, b 5 Jun 1725 Sudbury or Worcester, d 26 Dec 1799 Boylston,
               MA; no marriage information.

Note that with the Mayflower descendency books providing genealogical information going 5 or more generations down from the original settlers, much of the information about Elisha & Elizabeth's children is taken from the William White bk, Vol.1.  

Elizabeth died in 1727 in Sudbury, 2 years after her last child Zebulon. Elisha did not marry again. His siblings lived near him, and his three eldest children were likely able to help as needed.  

Elisha died before 19 October 1761 at Sudbury MA, intestate.  The estate was appraised on 19 Oct 1761, with the oldest son Eliakim as the Administrator. John Rice, Thos Damon and Phinobus Brintnall were the witnesses to the Bond document as well as the Inventory, which latter was completed Jan 18, 1762. I believe John is Eliakim's grand-uncle, but this has not been verified as yet. The Probate records mentioned were found on NEHGS [AmericanAncestors.org].

There are surprisingly few records that I have found to date on Elisha, other than birth, marriage, a few comments of his land in Worcester, residence in Sudbury, and his Probate records. No deeds, tax rolls, or other such paperwork on him. It is clear he farmed, as his Probate Inventory lists Land valued at over £226, with 1 horse, 4 cows, 1 heifer, 2 calves, plus 420 bushels of oats, 22 bushels and a half of Rye, 30 bushels of Indian corn. He also had a plough share and cotter and other farming equipment. 

I noted that on his inventory he is called "Cap'n Elisha Rice," so he likely had a military role at one point. To date I have not found the details of his military activities. There had certainly been several wars between the local Indians and early settlers, and perhaps he was part of the local militia, called on when needed. 

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If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues or add additional information in these family trees.

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