This pioneer story begins in Wallingford, CT with
1. BENJAMIN RICE, SR., born 26 June 1724 in Wallingford. He married on 29 May 1750 in Wallingford ANNA MERRIMAN. She was born 1 Sept 1715 in Wallingford. Her first husband was EPHRAIM CHAMBERLAIN with whom she had several children. After his death, she married Benjamin Rice, Sr.
Benjamin, Enos and Joel Rice are listed in the 1810 census of Jefferson County and also in the 1820 census at Champion, Jefferson Co.
Children of Benjamin Rice Sr and Anna Merriman:
2 i BENJAMIN RICE born 8 Jan 1750 in Wallingford; died young
3 ii BENJAMIN RICE JR born 29 July 1752 at Wallingford CT; died 12 Nov. 1831 at Carthage, Jefferson Co., NY and buried in the Hillside Cemetery at Carthage; he married as his second wife, LEVINA WISE. Early settler of Jefferson Co. and Revolutionary War veteran and is listed in the DAR Patriot Index.
4 iii MARY RICE born 1 June 1754 at Wallingford, CT
5 iv ENOS RICE born 5 Feb 1756 at Wallingford, CT; died 15 March 1831 at Carthage, Jefferson Co. NY; married (1) MARY MOFFETT and (2) SARAH PARMENTER. Early settler of Jefferson Co. and a Revolutionary War veteran.
6 v MARY RICE born 27 April 1758
7 vi JOEL RICE born 17 Feb. 1761.
3. BENJAMIN RICE JR. son of Benjamin Rice Sr and Anna Merriman was born 1752, and married LEVINA WISE on 2 April 1776 at Deerfield MA. She was born about 1756 and died 28 Oct. 1843 at 83 years and is buried in the Hillside Cemetery, where Benjamin is buried. Levina was the daughter of JOSEPH WISE and JUDITH HEALY who moved to Deerfield MA from Lebanon CT about 1777. See Fonda List this site for Benjamin Rice military service.
Children of Benjamin Rice JR and Levina Wise: all born, Franklin Co., MA
8 i MARY RICE born 3 Nov 1776
9 ii SAMUEL W. RICE bapt. 24 Sept. 1780 and died 12 June 1833; married MARY HASTINGS who was born 1785 and died 7 May 1854.
10 iii WISE RICE born 24 Sept 1780
11 iv JOEL PARMELY RICE (CAPT.) War of 1812; born 11 Feb. 1781; married 20 Jan. 1807 to ELIZABETH CROWNER.
12 v LEVINA RICE born 1783; died 27 July 1859 at 81 years; married SOLOMON HOPKINS as his second wife.
13 vi OSEE RICE born 1788 at Gill, MA and drowned there in 1799
14 vii CONSIDER RICE born 19 March 1791
15 viii POLLY RICE born 10 July 1793
16 ix BETSEY RICE bapt. 11 May 1796
17 x PHILENA RICE bapt. 14 July 1798; died 1799 in Gill MA
18 xi OSEE RICE born 23 Feb 1801 at Gill MA
19 xii WEALTHY RICE born 10 July 1806 at Gill MA
5. ENOS RICE, son of Benjamin Rice Sr and Anna Merriman was born 1756 in Wallingford CT and died 15 March 1831 in Champion, Jefferson Co., NY. He married 1st to MERCY MOFFETT who was born 15Dec 1754 in Northfield, Franklin Co., MA and died 7 Dec. 1793; they married 22 Nov. 1779 in MA. Enos married (2) on 18 March 1794 in Gill, MA to SARAH PARMENTER who was baptized 21 June 1778 in Fitzwilliam, NH, and died in Jefferson Co NY on 15 July 1850. She was the daughter of REUBEN PARMENTER and SARAH POTTER. Reuben was of Sudbury, Middlesex MA and married at Bernardston, MA to Sarah in 1777. Reuben, wife Sarah, and son Joel, were warned out of Fitzwilliam, NH in 1776. Reuben was a Revolutionary War soldier and is buried in Caanan Center Cemetery in Wayne Co, OH. Reuben was born 3 March 1752 in MA and died 10 Sept. 1840 in Wayne Co OH.
The story of Enos Rice's Revolutionary War experience is a poignant documentation of how bureaucracy prevented his widow, Sarah, from ever receiving any pension money for his service while she was still living. (Pension information provided courtesy Shelley Morrison.) Sarah's first attempts in 1844 to gain a pension from his service were fruitless because she could not remember the exact date of their marriage. The confusion arose out of the date of intent to marry, which was 18 Feb. 1794, and the actual date of marriage which was 18 March 1794. The old custom of posting marriage banns usually required three successive postings before the actual marriage date, which explains the date differences. Once Sarah had clarified the marriage date, the second obstacle was that of proving Enos' service record. She tried to recall where Enos had served but did not know the details and in October of 1844 the Commonwealth of MA verified that Enos Rice had served in the War and included the payroll and dates of service. In July of 1844, Sarah again made a declaration in an attempt to collect a pension under the Act of 7 July 1838 that granted half pay and pensions to certain widows. Sarah addressed her marriage to Enos and mentioned that Reuben and Sarah Parmenter, her parents, were at the wedding. A man named Hon. J. I. Slingerland of Albany, NY was appointed by Sarah to be the agent for her in obtaining the pension. Appointing an agent was a common practice among those who were seeking assistance in getting their pensions processed, and particularly among those persons who could not read or write, which was the circumstance with Sarah.
In September of 1846, Joel P. Rice, nephew of Enos and Sarah, was deposed in Jefferson Co. for her cause. At that time, Sarah was living in Dekalb in St. Lawrence Co. NY. Joel said he was acquainted with the couple for a period of at least 54 years and became acquainted with Sarah previous to her marriage to his uncle. At that time Sarah was a resident of the Town of Gill in MA and was Sarah Parmenter. Joel stated that he remembered when his Aunt and Uncle were married. Joel recalled the marriage time because he personally was 15 years of age when he went to live in the family of his grandfather, the father of Uncle Enos, and that Enos and Sarah then had one or two children. He went on to mention that his uncle Enos had moved from Massachusetts to Jefferson Co. NY about 44 years prior. That information places Enos Rice in Jefferson County about 1802 or 1803. Several letters and a great deal of time went by before the following letter was sent to Mr. Slingerland:
"Sarah Rice, widow of Enos Rice, who served in the Revolutionary War as a
Private Massachusetts Line. Inscribed on the roll at the rate of 20 dollars per
annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1849. Certificate of Pension
issued the 1st day of November 1849 and sent to Honorable J. I. Slingerland,
Albany, NY."
The next letter in the pension file was written by Potter Rice, son of Enos and Sarah, inquiring about where the pension was sent as his mother died on the 15th of July last (1850 ) and apparently had not received any of the money due to her. The letter was dated 20 Nov. 1850.
Children of Enos Rice and Sarah Parmenter:
20 i ANNA RICE born 24 July 1784 in Gill, MA
21 ii NATHANIEL RICE born 1786 in MA; married JANE (---) born 1791
22 iii unknown child born 1790; died at 9 months
23 iv unknown child born 1792 and died same year
24 v WARREN RICE born 4 October 1793 in Gill MA
25 vi SALLY RICE born 4 April 1798 in Gill MA
26 vii ORILLA RICE born 2 March 1810 in Jeffrson Co NY; died 23 May 1893
27 viii POTTER RICE born 1814 Jefferson Co., NY; married ELEANOR PERKINS?, daughter of BRADLEY PERKINS.
9. SAMUEL W. RICE, son of Benjamin Rice JR and Levina Wise was bapt. 24 Sept. 1780 and died 12 June 1833. He married MARY HASTINGS who was born 1785 and died 7 May 1854.
Children of Samuel W. Rice and Mary Hastings:
28 i SAMUEL PORTER RICE born 1812; died 24 April 1866 in W. Carthage NY at 54 y 4 m; married ELIZA M. CARPENTER, bc 1803; died 30 Dec. 1892
29 ii DOLLY RICE born 1813; died 1838; married SAMUEL ALLEN AUSTIN
30 iii BENJAMIN WAYNE RICE born 1817 and died 31 Dec. 1844 at 26 y 10 m 13 d
11. JOEL PARMELY RICE (CAPT.) War of 1812; son of Benjamin Rice JR and Levina Wise born 11 Feb. 1781; died 7 May 1873 at 92 years 1 mo in Jefferson Co NY; married 20 Jan. 1807 to ELIZABETH CROWNER; she was born 14 March 1790 in Denmark, Lewis Co., NY and died 28 Jan. 1881 at Champion, Jefferson Co. At age 21, he drove four oxen for his uncle, Enos Rice, from Greenfield MA to Champion in Jefferson Co., in 20 days. He stopped twice to re-shoe his sled. His guide was marked trees from Lowville, NY and drove the first team ever driven on Martin Street. He purchased soon of his uncle 83 plus acres of land and raised a crop of potatoes. He married Elizabeth in 1807; was at the battle in Sackets Harbor and held several town offices. Joel is probably the Joel Rice whose name appears in the 1810 census of Jefferson Co.
Joel also testified on behalf of his aunt Sarah, wife of Enos, in her quest for a pension. His pertinent comments are below.
Children of Joel Parmely Rice and Elizabeth Crowner:
31 i ELIZABETH RICE born 7 May 1808; died 28 Aug. 1840; ,married 29 May 1834 GILBERT BURNHANS who was born 15 May 1805 in NY and died 9 Oct. 1846.
32 ii JOEL WISE CROWNER RICE born 8 Feb 1810; died 27 Mar. 1880 NY; married PAMELIA CARPENTER
33 iii JOHN MERRIAM RICE born 25 April 1812; died 8 May 1902; married 29 Aug. 1839 to MORIAH MILLER
34 iv CAROLINE FIDELIA RICE born 23 May 1814; died 17 Oct. 1897; married 12 June 1832 to SILAS BAILEY
35 v HIRAM ALLEN RICE born 16 Feb 1816; died 29 Feb 1896; married 23 June 1842 to CLARISSA HODSKINS who was born 1824 and died 1894
36 vi ALMIRA EMERANCY RICE born 26 Sept. 1817 died 1867; married 7 Jan 1841 JAIRUS BLODGETT who died 14 Mar. 1860
37 vii OLIVIA ROXANNA RICE born 2 Oct. 1819; died 13 June 1865; married 29 August 1839 to DANIEL B. ROOD
38 viii SOLOMON G. RICE born 24 April 1822; died Aug. 1823
39 ix SAMUEL E. RICE born 24 Oct. 1824 married (1) CAROLINE CARTER and (2 )MARY N. HUBBARD
40 x ALFRED WARD RICE born 11 June 1827; died 1 Nov. 1912; married 5 Dec. 1859 SUSAN E. LOCKIN. Susan was the wife of Isaac Locklin Jr.
41 xi MELVIN C. RICE born 11 Jan. 1832; died 14 June 1891; married on 13 Dec. 1854 REBECCA ELIZABETH MIX.
12. LEVINA RICE, daughter of Benjamin Rice JR and Levina Wise was born 1783. She died 27 July 1859 at 81 years; married SOLOMON HOPKINS as his second wife. Solomon was born 17 Feb 1778 in S. Kensington RI and moved to Champion, Jefferson Co., in 1803 where he located on the farm on Martin Street. He was the son of THOMAS HOPKINS and HANNAH BAKER and died 27 July 1859 at age 81; buried Hillside Cem in W. Carthage, Jefferson Co NY. Solomon took up a 50 acre tract to which he added, by purchase. A highly respected resident, he served as assessor, highway commissioner and teacher as well as maintaining his farm. He found time to be a deacon in the First Baptist Church at Carthage in Jefferson Co. The couple had eight children – 5 sons and 3 daughters.
Children of Levina Rice and Solomon Hopkins:
42 i MARTHA HOPKINS bc 1808; married JOSEPH F. PECK JR.
43 ii SOLOMON HOPKINS b 23 July 1809 NY; d 23 April 1844 Jefferson Co
44 iii LEVINA H. HOPKINS born 18 Oct. 1810 Jefferson Co NY; married 1831 WILLIAM JASON BENTLEY
45 iv HIRAM B. HOPKINS born 13 Mar 1815 at Champion;died Crawford Co PA
46 v JOEL R. HOPKINS born on the family farm 9 April 1819; died there 4 July 1892. He married (1) HARRIET C. BROWN, daughter of OREN BROWN who died in 1851 and (2) PRUDENCE H. SWINBURNE, daughter of PETER SWINBURN of Denmark, NY
47 vi JOHN M. HOPKINS born 9 April 1819 in Champion; died Jefferson Co
48 vii DAVID W. HOPKINS born 1824 NY; died Crawford Co PA
21. NATHANIEL RICE, son of Enos Rice and Sarah Parmenter was born 1786 in MA; married JANE (---) born 1791
Children of Nathaniel Rice and Jane:
49 i NATHANIEL RICE born 1829
50 ii EDWARD RICE born 1833
27. POTTER RICE, son of Enos Rice and Sarah Parmenter was born 1814 Jefferson Co., NY. He married ELEANOR PERKINS?, daughter of BRADLEY PERKINS. Eleanor was born about 1819 and Bradley was born about 1786. Potter Rice was listed in the 1850 census both in Wisconsin and Jefferson County, NY. In the letter he wrote in November of 1850 to the Office of Pensions, he noted that his mother was living with him in Dekalb, St. Lawrence Co. in May of that year. In May he also moved to Wisconsin and not liking the country went back to Jefferson County immediately. It was in July of 1850 that Sarah died.
Children of Potter Rice and Eleanor Perkins:
51 i CHAUNCEY B. RICE born 1838
52 ii PHILENA RICE born 1840
53 iii WARREN RICE born 1842
54 iv JULIA RICE born 1847
55 v EMMA J. RICE born 1850
56 vi LORRAINE RICE born 1850
32. JOEL WISE CROWNER RICE, son of of Joel Parmely Rice and Elizabeth Crowner was born 8 Feb 1810; died 27 Mar. 1880 NY; married PAMELIA CARPENTER on 28 April 1831. She was born 11 Jan 1808 and died 8 May 1902.
Children of Joel W. . Rice and Pamelia Carpenter:
57 vii ANN E. RICE, died 30 Jan. 1834 at 14 y 4 m 27 days
58 viii CAROLINE RICE died 30 Jan 1840 at 5 y 4 m 27 days
39. SAMUEL E. RICE, son of of Joel Parmely Rice and Elizabeth Crowner was born 24 Oct. 1824 at Champion, Jefferson Co., died 9 April 1905; married (1) CAROLINE CARTER and (2) MARY N. HUBBARD born 11 Dec. 1826; she died 19 April 1894. They were married on 9 Feb. 1848.
Children of Samuel E. Rice and Caroline Carter and Mary N. Hubbard:
59 i EMMA RICE born 1857; died 1859 buried Hillside Cem., Jefferson Co NY
60 ii EVA RICE born 1860 died 1864
61 iii FREDDIE RICE born 1870; died 1870
62 iv HELEN RICE born 1853; died 1858
63 v LIBBIE RICE born 1858; died 1865
64 vi MILLIE E. RICE born 1866 and died 1883 buried Hillside Cem.
44. LEVINA H. HOPKINS, daughter of Levina Rice and Solomon Hopkins born 18 Oct. 1810 Jefferson Co NY; died 20 Aug. 1855 in Jefferson Co., NY; married 1831 to WILLIAM JASON BENTLEY who was born 23 April 1811 in NY and died 4 Nov. 1901 Jefferson Co., son of WILLIAM BENTLEY and ABIGAIL BACON.
Child of Levina H. Hopkins and William J. Bentley:
65 i MARYETT BENTLEY born 25 Aug. 1832 Jefferson Co and died 25 Jan. 1859; married WILLIAM H. POTTER who died 14 Feb. 1858
Sources:
Fonda List; DAR Patriot Index; Pension Record; cemetery records, VIR in CT, MA, NH, NY, OH; census records; Hopkins Fam. Geneal; Rice Fam. Geneal. George Sheldon and the Hist. Of Deerfield, MA; Hist. Of Fitzwilliams NY; Haddock's Biographies; Child's Gazeteer; and sincere appreciation to Shelley Morrison who published Sarah Parmenter Rice's pension records.
Researched: 7/2011 by M. Sapienza
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