RESEARCH SUMMARY

RICE PRICE

The Family Search One Family Tree for Rice Price has conflicting files and is loaded with misinformation. This summary will attempt to add a little order to the chaos. There is no evidence at all that he ever went by a name other than Rice Price or Rees Price, likely a misspelling of his name.

Rice Price appears in Craven Precinct of Bath Co., NC starting 1 Mar 1729/30. He was patented a tract on Doctor’s Cr. on the present day border of Duplin Co. and Pender Co. There is no record of what happened to that patent. In 1751 he bought 320 acres in New Hanover Co. out near the Atlantic Ocean. His heirs sold that land in 1763.

We know from his 1756 New Hanover Co, NC will (Deed Book D.319) that his wife was Tomzin; and he had three sons Richard, James, and Edmond.

By 1763, (1) His son James was deceased leaving a widow Sarah and heir(s), (2) His son Richard was deceased without heirs, (3) His son Edmund was alive and m. to Ann Morris, dau. of James Morris, dec’d., and (4) a fourth son Thomas was living. (It is unknown why he was left out of Rice’s will, but he is clearly listed as an heir) From the following deed, it appears that Rice Price had no daughters, but that conflicts with some long held strong beliefs held by many.

The following two deeds are very instructive as to his family relationships.

NC New Hanover

DB F.037

2 Aug 1763

Thomas Price & his wife Mary, Sarah Price, widow and excr. of James Price, Edmond Price & his wife Ann, children & heirs of Rice Price, dec’d.

Walter Blake, merchant

320

—

£80. Being a moiety of 640 acres granted James Murray 10 Sep 1737 and sold to Rice Price. Adj. the late John Hodgeson, the sound on St. James Parish, David Thompson, Ralph Miller. Witnesses: John Watts, John Shuter. Recorded 3 Jan 1769.

NC New Hanover

DB F.316

2 Apr 1771

Edmund Price & his wife Ann, formerly Ann Morris, dau. of James Morris, dec’d.

Samuel Lane

200

Black Swp.

£100. Has metes & bounds. Patented to Henry Bishop. Conveyed to James Morris, dec’d. and inherited by his dau. Ann. Witnesses: Jacob Stockley, Rebeah Morris. Recorded 10 Jul 1773.

Now here is where it gets real interesting. This requires a little imagination (but not a whole lot) and some reading between the lines of the available documents. Rush Watts died in 1747 leaving a widow Elizabeth and at least 4 daughters and a son. Flash forward to 1794. At this time his spinster daughter Elizabeth had control of the family fortune and was not of a completely sound mind. Her sister Sarah convinced Elizabeth to gift properties to Sarah’s children, one of which was named James Price and the rest were names Jones.

The timing and dates of birth of Sarah Watts Price Jones children all dovetail nicely with her being the widow of Rice Price’s son James.

For a lot more details, please review the Price Surname Research at www.genealogyfacts.org.

Compiled By: David H. Robertson, 159 Hickory St., Roswell, GA 30075 davidhr@hushmail.com