Nathaniel Rice Sr.
Nathaniel & Elizabeth Rice Family

by Lexi Romero miguellexi@msn.com)

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Nathaniel Rice Sr. 3 Generations

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Caption: Back row L-R Nathaniel Jr., Sheldon Rice, Nathaniel Rice Sr. Second row L-R Elizabeth Rice, ? front group children of Nathaniel and Elizabeth's but I have not identified them all yet. This photo was probably taken in New York as Sheldon, the eldest son, was about 24 years of age when they came to Nebr. so it was probably just be for 1889.

The Rices were both born in New York state, Saratoga County and came to Nebraska with their 12 children, all born in the state New York, to Columbus, NE area first, then later in 1889 they homesteaded in Perkins County. Some their children who were now grown stayed in eastern Nebr around the Columbus area but my GGrandfather Leland Burton Rice was one of the children who came west with his parents.

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Caption: The lady sitting in the middle is Elizabeth Rice and the older man behind her is husband Nathaniel. I haven't as yet identified the others.

1889: Nathaniel and Elizabeth Rice migrated to Perkins county in 1889 to a  homestead farm near the north edge of Perkins Co.

Nathaniel and Elizabeth's children:
Sheldon B. Rice Born: August 16, 1855
Mary Catherine Rice Born: March 6, 1857 Married name: Knapp
Francis Augusta Rice Born: March 3, 1859 Married name; Troller
Spencer Dwight Rice Born: July 21, 1850 Married; Myrtle M.
Amanda Jane Rice Born: unknown Married name: Yeager
Jessie Fremont Rice Born: September 18,1867 Married name: Livingston
Leland Burton Rice Born: July 16, 1870 Married; Stella Alen Wilson (my GGrandparents)
Georgina Rice Born: June 28, 1871 Married; Henry Sherman
Lanita Anicia Rice Born: September 13, 1873 Married; Abe Keithly
Knapp Bertie Rice Born: 1977
Sarah Isabell Rice Born: April 2, 1879 Married name; Bruier
Jessie Corbin Rice Born: June 6, 1886 Married; Sylvia

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Caption: The woman on the far left is Elizabeth and the man on the far right is Nathaniel, from the look of the picture it looks to be not long before Elizabeth died. The farm house, in the back, is the Rice place in Perkins Co.

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Caption: early family photo of Leland and Stella Rice, on his lap is daughter Pernesa age 3, and Elsie age 8 mo. is on her mother's lap.

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Caption: Leland B. Rice and wife Stella (Wilson) Rice in their sod home in the sand hills of Nebr. just north of Keystone. Taken approximately 1910, soon after this, the Rices built a wood framed house.  Back row L-R. Albert, Elsie, Leland, Stella, baby in her arms is Fred, and Pernesa.  Front row L-R: other infant child John, Raymond and Clare.

Nathaniel and Elizabeth Rice died on their homestead but are buried in Ogallala Cemetery [Keith Co.]

1900:
Obituary of Elizabeth Rice
Death of an Aged Lady Rice -- At her residence in Perkins county, October 7, 1900, Mrs. Elizabeth Rice, aged 69 years.  Death was the result of bowel difficulty and came suddenly. Mrs. Rice was born and raised in New York and came to her present place of residence about ten years ago and has resided there continuously ever since. She was a life long member of the M. E. Church, a loving wife and a tender mother. She leaves a husband, four sons and three daughters to mourn her loss. By her own request she was buried near her own home, she and her husband having agreed that neither should be taken from the farm until both were laid together in the same resting place. Her death was peaceful, and although her friends mourn a noble woman they have much to comfort them. She directed the burial arrangements herself and died in accordance with the Christian life she had lived.

1901:
Obituary for Nathaniel N. Rice
Nathaniel N. Rice was born in Northumberland, Saratoga County,  New York state, March 21, 1830.
He died in the Soldiers Home at  Grand Island, Neb. Feb. 10, 1906. He was laid to rest in the Ogallala
cemetery, beside his wife who died Oct. 7th, 1901. Had he live until the 21st of next month he would
have been 76 years of age. He was the fourth in a family of sixteen and the last of the family to pass away.
Mr. Rice was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Ketcham; Feb. 13, 1853. To this union were born
twelve children, seven girls and five boys. All the boys and two of the girls are left to remember the good deeds of a father who served will his time on earth.  Mr. Rice enlisted with the 77th New York Infantry and served about three years in the Civil war.   He moved with his family, from  New York state to Columbus, Neb. in 1879 and from there to Perkins county, Neb., in 1889. From that date up to a year ago, he has lived in this part of the state, passing thro' sunshine and shadow, hopes and fears, rain and drought. He has seen crops spring up and vanish, but he has passed to where failure is not known.


Leland Burton Rice (m. Aug 6, 1895) Stella Alena Wilson. Leland was son of of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Rice; Stella was daughter of Joseph and Pernesa Wilson.
Children:
Elizabeth Pernesa Rice - Born: May 4, 1896; Died: July 31, 1967; Married- Edwin Lewis Matthews (my grandparents)
Elsie Lela Rice - Born: October 31, 1898; Died: February 16, 1974; Married- (1st) _DeFord ; (2nd) _Stevens
Albert Rice - Born: Unknown; Died: September 9, 1966; Married: Grace _
Raymond Wilson Rice - Born: June 30, 1902; Died: December 27, 1973 Married-
Leland Clare Rice - Born: May 8, 1904; Died: June 5, 1915
John Gordon Rice - Born: Jan, 1909; Died: October 9, 1985; Married- Esther _
Fred Ralph Rice - Born: October 25, 1910; Died: January 12, 1980; Married-Margaret _
George Newton Rice - Born: October 5, 1914; Died: December 4, 1988; Married Rose Ann _

Leland [aka Lee] & Stella Rice moved north to Keystone, [Keith Co.] NE area during the Kinkaid Act to claim land for their newly started family.

Leland Burton Rice was one of the children that came west with them. Here is was that Leland met and married another Perkins county resident - Stella Alena Wilson on August 6, 1895. It was just few months after their marriage that Stella's father, Joseph Wilson took ill and died on February 28, 1896. In May of 1896, on the 4th day of the month Elizabeth Pernesa Rice was born (my grandmother), being named after both mothers. She came to be known as Pernesa.

Leland and his wife Stella moved to Arthur county just north of Ogallala, close to the town of Keystone, where he worked for a rancher in the area, 3 more children were born to the couple there in Keith County, their daughter Elsie and sons Albert and Raymond.

Leland than moved his family back to the homestead farm of his parents, probably to help with the farm since his mother died in the 1900 and Leland father was getting up in years. I found a news article in Keith County News paper, under the Keystone news which stated that Leland was quitting his job with the rancher and going back to Perkins county to take over his father's farm and with him he would be taking a sizable herd of cattle that he had built up while working there in the sandhills.

It was there the 5th child of the couple was born Clare Leland Rice. It is unknown why the couple did not stay longer possibly with the death of his father, in 1906, he moved back to the sandhills where he settled and raised his family. This is where Pernesa met and married Edwin Lewis Matthews and they had 7 children, one being Mary Jean my mother.

1916 about:
[Elizabeth] Pernesa Rice (m. abt. 1916) Edwin Lewis Matthews
Children:
Mary Jean Matthews
six other Matthews children


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