David Rice was born c. 1801 in New York state. He has been first identified in the census in 1850, living in Campbell, Steuben Co. NY, and working as a farmer. He was married to Elizabeth (Betsey) Rardeen, born c. 1815, also in New York. [1] By 1860 he had moved to Elbridge, Onondaga Co. NY where he was working as a day laborer and living with his son-in-law, William McIntyre, who had married his daughter Electa. [2] Some time after that David and Betsy moved to Mendon, St. Joseph Co. MI, where they lived near Betsy's brother James Rardeen, a farmer there. Betsy lived on the farm of her brother, and her son Judson and his wife lived with her after their marriage.[3] David and Betsy may have separated. Judson's widow Emily stated that David Rice had lived in Baldwinsville when Judson enlisted and was there when he returned from the army.
Betsy Rice was rumored to have died "with fits." Her brother, James Rardeen, confirmed that she suffered from fits. She was dead by 1887. [4]
David Rice and Elizabeth had the following children:
| i. | Rosetta Rice was born in New York c. 1839. [5] | |
| + | ii. | Electa A. Rice was born c. 1847 in New York. [6] |
| + | iii. | Judson Rice was born in New York c. 1844. [7] |
| iv. | Henrietta Rice was born c. 1847 in New York. [8] The 1860 census described her as "idiotic." [9] A neighbor in Michigan, Welton Smith, noted that he had seen her have fits. David Handshaw, a neighbor, said she "was partially fooolish, and had fits."[10] | |
| v. | Joseph Rice was born in New York c. 1851. [11] Joseph apparently moved to St. Joseph Co. MI with his parents, as a neighbor there, Welton Smith, stated that elder brother Judson was "nothing like as heavy looking as his brother." [12] |
Last updated on 10 May 2008