Key Facts

Snapshot:	moved from North Carolina to Georgia; slave owner
Parents:	264James Price His mother's identity is unknown.
Born:	late 1760's or early 1770's location unknown
Died:	sometime in the 1840's probably Washington County, Georgia
Buried:	unknown

132Rice Price was born in the late 1760's or early 1770's, as determined by triangulating from his ages in censuses.1-4 His father is 264James Price, as explained below.

Problem: Resolved Who is 132Rice's father? In early 1790 a Johnston County, North Carolina court "Ordered, that James Price be exempt from paying a Poll Tax for his Son Rice Price for the Year 1789 by Reason of his being under age." 5 Note that "under age" meant under age 21, which is consistent with what we know about our 132Rice, who would have been roughly 19 at the time.1-4 Thus, this record explicitly identifies 132Rice's father 264James. Other, non-explicit yet still convincing records further affirm that 264James is 132Rice's father. Consider the following excerpts from a deed dated 25 August 1786 in Johnston County, North Carolina.6 "I James Price [...] for the favorable services of Rice Price jun. and his kindnesses done to me on the one part and for the tender love and affection from me owing to him on the other part" As you can see, the opening lines of this deed are exceptionally intimate, and no money was exchanged for the transaction. "manor plantation Including ___ and in Three hundred and fifty acres of Lands with all the improvements belonging to it [...] only as observing to give unto Micajah Price one half of the use and benefit of the orchard" This is a substantial gift to 132Rice, albeit with the stipulation that Micajah Price (relationship not specified; more on him below) be allowed to share it. Reading further, we see that 264James gives 132Rice even more property, including personal items: "my riding horse named Spook [...] Two feather beds and furniture [...] one shot gun" Near the end of the deed, 264James adds one final stipulation: that after his (264James') death, 132Rice must pay five shillings sterling each to 264James' four daughters. "pay or cause to be paid to [...] my Daughter Precellea Jackson[,] Esther Salter[,] Pheriby Price[,] Sarah each of five shillings sterling" Using even just this deed alone, one could argue persuasively that 264James is 132Rice's father. More thorough research, though, may help to reinforce our hypothesis. In a second deed made the same date (25 August 1786),7 264James is similarly generous to Micajah Price. In language very similar to the first deed, 264James gifts Micajah 320 acres along with personal items (including a horse named Davis and a rifle). Most interesting, though, is the closing stipulation: "[pay] after my decease Nathan Price, Dixon Price[,] Louis Price, and Larene[?] Price each of them five shillings sterling" The amount to be paid (five shillings sterling) is the same as in the previous deed. These legatees are male,7 versus in the first deed all were female;6 thus, the deeds complement each other. Although the first deed explicitly specifies that the female legatees are 264James' daughters, the second does not specify that the male legatees are his sons. Despite this unexplained change, I see no reason to doubt that they are indeed his sons, especially considering how this deed complements the first. Nathan and Dixon Price, two of the male legatees from the second deed, appear in earlier Johnston County land records: • In 1780 264James had sold Dixon "part of a large tract and is the land and plantation whereon Dixon Prices now lives." One of the boundaries was "a pine in James Prices home land." 8 This configuration suggests that 264James subdivided his land for Dixon, who thus continued to live near 264James. • Similarly, in 1783 264James had sold Nathan "the land and plantation whereon the said Nathan Price now lives." One of the boundaries was "a pine joining Dixon Prices line." 9 Based on these four deeds, one would expect 132Rice, Micajah, Dixon, and Nathan to live near each other, and this is precisely what the 1790 census reflects: The four men are listed close together, all on the same page:10 1790: 132Rice lived near his (proposed) brothers. Full page.10 264James himself, however, is listed somewhat later in the 1790 census, but North Carolina's state census in 1787 confirms that he, Dixon, and Nathan were all in the same militia district.11 Lewis (who is also named in the second deed described above) was there, too. 132Rice and Micajah are not listed, presumably because they were still too young... and thus it's particularly interesting that 264James' household in the 1787 census included two males under age 21 (or—less likely—over age 60; the two ranges are peculiarly merged in this census).11 I strongly suspect that these two males are in fact 132Rice and Micajah. In 1795 Dixon paid the fee for 132Rice's marriage bond, further evidence of their closeness.12 We can derive additional evidence from naming patterns: (1) 132Rice apparently named one of his sons "James." He may have been 132Rice's firstborn son, although I lack evidence to prove so other than his being listed first in an important estate return record:13 (2) 264James' own father was in turn named "Rice." 14 The abovementioned 1790 tax record plainly identifies 264James as 132Rice's father.5 Other records presented above show 132Rice in relation—geographically, socially, financially, and otherwise—to others who are proven or very strongly implied to be 264James' family. Therefore, I'm confident in concluding that 132Rice's father is 264James Price.

On 24 February 1795 in Johnston County, North Carolina a marriage bond was issued for 132Rice to marry 133Morning Moore. The bond fee was paid by Dixon Price,12 apparent brother of 132Rice, as noted above.

1795: An excerpt from 132Rice's and 133Morning's marriage bond. Full page.12

The 1800 census shows that 132Rice and 133Morning had already had three boys since their marriage. The numbers below represent: 3 boys age 0-9, 1 man age 26-44, 1 woman age 16-25, and 1 woman age > 45. The older woman is presumably some relative, likely a mother.1

1800: 132Rice's family in Johnston County, North Carolina. Full page.1

I have previously presented an analysis of some of 132Rice's (apparent) children. Building on this work, we can surmise that 132Rice moved his family from North Carolina to Georgia circa 1806 (since his son Bridges was born in North Carolina circa 1805,15 and his daughter Mary was born in Georgia circa 180816).

In Georgia 132Rice probably resided first in Jefferson County. There on 21 October 1805 he witnessed the will of Edward Moore, apparently a relative of his wife 133Morning (The will names her and some of her known siblings* as heirs, although Edward's relationship to them is not specified and remains unclear.), and soon thereafter appeared in a Jefferson County court to probate the will on 4 November.17

Eventually, though, 132Rice would settle in miltia district 92 (map), Washington County, where we find him in all subsequent records that specify a district.4,18-22

The 1820 census shows how his family had grown. The numbers below represent: 2 boys age 0-9, 1 boy age 10-15, 2 men age 16-25, 1 man age > 45, 1 girl age 10-15, and 1 woman age > 45.2

1820: 132Rice's family in Washington County, Georgia. Full page.2

1830: 132Rice's family still in Washington County. Full page.3

Uniquely, the 1840 census shows that 132Rice had both a free colored person and a slave (not shown in the excerpt below), both of whom were males of age 10-24, living with him. No previous record shows that 132Rice ever owned any slaves.1-3,18-23 His 1840 census also shows that he had one "deaf and dumb" person of age > 25 living with him, revealed in a later census to be his daughter Oliph.4

1840: 132Rice's family still in Washington County. Full page.4

The 1840 census is the last record I've found of 132Rice made while he was still alive. He must have died in the 1840's, since 133Morning was a widow by 1850.16 He probably died in Washington County, since it's his last known location, and since his widow still lived there in 1850.16 He died intestate, and his estate wasn't settled until after 133Morning died; see more details on her page.

Footnote:

*	133Morning's siblings are identified in the will of her father, 266John Moore.24 The Georgia Archives has a record pertaining to Edward Moore that might elucidate his relationship better, but I haven't had the opportunity to look at it yet.

Sources Cited:

1: 1800 U.S. Federal Census. Johnston County, North Carolina. Page 756, Rice Price household. NARA microfilm publication M32, roll 31. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R8C-26K?i=14&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHR7-BNC>. On page 755 is another man also named Rice Price, but the ages of his children are not consistent with 132Rice's marriage in 1795.

2: 1820 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Washington County, Georgia. Page 136, Rice Price household. NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 9. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYY-YL9?i=22&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHLX-TLW>. Since the document lacks column headers, you may find this template helpful.

3: 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Washington County, Georgia. Page 265, Rice Price household. NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 21. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY1-XP6>.

4: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. Militia district 92, Washington County, Georgia. Page 227, Ricy Price household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 53. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYTB-9S3V?personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHBN-BZB>.

5: Johnston County, North Carolina. Superior court clerk's office, court of pleas and quarter sessions minutes book for the years 1784-1793, page 127. North Carolina Archives microfilm MF-C.056.30002. Transcribed in: Weynette Parks Haun, transcriber, Johnston County North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1787 thru 1792, Book IV (1975), page 71. I haven't seen the original record or its microfilm copy and merely used Haun's transcription, which reads, "Ordered, that James PRICE be exempt from paying a Poll Tax for his Son Rice PRICE for the Year 1789 by Reason of his being under age."

6: Johnston County, North Carolina. Deed transcripts book 2, pages 250-251. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G983-FKQR?i=129&cat=332396> et seq.

7: ibid., pages 251-252. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-9983-FK61?i=130&cat=332396>.

8: ibid., pages 99-100. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-9983-FKV2?i=53&cat=332396> et seq.

9: ibid., pages 139-140. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8983-F2QS?i=73&cat=332396>.

10: 1790 U.S. Federal Census. Johnston County, North Carolina. Page 476. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY8-3QR3>.

11: Alvaretta Kenan Register, State Census of North Carolina, 1784-1787: From Records in the North Carolina Department of Archives and History (self-published, Norfolk, VA, 1971), page 83.

12: Johnston County, North Carolina. Marriage bonds for 1768-1868, section P, bond document for Rice Price and Mourning Moore. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DK5S-2JF?i=397&cc=1726957>. See also: Genealogical Society of Utah, Johnston County, North Carolina Marriage Bonds, page 175.

13: Washington County, Georgia. Estate returns book G, page 113. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93T-8V3?i=90&wc=9SBQ-W3G%3A267818901%2C268019301&cc=1999178>.

14: North Carolina Secretary of State Wills. The will of Rice Price, New Hanover County, dated 27 September 1756, North Carolina MARS ID 12.96.20.63. North Carolina Digital Collections, <https://www.digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll41/id/9404/rec/1793>, accessed 19 August 2023. This is the original will.

15: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Montezuma, Covington County, Alabama. Page 159B, dwelling 239, family 239, Bridges Price household. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-679S-7CT?view=index&personArk=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMHPB-2G1&action=view&groupId=M9C4-VYH>.

16: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Division 91, Washington County, Georgia. Page 246B(?), dwelling 645, family 645, Morning Price household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 87. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-63KW-3H7?i=87>.

17: Jefferson County, Georgia. Wills book A (1777-1893), page 52. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-YWVW?i=118&cc=1999178&cat=168385>.

18: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1825, section for militia district 92 (Whitfield's), entry for Rice Price. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Washington / 1825 / image 33 of 108).

19: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1830, section for militia district 92 (Miller's), entry for Rice Price. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Washington / 1830 / image 21 of 107).

20: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1836, section for militia district 92 (Whitefield's), entry for Rice Price. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Washington / 1836 / image 25 of 80).

21: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1837, section for militia district 92 (Page's), entry for Rice Price. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Washington / 1837 / images 33 and 34 of 106).

22: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1838, section for militia district 92 (Page's), entry for Rice Price. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Washington / 1838 / images 35 and 36 of 117).

23: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1828, section for Smith's district, entry for Rice Price. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Washington / 1828 / image 37 of 106).

24: Jefferson County, Georgia. Wills book A (1777-1893), page 122. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93L-YWNL?i=188&cc=1999178&cat=168385>.