Barnhart Rice Family History

Barnhart Rice (possibly Bernhardt Reiss), who came over from Germany in the first half of the 18th Century, probably between 1715 and 1750. Barnhart was the younger of two brothers whao came over with their parents, according to Rice histories. The other brother's name is under question right now. One distant Ohio cousin says his name was George Reiss and was killed in Braddock's defeat in 1755. Our Rice history says his name was Frederick William Rice and was thought dead, but that he survived Braddock's defeat by hiding in a hollow log for several days and floating across a river to safety in Maryland. Anyway, that story is included below, along with several others.

Barnhart Rice, the younger brother and my ancestor, first settled in Northhampton County near Bethleham, PA. His only son, Frederick, and two daughters were born there. When Frederick was about 13 years old, Barnhart moved the family west. Some say they stopped over in the Cumberland valley (I think this is the right area for Bedford, Franklin and Cumberland counties). The Rice histories below say they moved directly to Westmoreland County, PA, in about 1766.

Frederick apparently runs his father-in-law's mill near Greensburg, then builds another mill about 3 miles south of Greensburg. He also accumulates about 300 acres of land. The location of this land was recently discussed in one of the several recent Greenhill Farm discussions as bordering on the south of this Greenhill Farm.

Frederick sells this land about 1815 and moves again. One account says he bought some land in Crawford County, PA with script from his service in the Revolutionary War. Anyway, he and several children end up in Wayne County, Ohio, with land south of Wooster, Ohio. He transfers one half of land to one son, Barnhart, and another half to a another son, Simon, in 1822. He lived with Simon until his death. These farms later became the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center as it now exists south of Wooster, Ohio.

Frederick's youngest son, Henry, and two of his sons, Nicholas and Solomon, later move to Huntington County, Indiana in 1850, to take up the occupation of farming. A third son , Henry, Jr., moves to Huntington County, Indiana in 1863 to farm.

Now that I have rambled on, I will sign off and attach the stories I mentioned from the two Rice histories.

Gary Rice Roanoke, Indiana

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Excerpts from Glenn Rice's History of the Henry Rice Family

Foreword

On the following pages are the results of an attempt to get a record of our ancestors and also a genealogical record of our ancestor, Henry Rice, Sr.

Many of the early records were obtained from a family record which was prepared by a committee appointed by the family in Wayne County, Ohio, to get as complete a record of our ancestor. as possible.

Much credit must be given to Mrs. Sarah Albright who obtained many of the records for this committee.

Aid and inspiration were given the writer for the record of the Henry Rice, Sr. family by Nicholas Rice, who related many early experiences in Wayne County, Ohio and Huntington County, Indiana.

- Glenn M. Rice

Bibliography

>From the Barnhart and Rice History we find that Fredrick Rice was a miller, and owned a stone mill. He moved from Westmoreland County in Pennsylvania and bought two sections of land in Crawford County also in Pennsylvania and located near Meadville. He later disposed of this land. and moved to Wayne County in Ohio, where he bought two sections of land south of Wooster, Ohio, which is now the property of the Ohio Experimental Station.

His granddaugbter, Mrs. Sarah Rice Albright has given us this account; It appears that the record of our ancestors who first came to America is very obscure. By tradition, we learn that a Father and Mother and two sons, Fredrick William and Barnhart Rice, left their home in Germany (Wittenberg was once named as the home place) and settled in the unbroken wilderness of Pennsylvania, enduring the hardships of a rude pioneer life.

No further trace of the parents can be found but the elder son, Fredrick William was mortally wounded in 1775 [sic - should be 1755] in the French arid Indian War at the time of Braddock's defeat. Here, we will add that a Mr. T. J. Rice of Oberlin, Ohio claimed Fredrick William to be his paternal ancestor, and we quote, "My great grandfather, Fredrick William Rice was under Washington when Washington was Colonel during the French and Indian War at the time of Braddock's, defeat in 1775 [sic - should be 1755], and that Frederick William Rice was one of the rear guard and was cut off in retreat. He escaped the Indians by hiding in the swamps and for days laid in the hollow of a log in which he finally buoyed across a river in Maryland, when he was supposed to have been killed." This story was recalled by Mrs. Harriet Milton and was often repeated in the Simon Rice household about a brother who died in Baltimore, Maryland.

BARNHART RICE

Barnhart Rice, the younger son, married and settled near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He had a family of three children, two daughters and one son, Fredrick - our ancestor.

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FREDERICK RICE

Fredrick Rice was born near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in Northampton County, September 29, 1753 At the age of thirteen years he, with the family, moved. to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Six years after they settled in Westmoreland County, when the colonies would no longer submit to the yoke placed upon them by the mother country and revolted, the father, who had taken an oath of allegiance to England, gave a gun to his only son and bade him fight for his country.

After serving in the regular army for two years, he joined Berry's men and remained with them until the close of the War While he was in the regular army, he fought at the battle of Trenton where Washington captured 1000 Hessians. Here (according to D.A.R. history, he, acting as a spy under General Marshall, assisted in the capture of the Hessians).

He served under General Washington at Valley Forge White serving with Brady, he led an expedition for the recovery of two white children who had been captured by the Indians, And was successful.

At the close of the Revolutionary War, at the age of twenty three years, he married Catherine Lauffer, also of Westmoreland County. He owned, and operated, a grist mill on the Sewickley River near Greensburg, Pennsylvania which his father-in-law had established Then he erected a mill three miles south of Greensburg and followed the occupation of a miller until his eldest son, Barnhart, became old enough to take charge of the mill

To Fredrick and Catherine Rice were born thirteen children, two of whom, died in infancy. Seven sons and four daughters lived to an adult age, and are as follows

Christina - born AprIl 14, 1778; died October 14, 1853 married - Randolph Barnhart

Barnhart - born March 18, 1781; died August 12, 1863 married Susan Miller

Elizabeth - born March 17, 1783; died November 11, 1852 married Philip Barnhart

Fredrick - born died War of 1812

Christian - born April 12, 1787; died January 17, 1852 married Charlotte Hine

John - born died

Peter - born April 4, 1792; died , 1861 married Elizabeth Vandyke

Catherine - born , 1794; died January 18, 1871 married John Myers

Simon - born October 4, 1796; died November 5, 1863 married Mary France

Susan - born died married Daniel Reaser

Henry - born June 8, 1804; died March 2, 1875 married Susannah Franz

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Fredrick Rice (cont.)

Fredrick Rice spent the latter part of his life with his son Simon on the old homestead south of Wooster, Ohio where many a traveller from Pennsylvania was sheltered and retreshed. Some of these claimed relationship, others fount various excuses such as having lived' near "Rices Hollow" south of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, as reason to visit several days or even weeks if it were convenient.

Fredrick Rice died January 23, 1848 at the age of 94 years, 3 months, 25 days. His wife, Catherine, having died many years prior, in the month of August, 1823.

His last request was the administration of the Lord's Supper by Rev. S. S. Cline, pastor of the German Lutheran Church of which he was a member. Early in his teens he was confirmed in Northampton, Pennsylvania, in the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

He was buried in the church graveyard back of the present Evangelical Church in Wooster, Ohio, but was later disinterred with other members of the family and now lies In the Oakhill Cemetery, south of Wooster. (The Rice lot is next to the lot containing the Karl Merz Boulder Monument.)

We have found a family booklet, "History of the RICE Family," that tells us that our Barnhart RICE came to the USA with his parents and a brother named Frederick William RICE. Frederick was in the French and Indian War under George Washington and Braddock. Later, Barnhart's only son Frederick was in the Revolutionary War under Washington. The booklet was written around 1920 because my father is listed in it as being born 10 Mar 1916, but his two youngest siblings are not listed. A quick perusal shows no other dates after 1920. Here are a couple excerpts from the booklet.

I think you might enjoy these excerpts.

Gary Rice Roanoke, Indiana

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History of the Rice Family

The earliest knowledge we have of our ancestors is very obscure. We only know that a family of four, father, mother and two sons, Frederick William and Barnhart Rice left Wittenberg, Germany, date unknown and sought the forests of America and the hardships of a rude pioneer life in the yet unbroken wilderness of Pennsylvania.

No further trace of the parents can be found but tradition according to Mr. T. J. Rice of Oberlin, Ohio, who claims Frederick William to be his grandfather, quotes "My great grandfather Frederick William Rice was under Washington at Braddock's defeat during the French and Indian war of 1755 and was one of the rear guard and was cut off in the retreat and escaped the Indians by hiding in the swamps for many days."

Barnhart Rice the older son married and settled in Bethlehem, Northampton Co., Penn., and had a family of two daughters and one son Frederick.

FREDERICK RICE

Frederick Rice was born Sept. 29, 1753, in Bethlehem, Penn., the city now made famous by the Schwab and Carnegie Steel Works.

At the age of thirteen years he with the family moved to Westmoreland Co., Penn.

Six years after they moved to Westmoreland Co., when the colonies revolted, the father who had taken an oath of allegiance to England gave a gun to his son and bade him fight for his country.

As a revolutionary soldier he with thousands of other brave ones endured many hardships such as can be realized only by those who have had the experience of war.

He served under General Washington at Valley Forge, Trenton and many other battles.

While serving under Capt. Brady he led an expedition against the hostile Indians and was successful.

After the close of the war he was married to Catherine Lauffer also of Westmoreland Co., Penn.

He owned and operated a grist mill on the headwaters of the Sewickey River near Greensburg, Penn., which his father-in-law Christian Lauffer had erected.

Frederick and Catherine Rice were parents of thirteen children, two of whom died in infancy leaving seven sons and four daughters.

Christina the eldest daughter married and settled in Butler Co., Penn.

Barnhart Rice the eldest son took charge of the mill which had been under his father's control for so many years. He was married to Susan Miller and spent the latter part of his life on a farm south of Wooster, Ohio.

Mary Elizabeth was married to Phillip Barnhart and settled in Butler Co., Penn.

Frederick Jr. died in a hospital from a sickness contracted during the war of 1812.

Christian was married to Charlotte Hine and settled near Tylerton, Penn., on a farm which had been previously entered by his father.

John was married to Margaret Wible and always remained in Butler Co., Penn., and was also a farmer.

Peter followed the occupation of a blacksmith the early part of his life. He was married to Elizabeth Vandike and spent the latter part of his life on a farm in Medina Co., Ohio.

Catherine was married to John Myers.

Simon went to Ohio with his father who purchased land south of Wooster, Ohio, and is now the property of the State of Ohio and used as the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.

He was twice married, first to Mary France, the second to Barbara Yager.

Susan was married to Daniel Reaser and settled in Wayne Co., Ohio.

Henry, our ancestor was the youngest of the family, of whom we will read more later.

Turning again to the father of these children; He with Philip Wentzel enlisted in the war of 1812.

He was brave and courageous, capable of suffering the hardships of war yet having a good kind heart ready to relieve the needy whenever the opportunity permitted.

It is said that during an expedition against the Indians when their band reached the Indian camp they found it deserted with the exception of one woman whom some of the party would have shot but for the interference of Grandfather; with a bound the woman was at his side, clinging to him for instinct told her that she was safe with him.

His wife died in August, 1823, and he spent the latter part of his life with his son Simon where many a traveler from Pennsylvania was sheltered and refreshed. Some of these claimed relationship, others were acquaintances who made axcuses [sic] of having lived near Rice's Hollow in Pennsylvania.

Much of his time was spent in hunting, often being absent or weeks at a time and spending the nights on a bed made of bushes, building a fire about it for the protection from the wild beasts of the forests.

The deer was his particular aim in hunting, in which he was most successful, always returning home with an abundance of venison.

He died Jan. 23, 1848, after having seen the country open up to civilization from eastern Pennsylvania to Ohio.

HENRY RICE SR.

Henry Rice the youngest son of Frederick and Catherine Rice was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., June 8, 1804.

In the year 1815 at the age of eleven years, he with his father, mother, youngest brother and sister moved to Wayne County, Ohio.

Altho [sic] a boy he was busily engaged in helping clear the land of what is now probably one of the finest farms in northern Ohio, the Ohio Experimental Farm.

He was married to Susanah Franz, Aug. 17, 1825, who was born Feb. 1805, and also of Wayne Co., Ohio.

They first settled one mile south of Wooster where they lived a few years until they moved to Wayne township in the Killbuck Valley where they settled in the Wild woods and cleared a farm on which they resided about 28 years. They then purchased a farm on Clear Creek on which they lived until their removal to Huntington Co., Ind., in the autumn of 1864 on the farm now owned by O. E. Johnson.

To them were born four sons: Nicholas, Simon, Henry, Solomon.

Mr. Rice died March 2, 1875, and his wife died Oct. 1, 1880.

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The book then goes on to discuss Nicholas Rice, my g-g-g grandfather and his siblings and their offspring. In the appendix of the book was an interesting letter from an Aaron Barnhart. The text of this letter in the booklet follows:

- History of the Rice Family, Appendix.

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A historic item in connection with the Rice family is the Fort Rice which is located in Lewis Township, Northumberland Co., Pa., about seven miles east of Sunbury, Pa.

In a letter from Aaron E. Barnhart of Chicora, Pa., he quotes from a book entitled "Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania."

The portion of the book relating to Fort Rice was written by John M. Buckalen who quotes "There was a noted Indian chief who boasted that he could take any fort built by the pioneers and it was admitted that it was no idle boast but Capt. Frederick William Rice with a company of German soldiers built Fort Rice which has stood the ravishes of time.

The land upon which Fort Rice is situated was first patented by William Patterson in 1769 and was later transferred to John Montgomery in 1771 and contained 700 acres and was then known as a paradice [sic] owing to its beautiful rolling ground, its fine groves and excellent water and healthfulness. It is not excelled for fertility, beauty, and healthfulness by any like place in the United States.

Before the fort was built this Montgomery's house occupied the site upon which the fort now stands. On July 28, 1779, there was a raid made by the Indians and Montgomery fled with his family to the settlement.

It was during his absence after the Indians had burned all his buildings and grain stacks [sic], that the government thru' Capt. Rice selected the site for the fort. It was built over a very fine spring and upon the site of Montgomery's house in the autumn of 1779 and the winter of 1780 by Capt. Rice with a company of Pennsylvania German troops from Col. Weetner's German Regiment.

It was built of surface limestone the building is 26x28 feet outside measurement and is two stories high with an attic of four feet. It is twenty- two feet high from the ground up to the square.

The walls are two feet thick. It originally had a stockade built out of the same material around it.

During the time the fort was built the Indians were spying and keeping a sharp watch. After the Indians had destroyed all the other forts and as a last resort the settlers repaired to Fort Rice.

On Sept. 21, 1780, about 300 Indians made an assault upon the fort but were baffled and defeated by Capt. Rice and his German soldiers.

The stockade has long since been torn down but the fort still stands and on a stone in the south wall about 8 feet from the ground are the initials F. W. R. which are still visible. The portholes are still visible also, altho' [sic] there has been many changes made in the building.

The land upon which the fort stands when this was written was owned by an Irishman by the name McIntosh who has tried to have the fort named Fort McIntosh but Mr. Buckalen says it was and is justly due that the name be kept Fort Rice.

The present owner is using it as a spring and milk house.

Mr. Buckalen says he has failed to find where or what has become of Capt. Rice further than he had gone west.

- History of the Rice Family, Appendix.

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Foreword

On the following pages are the results of an attempt to get a record of our ancestors and also a genealogical record of our ancestor, Henry Rice, Sr.

Many of the early records were obtained from a family record which was prepared by a committee appointed by the family in Wayne County, Ohio, to get as complete a record of our ancestor. as possible.

Much credit must be given to Mrs. Sarah Albright who obtained many of the records for this committee.

Aid and inspiration were given the writer for the record of the Henry Rice, Sr. family by Nicholas Rice, who related many early experiences in Wayne County, Ohio and Huntington County, Indiana.

- Glenn M. Rice

Bibliography

BARNHART RICE

Barnhart Rice, the younger son, married and settled near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He had a family of three children, two daughters and one son, Fredrick - our ancestor.

-2-

FREDERICK RICE

He served under General Washington at Valley Forge White serving with Brady, he led an expedition for the recovery of two white children who had been captured by the Indians, And was successful.

To Fredrick and Catherine Rice were born thirteen children, two of whom, died in infancy. Seven sons and four daughters lived to an adult age, and are as follows

Christina - born AprIl 14, 1778; died October 14, 1853 married - Randolph Barnhart

Barnhart - born March 18, 1781; died August 12, 1863 married Susan Miller

Elizabeth - born March 17, 1783; died November 11, 1852 married Philip Barnhart

Fredrick - born died War of 1812

Christian - born April 12, 1787; died January 17, 1852 married Charlotte Hine

John - born died

Peter - born April 4, 1792; died , 1861 married Elizabeth Vandyke

Catherine - born , 1794; died January 18, 1871 married John Myers

Simon - born October 4, 1796; died November 5, 1863 married Mary France

Susan - born died married Daniel Reaser

Henry - born June 8, 1804; died March 2, 1875 married Susannah Franz

- 3 -

Fredrick Rice (cont.)

Frederick Rice died January 23, 1848 at the age of 94 years, 3 months, 25 days. His wife, Catherine, having died many years prior, in the month of August, 1823.

- History of the Henry Rice Family, by Glenn M. Rice, Real Estate Records, p. 1-4.

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DESCRUCTION OF HANNASTOWN by the Indians

Word came on morning to the settlers, Frederick Rice and wife, that the Indians had attacked the village and all the whites in the country around were summoned to help the villagers who were being tortured and killed, and their homes pillaged and burned.

Catherine, the wife, who was washing, had to stop and help to make the place look as though deserted. While the husband and father nailed up the windows with clapboards, she disposed of her washing which was scalding in a kettle, by upsetting the whole kelttle full of clothes into a mortar hole, from which her husband had been using mortar to close up the holes about the cabin. Then she got her children ready and they started.

Frederick Rice shouldered his musket and went to the help of the villagers, while the wife took Christina by the hand, Barnhart on her back, and Elizabeth in her arms and started to walk under brush and wheatfields, all bent over so she would not be seen by any skulking Indians, to the nearest neighbor one mile away. When she got there, the house was deserted. Windows were clapboarded, and no response of a living being around, so she plodded on her way to the next neighbor another mile, and there she found about twenty people. There were mothers with their children and only one old man with his musket to protect them against the invading Indians.

The old man was nailing up the clapboards to all the windows and doors, and making the place look as if deserted. There, these pioneer women huddled, not daring to speak above a whisper, and smothering the cries of their young ones.

The father, Frederick, on his way through the woods saw the Indians at a cabin, torturing a mother whom they had tied to a tree, and were impaling her baby in front of her on the picket fence. But as the Indians were a dozen to him (only one), he had to steal past them unobserved on his way to the village, which he found in flames when he arrived there, but joined the settlers in pursuit of the attacking Indians, killing many of them.

- History of the Henry Rice Family, by Glenn M. Rice, Real Estate Records, p. 34.

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REAL ESTATE RECORDS

Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., Penna. Deed Book Vol. II, page 140

The name Frederick Rice as placed in a transfer of deed for several hundred acres of land by Frederick Rice and Catherine Rice to George Brown, April 1, 1815, Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

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Frederick Rice's land in Westmoreland County as recorded in survey February 13, 1786, was 300 acres.

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Congressional Library Records Washington, D. C.

Note this interesting fact, referring to the purchase of land by the pioneer, Rice, south of Wooster, Ohio. From abstracts, Dr. Thorne, director of Ohio Experimental Station, Wooster, Ohio, gives the data of transfer of this property to the Rice's.

"U. S., James Monroe, President, to Frederick Rice, May 12, 1821. Assignee, Joseph Dorsey and Wells."

Then Frederick Rice to Simon Rice, west half of farm, March 1, 1822. Frederick Rice to Barnhardt Rice, east half of farm, March 7, 1882 [obvious typo - should be 1822].

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The last owner of the Rice homestead south of Wooster, Ohio, being D. R. Firestone, who transferred it to the State of Ohio for the Experimental Farm.

- History of the Henry Rice Family, by Glenn M. Rice, Real Estate Records, p. 35.

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