Matthew Rice Sr.
Matthew Rice Sr. held land on the branches of the Sandy River in Prince Edward County, Virginia. The county lay in the Southside, the country south of the James River, and was cut from Amelia County in 1753. His parents and where he came from are not known.
He first appears in April 1755 as a witness, with Joseph and David Rice, to a deed of William Rice. On 12 April 1757 William Barns sold him land in Prince Edward.
Over the next twenty years he settled his sons around him, each on a piece of his own land. On 20 June 1762 he deeded "my son Matthew Rice" a tract on the great Branch of the Sandy River. On 10 May 1764, for "Love good will and affection ... toward my Son Nathan Rice," he gave Nathan 165 acres. Its line began at "Matthew Rice Junr Corner" and ran to "Matthew Rice Senr." The same page of the deed book records a gift to a William Rice. In the 1760s he gave about 100 acres to "my Son John Rice."
Father and son were both named Matthew and held land side by side. The clerks kept them apart as Senior and Junior, and the deeds call the father "Matthew Rice Senr."
On 16 May 1774 "Matthew Rice Senr & Anne his wife" gave "my son James Rice of Amelia County" 160 acres. The land ran "on my old line upon a Branch Joining William Rice ... to the great Branch of Sandy River." Anne signed by her mark. John Crenshaw and William Rice witnessed it.
Matthew died within the year. On 25 May 1775 his son Matthew Rice and Margaret his wife, with Ann Rice, gave 160 acres on a branch of the Sandy River to Benjamin Rice "of the province of North Carolina and in the County of Bute." They did it "in compliance of what we believe was the desire of our Deceased Parent, to wit, Matthew Rice." Bute was a county of northern North Carolina, abolished in 1779. Nathan and William Rice witnessed the deed, and Ann Rice released her dower.
His son James sold his gift land in 1779 and took his family to Kentucky. He died in Mercer County in January 1794. The Nathan Rice who wrote down James's dying wishes there was most likely his brother.
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If Matthew Rice Sr. is in your family, start your own tree.
Cite: Heirology, "Matthew Rice Sr.", https://heirology.com/ancestors/matthew-rice-sr-f80a56.