Edmund RICE

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Edmund Rice came from Barkhamstead, in the county of Hertfordshire, in England, and settled in Sudbury, Mass., in 1638 or 9; as he shared in the three divisions of land inSudbury, the first of which was made in 1639, he was not doubt residing there at that time.

No record has been found of his embarkation for this country, nor in what ship he came, or at what place he first arrived; there is not so much as tradition on the subject. The first we find of him is at Sudbury, with a wife and family of at least seven children that came over with him; that place, called "the planation lying near unto Concord," was incorporated in 1639 by the same of Sudbury. His residence was on the east side of Sudbury river, in the southerly part of what is now Wayland, and near the border of the extensive meadows through which that river flows in a northeasterly course to the Merrimac.

He was Selectman in 1644, and subsequent years; Dea,. of the church 1648, and in 1656, one of thirteen petitioners belonging to Sudbury, who besought the General Court for a new plantation, saying, "Whereas your petitioners have lived divers years in Sudbury, and God hath been pleased to increase our children, which are now, divers of them, grown to man's estate, and wee, many of us grown into years, so as that wee should bee glad to see them settled before the Lord take us away from hence; as also God having given us some considerable quantity of cattle, so that wee are so straightened, that wee cannot so comfortably subsist as could be desired; and some of us having taken some pains to view the country, wee have found a place, which lieth Westward about eight miles from Sudbury, which wee conceive might bee comfortable for our subsistence."

Sudbury at that time contained less than seventy-five families, and in territory included what is now Wayland. One would naturally think they were "straightened" for the want of 'neighbors', rather than for want of 'room' for themselves, or 'meadows' wherefrom to procure subsistence for their cattle; and so they found it, even twenty years later, when the town, with an increased population, was broken up and nearly destroyed by the Indians. Their petition was granted, and the plantation laid to them was incorporated by the name of Marlborough in 1660; whereto he removed and had a house lot of fifty aces granted to him by the proprietors of that town, with the rights appertaining thereto in after divisions.

His wife "Tamazine" died at Sudbury, June 13, 1654; the record of her death is the only one wherein her name has been found.

His 2d wife was "Mercie" wid. of Thomas Brigham of Cambridge; whom he married, March 1, 1656. His house lot in Marlboro',on which he built and resided, was in the westerly part of the town, on the old county road leading from Marlboro' to Northboro', and in the bend as it passes round the northerly side of the pond, a short distance northerly of the ancient "Williams tavern," afterwards kept by Gates and since by Wetherby. he was intrusted with various important duties by the General Court, which he discharged with a fidelity that occasioned repeated calls for his services, while the records of Sudbury and Marlboro' contain ample evidence of his vigilant and fatherly care in promoting the welfare of those infant settlements; the destruction of which by the Indians, occurring a few years after, he was not permitted to see by reason of death.

He died at Marboro', May 3, 1663, and was buried at Sudbury. A deposition of his on the court files at Cambridge states his age, April 3, 1656, to be "about 62 years" -hence he was born about 1594, and about 69 years old when he died.

Edmund married Thomasine FROST about 1617. Thomasine (daughter of Edward FROST and Thomasine BELGRAVE) was born in Stanstead, St. James, Suffolk, England; died on 13 Jun 1650 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Henry RICE was born about 1617; died on 10 Feb 1710 in Framingham, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
2. Edward RICE was born about 1619 in Stanstead, Suffolk, England; died on 15 Aug 1712 in Framingham, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
3. Thomas RICE was born in 1625; died on 16 Nov 1681 in Sudbury, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.
4. Matthew RICE was born in 1629; died in 1717 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
5. Samuel RICE was born in 1634 in Barkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England.
6. Joseph RICE was born in 1637; died in Stowe, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.
7. Lydia RICE was born in 1628; died on 05 Apr 1675 in Sudbury, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.
8. Edmund RICE was born in 1634.
9. Benjamin RICE was born on 31 May 1640 in Sudbury, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; died on 19 Dec 1713 in Sudbury, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.

Edmund married Mercy HURD on 01 Mar 1655 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Mass. Mercy was born in England; died in 1693. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ruth RICE was born on 29 Sep 1659 in Sudbury, Middelsex County, Massachusetts; died on 30 Mar 1742 in Glastonbury, Hartford County, Connecticut.
2. Ann RICE was born on 19 Nov 1661.

Henry married Margaret BAKER on 22 Jun 1579 in Of Sudbury, Suffolk, England. Margaret (daughter of Thomas BAKER and Agnes GOLDHOP) was born about 1558 in Sudbury, England; was christened on 07 Jul 1558 in St. Christopher, London, Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]