Gershom Rice, I

Source: "A Genealogical History of the Rice Family; Descendants of Deacon Edmund Rice" by Andrew Henshaw Ward, A. M. Boston - C. Benjamin Richardson, 1858

Gershom Rice, born 9 May 1667 (father Thomas, grandfather Edmund). Married Elizabeth, born 16 Aug 1672; daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Haynes) Balcom, who were married at Charlestown (MA) 12 Aug 1666, by Lt. Edmund Goodnow, all of whom were afterwards at Sudbury (MA).

The marriage of Gershom Rice has not been found. He removed to Groton, CT, probably before 1698, as the birth of his 2nd child is recorded there 28 Oct 1698, and the births of 4 other children between that period and 1710.

Gershom Rice was residing at Groton 1 April 1713, as appears by a letter of that date addressed to his wife, from "Elizabeth Balcom to her loving daughter, Elizabeth Rice, living in Groton". A portion of that letter was for Gershom Rice, Jr., Elizabeth Rice and Matthias Rice, in which she subscribes herself their grandmother, Elizabeth Balcom.

He removed from Groton to Marlborough, MA, before 13 Oct 1713; a petition of that date, signed by Gershom and Jonas Rice of Marlborough was presented to the General Court in behalf of themselves and others, expressing a desire to enter upon a new settlement of Worcester (MA), from which they had been driven by the Indian War, and praying for encouragement by the court in their undertaking.

Their request was granted and then commenced the 3rd and permanent settlement of Worcester; 2 settlements of that place having been previously broken up by Indians. Gershom Rice removed there in 1715, and had a grant of 80 acres of land there in 1718. He has been accounted the 2nd settler of Worcester, his brother, Jonas, having been the 1st. For a long period they rendered important services to the infant settlement, were its guardians, and have ever been called the "Fathers of that town".

Gershom and Elizabeth Rice are said to have had 7 children. No record or information has been obtained of more than 6; nor has a record been found of the death of his wife. The births of his children, the eldest excepted, are on the records of Groton, CT.

Children:

Gershom, born about 1696, married Esther Haynes

Elizabeth, born 20 Oct 1698, died previous to 1744,

              probably unmarried

Abishai, born 16 Oct 1702, married Frances Rice

Sarah, born 9 Feb 1703, married John Duncan of

         Worcester

Matthias, born 26 Jan 1701, married Mary

Ruth, born 11 Apr 1710, married (?) Adams, and removed

       to NH, where he was killed fighting the Indians

Gershom Rice settled his estate in his lifetime. His gravestone at Worcester says he died Dec. 19, 1768, aged 102 years - his exact age was 101 years, 7 months, and 10 days.

His wife, Elizabeth, is said in the "Boston Globe", to have died at the age of "about 80". Her age would have been 80,16 Aug 1752.