Rice Hooe, of Merchant's Hope

Do not confuse him with Rice Hughes (c1615-c1700).

Rice Hooe, I b. 1599, England [ancestry unknown], d. 1655, Charles City Co., VA, m. Sarah d. by 3 Oct 1665, Charles City Co., VA. Rice was 20 years of age when he came to Virginia in the Gifte in 1618. In 1624/25, he was living at West and Sherley Hundred with his partners John Higgins and Christopher Woodward. Although he wasn't listed in the census records of 1623, he can be found in Virginia on 4 Apr 1625, when he testified with 4 other men, that, Andrew Dudley was slain by Indians on 18 Mar 1623. In 1626, Rice acted as an agent for William Besse "late of Joradn's Journey." He represented Sherley Hundred Island in the House of Burgesses, 1632-33 and for Charles City County 1644-46. Between these terms of service he evidently returned to England for on 23 Jun 1635, "Ryce Hooe, aged 36" is listed as one to be transported to Virginia on the America, and was certified by the minister of the town of Gravesend as conforming to the "orders and discipline of the Church of England." Rice patented 1,200 acres in Charles City Co., VA near Martin's Brandon on 2 May 1636, with himself and his wife as headrights. He also patented land in James City Co., VA on 9 May 1638, "at a place called Capt. Martins shipps" and repatented the tract of 700 acres, 16 Oct 1643, adding additional acreage." On 6 Feb 1655, William Fry patented 252 acres in James City County, the patent reciting that it was "part of a patent granted to Richard Hooe, Oct 1643." An assignment of land made by Hooe, 20 Mar 1654/55 was recorded 20 Aug 1655 in Charles City County. He was deceased by 3 Dec 1655, when his wife was granted administration of "the estate of her late husband, Mr. Rice Hooe, deceased."

Chronology

• 22 January 1624/5, he appears as Rice Howe, age 26, "one of his p[ar]tn[er]s", at West & Sherley hundred in Charles Cittie, arrived 1618 on the Gifte on the muster roll of Christopher Woodward
• 4 Apr 1625, he testified with 4 other men, that, Andrew Dudley was slain by Indians on 18 Mar 1623.
• 9 May 1638 1200 acres near Martin Brandon and Captn. Wards land. Part of the index to the recorded copies of patents for land issued by the Secretary of the Colony serving as the colonial Land Office. The collection is housed in the Archives at the Library of Virginia. - Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 549 (Reel 1). - 700 acres being at a place called Captn. Martins shipps, adjoin.g the land of Alice Edloe. "This patt. is renewed the 16th of Octr. 1643 &c. and another patt. of 300 acres dated June 4, 1639 and 969 acres added to them..." - Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 549 (Reel 1).
• 18 June 1639 300 acres adjoining his patented land, thence &c. upon a creek called David Jones’ Creek in James City County. "This patt is renewed the 16th of Octr. 1643 and a patt. of 700 acres of the 9th of May 1638 added to it and 969 acres more &c." - Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 652 (Reel 1).
• 28 October 1643 1969 acres adjoin.g land of Alice Edloe by virtue of 2 former patents viz: 700 acres bear.g date May 9, 1638.--The other for 300 acres bear.g date June 4, 1639. The remainder of the land by head rights. - Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 914 (Reel 1).

Other Accounts

Rice Hooe I (Ryce Howe, Ryce Hoe) initially came to Virginia on the ship "Gifte" or "Giftie" in 1618. He is not listed in the census records of 1623, but his name, Rice Howe, is found on the Virginia muster, January 23, 1624/25. On January 23, 1624/25, according to the muster, he was living at West and Shirley Hundred with his partners, John Higgins and Christopher Woodward. He was 26 years old, and arrived on the Gifte in 1618. The nature of their business is unknown. In 1626, Rice Hooe "acted as agent for William Besse, 'late of Jordan's Journey'." Mr. Ryce Hooe was Burgess from Shirley Hundred Island, 1632-1634. He apparently returned to England at some point, because Rice Hooe also emigrated from Gravesend on June 23, 1635, on the ship "America." "23d June, 1635. Theis under written names are to be transported to Virginia imbarqued in the America William Barker Mr pr cert. from Minister of the Town of Gravesend of the conformity to the order of the discipline of the Church of England. Ryce Hooe aged 36. John Carter aged 54. John Robinson 32. Matthew Robinson 24. Hugh Fox 24. John Yates," and many others. (N.E. His. Gen. Reg. III., 388). The name "Hooe" appears in Burke's General Armory as Hoe or Hooe. Another variant is Howe. It is "a corruption of the Saxon HOUGH, and signifies high and noble."

His purpose in returning to England may have been to bring over more colonists. The practice was to give land grants as a reward from bringing in colonists. The ages on the two voyages (18 in 1618 and 36 in 1635) strongly suggest that this was the same man. The "America" landed at Jamestown, Virginia. From 1636 to 1649, Virginia land book records indicate land grants totaling thousands of acres were made in the name of Rice Hooe. Since these land grants were made after his trip to England, it is quite possible that the trip had something to do with the subsequent grants. The family home at this time was Merchant's Hope, Charles City County. On May 2, 1636, he received a patent for 1200 acres in Charles City County, Virginia, "near Martin's Brandon (now Brandon, Prince George County), extending west on the main river to 'a creek that parteth the lands of Martin Brandon and Captain Ward's land,' and bounded on the south by a creek called Captain Ward's creek, all which land is called by the name of Captain Ward's plantation; due, 100 acres for the personal adventure of said Howe and wife, and 1100 for the transportation of 22 persons." In 1637, he patented land in James City County, Virginia, "at a place called Capt. Martins Shipps." On May 9, 1638, "Rice Hoe" received a regrant of the 1200 acres granted in 1636. On June 4, 1639, he patented 300 acres adjoining the land already granted him,and "bounded by the river and David Jones' Creek," and on October 8, 1643, as "Rice Hoe Gent.," he was granted 1969 acres, which included the former grants of 700 and 300 acres. There are no Northern Neck grants to the Hooes prior to 1700, so the family may have first acquired land there by purchase. It appears that Rice II was the first to move to the Northern Neck.

Rice Hooe was Burgess from Charles City County, Virginia, from 1644 or 1645 to 1647. In June, 1641, he and three others (Walter Austin, Joseph Johnson, and Walter Chiles) petitioned the Virginia Assembly for permission to discover a new river or unknown land, "West-Southerly from Appomattake river, with all rights confirmed to them for 14 years from Jany., 1641." This petition was granted in March, 1642, "receiving one-fifth of all Royal Mines, &.." The explorers were to have trading rights with the Indians for 14 years. It is not known how this venture turned out. In a letter from Governor Berkely to Lord Arlington written 14 years after Rice Hooe's death in 1655, the Governor said, "There were no such scruples. . .in 1643, when the assembly authorized Walter Austin and Rice Hooe to undertake the discovery of a new river and unknown land." In 1651 Rice Hooe and Edward Bland opened the Occaneechi trading "path" in order to trade with the Indians for skins. At the time of his death in 1655 he was a Justice of Charles City County and a member of the vestry of St. Paul's Parish. He sold some land on September 17, 1655 to William Fry. Shortly thereafter, he must have died, since on December 3, 1655, Mrs. Sarah Hooe was granted administration on his estate.

There is no record of when or where he married. One of his numerous land grand names Sarah Goodwin as one of his headrights and it is believed that she became his wife. One of the grants states that 100 acres was for "transportation of him and his wife," indicating that he married in England and returned to Virginia with his bride. His wife's name is alternately given as Jane Seymour and Mary Seymour. "Seymour" was a frequent name in the later Hooe family, but there is no documentation that Rice's wife was a Seymour. At his death in 1655, his son was still a minor, again implying marriage while in England or shortly after his return.

!Rice Hooe, was born about 1599 and came to Virginia in 1635; was burgess of Shirley Hundred island 1632 and of Charles City county 1644, 1645, and ?. He had a son Rice Hooe, who was doubtless father of Rice Hooe, of Stafford county. Virginia Biography, pg. 260.

!Rice Hoe, May 9, 1638. 700 acres. Being at a place called Captn. Martin's Shipps adjoin.g the land of Alice Edloe. Note: "This patt. is renewed the 16th of Octr. 1643 &c. & another patt. of 300 acres dated June 4, 1639 & 969 acres added to them". Patents Issued during the Regal Government. William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 2. (Oct., 1900), pp. 67-74.

!18 Jun 1639: Rice Hoe, 300 acres, adjoining his patented land, thence &c upon a creek called David Jones'es creek. Note: This patent is renewed the 16 of October 1643 & a patent of 700 acres of the 9th of May 1638 added to it & 969 acres more &c. JAMES CITY COUNTY, VA, BOOK NO. 1. Patents Issued during the Regal Government. William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3. (Jan., 1901), pp. 139-144.

• Reference: RootsWeb's WorldConnect - SmartCopy: Jul 24 2017, 3:50:43 UTC

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Rice Hooe I (Ryce Howe, Ryce Hoe) baptism was 1615 (See Source section - but contradicted by primary sources that say he was 26 in 1624/25) initially came to Virginia on the ship Gifte in 1618. He is not listed in the census records of 1623, but his name is found on the Virginia muster, January 22, 1625. Mr. Ryce Hooe was Burgess from Shirley Hundred Island, 1632-1634 which is in New Kent.

Many say that Trader Hughes is the same as this Rice Hooe: This Hooe was from Wales, is the New Kent Hooe known as Capt Rice /Trader,(b.d. 1599 has no source,/disputed - but; - baptism source connected to New Kent Rice Hooe I is 1618, immigrating in 1618 and via source has begun a trade route in 1651, --"Rice Hooe and Edward Bland opened the Occaneechi trading "path" in order to trade with the Indians for skins. At the time of his death in 1655 he was a Justice of Charles City County and a member of the vestry of St. Paul's Parish. The name "Hooe" appears in Burke's General Armory as Hoe or Hooe. Another variant is Howe. It is "a corruption of the Saxon HOUGH, and signifies high and noble." --A History of Chapman and Alexander Families, genealogy.com, pp. 172-173.==

per [http://www.shirleyassociation.com/NewShirleySite/NonMembers/Surname...]. The New Kent Rys Hooe's ydna is R-M269 (disputed by some: see below). This may be the father of the Rice Hooe who emigrated from Gravesend in 1635 on the ship America, or Rice Hooe may himself have been in Virginia prior to 1635, returning to England for a time. If so, then he may be the same as the Rice Hooe who was a passenger on the ship Gifte in 1618. The America landed at Jamestown, Virginia. Rice Hooe was Burgess from Charles City County, Virginia, from 1644 or 1645 to 1647. In June, 1641, he and three others (Walter Austin, Joseph Johnson, and Walter Chiles) petitioned the Virginia Assembly for permission to discover a new river or unknown land, "West-Southerly from Appomattake river, with all rights confirmed to them for 14 years from Jany., 1641." This petition was granted in March, 1642, "receiving one-fifth of all Royal Mines, &.." The explorers were to have trading rights with the Indians for 14 years. It is not known how this venture turned out. In a letter from Governor Berkely to Lord Arlington written 14 years after Rice Hooe's death in 1655, the Governor said, "There were no such scruples. . .in 1643, when the assembly authorized Walter Austin and Rice Hooe to undertake the discovery of a new river and unknown land."

In 1651 Rice Hooe and Edward Bland opened the Occaneechi trading "path" in order to trade with the Indians for skins. At the time of his death in 1655 he was a Justice of Charles City County and a member of the vestry of St. Paul's Parish.

The name "Hooe" appears in Burke's General Armory as Hoe or Hooe. Another variant is Howe. It is "a corruption of the Saxon HOUGH, and signifies high and noble."

--A History of Chapman and Alexander Families, genealogy.com, pp. 172-173.

Rice Hooe (1599-1655) belongs to haplogroup I-P37 and is in Lineage VI in the Hughes DNA Project at Family Tree DNA.

FTDNA New Kent descendant ydna tester - Stafford Hughes/Hoos/Hoosier Progenitor of Licking Run, VA Hoos of Rev War.

Sources

• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kell/hooe/rhooe.html
• http://www.sleepydog.com/genealogy/john/fam121.html
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kell/hooe.html
• http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Baron_Thomas_Hoo
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kell/dad/hooe.html
• Hughes DNA Project at Family Tree DNA
• http://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I04637...