Following information provided by Randall Alford:105

1831: William W. (Washington?) Grice marries Lucinda Gray “alias Lucinda Brown” on 7 July 1831, Pike Co. GA by Hugh Porter, JP, the illegitimate daughter of Seaborn B. Gray. Lucinda was acknowledged and named as a legatee in Seaborn’s father’s (James Gray, RWS) will in Pike Co., GA, 1833.

NOTE: Among some descendants there is speculation that Lucinda’s mother may have been Native American. A continuing folktale in the family is that the Grices are part Cherokee. To date, the given name of her mother is unknown; however, it is believed that her biological mother’s family name was probably “Brown.” Although some records indicate that Lucinda was the daughter of Seaborn B. Gray’s one and only legitimate wife, Catherine Germany, that is not correct. Catherine Germany Gray was not the mother of Lucinda Brown Gray.

The legal father of William Washington Grice was Gabriel Grice, who lived in Northern Georgia around 1800-1820. Gabriel married Delilah Smith around 1805-1810. There were several children, nominally of Gabriel and Delilah. However, there is evidence that Gabriel Grice had abandoned Delilah and was actually in St. Helena Parish LA in 1811, when he was appointed guardian to Andrew and Alcenith Dismukes, minor children of Ephriam Dismukes and his wife Nancy Wilson Dismukes.

Furthermore, a male-line descendant of William Washington Grice, Aubra Grice, tests very close to the Hathcock Y-DNA profile (genetic distance of 3 from the consensus family modal at 111 markers. His profile is very similar (genetic distance of 1) from another person, who traces with some confidence back to Peyton Hathcock. However, Peyton was born about 1802 and would not have been old enough to be the father of William Washington Grice. It is possible that William’s father was Peyton’s father, John Hathcock Sr., or some other son of John. Clayton Heathcock, 17 September 2015.

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The following was written by Randall Alford:105

1811: Around the 27th February, in the West Florida area of Territory of Orleans, Parish of St. Helena, LA (succession Record, Book C, File D-4), Gabriel Grice is appointed tutor (guardian) to Andrew and Alcenith Dismukes, minors of Ephraim Dismukes (b. 1775/1746?, VA; d. 1835, Livingston Parish, LA; s/o John Dismukes who d. 1818, GA; removed to Wilkes & Warren Co., GA and later to St. Helena Parish, LA, West FL Territory and wife Nancy Wilson Dismukes (b. 1782, Wilkes Co., GA; married c 1802, GA) of St. Helena Parish, LA, d/o Andrew Wilson of Wilkes Co., GA. Nancy claims that her husband had willfully left their residence on 19 Jan. 1811 and taking with him slaves, horses, etc., with the intention to separate; she sues for separation and Ephraim was ordered to put up $1000 bond. Ephraim reports that the statements made by his wife were unfounded that he had to be away on business and she refused to go with him. He could prove his good intentions toward his family and her as his wife by Abner (Abram?) Womack and Berry Vincent. He claimed he had certain goods stolen from him with reason to believe they were in the house occupied by Nancy. He took his children with him and claimed she took the children away while he was in St. Tammany Parish, April 24, 1811. On 29 Jan. 1812, Nancy Wilson Dismukes received a decree of separation form Ephraim Dismukes. From a notice in an early Georgia newspaper: "Ephraim Dismukes says in a notice in issue of July 27, 1814, that his wife Nancy has left his bed and board without provocation and warns the public not to harbor or deal with her. Says they separated in West Florida about five years before (1809) and he then gave notice there. Says she has returned to Georgia and he gives notice again as she may try to contract debts on his account."

1824-26: Gabriel Grice abandons his wife Delilah Smith Grice and four children in Madison Co., GA for a second time and takes up residence in St. Helena Parish, LA. Delilah and children relocate to Walton Co., GA after a suit is filed against Gabriel Grice’s Madison Co., GA property. Why Walton Co., GA?

c 1826: Gabriel Grice commits bigamy and marries Miss Cinderella Dismukes (b. 1807, Wilkes Co., GA), d/o Ephraim Dismukes and Nancy Wilson of St. Helena Parish, LA; Marriage Cert. # 331.

NOTE: By 1826, no further record for Gabriel Grice has been found. After leaving St. Helena Parish, he may have died, or changed his name and created a new life for himself. We know that by 1827, his wife Delilah and children have left Madison Co. and settled in the 9th Dist., Lot 418 of Walton Co., GA where the Grice orphans successfully drew lots in GA land lottery. They are referred to as “Gabriel Grice orphans residing in Lot 418 of the 9th District, Walton Co., GA.”