1900 Census of Hamilton Co TX
Household Members Age Relationship
Rufus P Rice 44 Head
Martha A Rice 42 Wife
Price M Rice 19 Son
Bessie A Rice 17 Daughter
Leroy N Rice 15 Son
Edith M Rice 13 Daughter
Margaret E Rice 5 Daughter
OBITUARY4813Parents: James Monroe Rice & Elizabeth Standefer
Rufus Price Rice was the 3rd white child born in Hamilton County
Rufus P. Rice was born about 12 miles east of Hamilton in 1856, before the organization of Hamilton County or the location of the town, on the headright of his grandfather's surveyed in 1839, and is the county's oldest native son.
When young Rice was 16 years old he went with his father to drive their cattle to Shreveport. They crossed the Brazos just below Dallas, and he recalls that They sold about 50 head before reaching their destination. They always sold in Shreveport, letting the buyers there make the shipment on to New Orleans by boat.
Once he went with his father up the trail as far as McAlister, Indian Territory, with a herd. M. K. & T. Railroad had built into McAlister and they no longer had to drive as far as Abilene, Kansas.
In 1879 he established a ranch in Fisher County on the site of the present town of Roby. After several years he disposed of his property there, and kept only his property in Hamilton County.
He was district clerk from 1904 to 1908 and at other times served the county as deputy county clerk or deputy sheriff.
He was married to Martha Shockley, who died in 1904. Their children were P. M. Rice, L. N. Rice, Bessie Rice, Edith, and Margaret Rice.