Beriah Walden Rice was born August 20, 1702 in Marlboro, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, to Thomas Rice and his 2nd wife, Anna Rice. Anna was his cousin.

Beriah married Mary Goodenow on January 6, 1730/1731 in Marlboro, Worcester County, Massachusetts to Mary Goodenow, daughter of Samuel Goodenow Jr. (1675-1716) and Sarah Brigham. Mary Goodenow was born on April 5, 1712 at Marlboro, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Beriah and Mary had a large family of 13, all born in Massachusetts.

Judah Rice born 3 Dec 1731 in Marlborough, now Westboro, Worcester Co., MA.
Asaph Rice born 9 May 1733 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Timothy Rice born 18 Feb 1735 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Stephen Rice born 15 Mar 1737 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Mary Rice born 23 May 1739 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Sarah Rice born 22 Mar 1741 in Marlborough, now Westboro, Worcester Co., MA. Lucy Rice born 19 Mar 1743 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Rachel Rice born 1 May 1745 in Marlborough, now Westboro, Worcester Co., MA.
Beriah Rice Jr. born 1747 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Benjamin Rice born 11 Msy 1749 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Sarah Rice born 16 Aug 1751 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
David Rice born 30 Jun 1752 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.
Joseph Rice born 28 May 1752 in Westborough, Middlesex Co. MA.

Mary Goodenow also was a descendant of an English family who emigrated to Sudbury in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638. As with Beriah Rice's ancestors, Mary Goodenow's ancestors are well documented in Massachusetts by the Goodenow Family Association.

Beriah was a New England planter who emigrated from Massachusetts to the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia in 1760. Beriah and two of his sons, Stephen and Benjamin, set sail from Boston on 17 May 1760 aboard the ship "Charming Molly" for Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. They arrived in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia on June 25, 1760. On the boat, he took with him two oxen and two cows. Other members of his family followed later in 1760 or in 1761.

There is no known record of Mary Goodenow's travel to Nova Scotia. The passenger manifest of the first Charming Molly voyage states whether wives made that voyage so we know that Mary did not make the voyage. Beriah's will tells us that Mary was alive in 1763 as he leaves half of his property in Annapolis to her. We can assume that she was alive in 1764 when the will was probated at Annapolis.

There is no record of Mary's death or her living in Nova Scotia. Beriah left her one half interest in his farm and dwelling on the east side of Bloody Bridge Creek in the Township of Annapolis, Nova Scotia. It is quite certain that Mary lived at Annapolis Royal after 1760 and died after Beriah's will was recorded, June 27, 1764.

Beriah's will and probate record contained names not known in Annapolis, Nova Scotia in 1764. Beriah died sometime before 27 June 1764 in Annapolis, Nova Scotia. He may have been visiting son Stephen or Benjamin in Massachusetts when his will was written and at the time of his death. Judge Savary presented the List of Names of Confirmation of the Township of Annapolis, dated October 30th, 1765. Both Beriah and Beriah, Jr. are listed. Paul Haseltine is also listed although there is evidence that by late 1765 Paul was founding a new town in what is now the state of Vermont. Town fathers may have padded the list of names as Beriah Sr was dead and Paul Heseltine was living in Vermont by that time.

Beriah left a will on 15 June 1763 at Worcester, Massachusetts, which was recorded 27 Jun 1764 at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. The will cited his wife Marcy (sic), eldest son Judah, second son Asaph, third son Timothy, younger sons Beriah, Benjamin, Joseph, and Stephen, eldest daughter Marcy (sic) wife of Paul Hareltine (sic), second daughter Lucy, third daughter Rachael, and fourth daughter Sarah. Beriah left to his wife Marcy one half right to his farm "on the east side of the creek known as Bloody Bridge Creek (Annapolis, Nova Scotia)..." for the space of six years "but at the expiration of said term the above mentioned half right (to the) farm shall be to son Timothy's hereafter ...". Beriah left the other half of his land and farm dwelling on the east side of Bloody Bridge Creek to his son Timothy. " I give and bequeath to my eldest daughter Mary, wife of Paul Haseltine, four pounds lawful money of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay." The will was written in Worcester, Massachusetts and witnessed by Daniel Hardy, Abigail Adams, and Jonathan Bond and recorded by Francis Whipple, Justice of Peace. The names Adams, Bond, and Whipple are found nowhere in surviving records of Annapolis or Granville for the 1760s. Beriah Rice had close cousins by these names living at Westborough, Massachusettts at the time that the will was written. It is very likely that the will was written at Westborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Biography written by Colonel Nancy Ladd, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Beriah is her 6th Great-Grandfather.