Peter 1st was a prominent man. He was captain of a train band and one of the committee in 1711 who designated the garrisons of the town, and the families who were to resort to these places of safety in emergency. Benjamin, Peter and Joseph Rice belonged to Ensign Howe's garrison near the present residence of Tileston Brigham where for many years might be seen a cave or underground former place of hiding. What thrilling stories this old hiding place might give to us could the stones speak. How these defenceless inhabitants of our frontier settlements must have suffered. Roused from their midnight slumbers sometimes in the depths of winter, by the deafening warwhoop, by cruel and treacherous savages who applied lighted torches to the dwellings and exulted with fiend-like joy at the shrieks of the half-naked women and children, helpless and frantic with terror while rushing to the garrison, with the bloody tomahawk brandished before their eyes. Mothers, brothers, sisters and children often slain and scalped or led away to lingering torments. Oh, but the men and women of those days were indeed brave, and they were no cowards who left the white man's persecution in the old land to brave the wilds and the treachery of the red men in the new country.
The Rices all had the spirit of Daniel and Abraham Rice, who were two of the six men who defended in 1782 Rice's fort on Buffalo Creek, Penn., from 100 picked warriors. The Indians surrounded and fired upon the fort, calling out to the brave little band of defenders: "Give up, give up! Too many Indians! Indian too big—no kill!" Then the fire was briskly returned and the Rices answered back defiantly: "Come on, you cowards, we are ready for you! Show us your yellow hides and we will make holes in them for you!" Thus for four long hours of hard fighting did they hold the fort until they drove off the Indians with only one of their men killed. For this great bravery and successful defence of that fort, in which were many women and children, the names of this Spartan band have been enrolled on the list of our early times.
Eleven children were horn to Peter and Rebecca, all of whom settled elsewhere, but Abraham, the youngest, who when his father died succeeded to the old homestead. Abraham married Persis Robinson, and Peter, their son, married Lavinah Howe who gave birth 1777 to Eli Rice w hom later Marlborough knew as "Deacon" and magistrate, and a much respected old gentleman. In his youth, Eli had fallen quite in lov e with the pretty schoolmarm, Lucy Brigham, daughter of Winslow Brighham, the first woman teacher ever allowed by the skool-kommittee men to teach in Marlborough, and in 1799, as we have before stated, he married her and brought her to the old homestead. A good wife and fruitful mate was this same pretty schoolmarm for she bore the Esquire thirteen children. (Apropos there was a Rice born in 18:i7 who changed his name to Royce, history says, on account of his discovery a number of years ago that the Rice family were becoming very extensive, and he thought if they should continue to increase as they had for a few years, they would soon constitute the greater portion of the United States, therefore he made a variation in the name, although with no intention to change the relationship. )
In due course of time the old Deacon Eli died and Otis and Levinah then returned to the old elm homestead. Many a night have the children sat around the old fireplace telling the tales handed down to them of the past; of the time when their great ancestral relatives were taken prisoners here by the Indians and carried into Canada where as time went on they had Indian wives and children by them. To one the Indians gave the name "Tookanowras." Another they named " Oughtsorangoughton" and he became the third of six chiefs of the Cognawaga tribe. In that capacity, he addressed a speech to Col. Burgoyne in the French War of 1775 or later. .' Oughtsorangoughton" or Timothy returned sometime later with an interpreter—for he had lost his mother tongue—and v iewed the place where he was captured, of which he had a clear remembrance, together with the circumstances under which he was taken, as he also had of several persons living then. Nothing said or done could induce him to remain. This w as a parallel case of Eunice Williams of Deerfield whose mother was tomahawked on her march, after capture, to Canada. Eunice lived to be ninety and married John De Rogers, an Indian, by whom she had three children.
Among the thirteen children of Eli Rice and Lucy Brigham were Abraham,(he married Abby, daughter of O. W. Albee, and at her death married Emily, daughter of Lambert Bigelow) and Lavina who married
Otis Russell. Otis and Lavina set up housekeeping in the house pictured above, just west of the old Elm tree Homestead on the Millham road, and Lavina, following her mother's example, bore her husband seventeen children, and all save two they tell us were born here.
"In due course of time, when the Deacon had died
And successor had gone to the west to reside:
Lavinah and Otis decided to come
And spend the remainder of life at the Home."
And thus from the old Peter Rice Homestead the boys and girls passed to their various homes, earthly and heavenly; and when Otis died the little widow was left blind from old age, but patient and in faith awaiting her summons to join the dear ones gone before. "Sing to me" she said, '' Sing to me of the ' Sweet Bye and Bye ' " and tender thoughts of the past were intermingled with those of the old song.
[graphic]
"In the sweet bye and bye, we shall meet on that glorious shore.
Information provided by FAG vo;unteer Douglas
--------------------------------------------
Correction to description: "He was captain of a train hand" should be "He was captain of a train band" According to research by the Marlborough Historical Society members (historicmarlborough.org) and printed in the society brochure "Who was Captain Peter Rice?" "Peter was active in civil affairs. At the time of Queen Ann's War, 1711, he was one of a committee who designated Garrison Houses and he was captain of the train band. Also, he was Representative to the General Court of Massachusetts in 1709-11, 14, 20, 21, 28-30."
Contributor: Anonymous (50635213)
The Rices all had the spirit of Daniel and Abraham Rice, who were two of the six men who defended in 1782 Rice's fort on Buffalo Creek, Penn., from 100 picked warriors. The Indians surrounded and fired upon the fort, calling out to the brave little band of defenders: "Give up, give up! Too many Indians! Indian too big—no kill!" Then the fire was briskly returned and the Rices answered back defiantly: "Come on, you cowards, we are ready for you! Show us your yellow hides and we will make holes in them for you!" Thus for four long hours of hard fighting did they hold the fort until they drove off the Indians with only one of their men killed. For this great bravery and successful defence of that fort, in which were many women and children, the names of this Spartan band have been enrolled on the list of our early times.
Eleven children were horn to Peter and Rebecca, all of whom settled elsewhere, but Abraham, the youngest, who when his father died succeeded to the old homestead. Abraham married Persis Robinson, and Peter, their son, married Lavinah Howe who gave birth 1777 to Eli Rice w hom later Marlborough knew as "Deacon" and magistrate, and a much respected old gentleman. In his youth, Eli had fallen quite in lov e with the pretty schoolmarm, Lucy Brigham, daughter of Winslow Brighham, the first woman teacher ever allowed by the skool-kommittee men to teach in Marlborough, and in 1799, as we have before stated, he married her and brought her to the old homestead. A good wife and fruitful mate was this same pretty schoolmarm for she bore the Esquire thirteen children. (Apropos there was a Rice born in 18:i7 who changed his name to Royce, history says, on account of his discovery a number of years ago that the Rice family were becoming very extensive, and he thought if they should continue to increase as they had for a few years, they would soon constitute the greater portion of the United States, therefore he made a variation in the name, although with no intention to change the relationship. )
In due course of time the old Deacon Eli died and Otis and Levinah then returned to the old elm homestead. Many a night have the children sat around the old fireplace telling the tales handed down to them of the past; of the time when their great ancestral relatives were taken prisoners here by the Indians and carried into Canada where as time went on they had Indian wives and children by them. To one the Indians gave the name "Tookanowras." Another they named " Oughtsorangoughton" and he became the third of six chiefs of the Cognawaga tribe. In that capacity, he addressed a speech to Col. Burgoyne in the French War of 1775 or later. .' Oughtsorangoughton" or Timothy returned sometime later with an interpreter—for he had lost his mother tongue—and v iewed the place where he was captured, of which he had a clear remembrance, together with the circumstances under which he was taken, as he also had of several persons living then. Nothing said or done could induce him to remain. This w as a parallel case of Eunice Williams of Deerfield whose mother was tomahawked on her march, after capture, to Canada. Eunice lived to be ninety and married John De Rogers, an Indian, by whom she had three children.
Among the thirteen children of Eli Rice and Lucy Brigham were Abraham,(he married Abby, daughter of O. W. Albee, and at her death married Emily, daughter of Lambert Bigelow) and Lavina who married
Otis Russell. Otis and Lavina set up housekeeping in the house pictured above, just west of the old Elm tree Homestead on the Millham road, and Lavina, following her mother's example, bore her husband seventeen children, and all save two they tell us were born here.
"In due course of time, when the Deacon had died
And successor had gone to the west to reside:
Lavinah and Otis decided to come
And spend the remainder of life at the Home."
And thus from the old Peter Rice Homestead the boys and girls passed to their various homes, earthly and heavenly; and when Otis died the little widow was left blind from old age, but patient and in faith awaiting her summons to join the dear ones gone before. "Sing to me" she said, '' Sing to me of the ' Sweet Bye and Bye ' " and tender thoughts of the past were intermingled with those of the old song.
[graphic]
"In the sweet bye and bye, we shall meet on that glorious shore.
Information provided by FAG vo;unteer Douglas
--------------------------------------------
Correction to description: "He was captain of a train hand" should be "He was captain of a train band" According to research by the Marlborough Historical Society members (historicmarlborough.org) and printed in the society brochure "Who was Captain Peter Rice?" "Peter was active in civil affairs. At the time of Queen Ann's War, 1711, he was one of a committee who designated Garrison Houses and he was captain of the train band. Also, he was Representative to the General Court of Massachusetts in 1709-11, 14, 20, 21, 28-30."
Contributor: Anonymous (50635213)
Peter 1st was a prominent man. He was captain of a train band and one of the committee in 1711 who designated the garrisons of the town, and the families who were to resort to these places of safety in emergency. Benjamin, Peter and Joseph Rice belonged to Ensign Howe's garrison near the present residence of Tileston Brigham where for many years might be seen a cave or underground former place of hiding. What thrilling stories this old hiding place might give to us could the stones speak. How these defenceless inhabitants of our frontier settlements must have suffered. Roused from their midnight slumbers sometimes in the depths of winter, by the deafening warwhoop, by cruel and treacherous savages who applied lighted torches to the dwellings and exulted with fiend-like joy at the shrieks of the half-naked women and children, helpless and frantic with terror while rushing to the garrison, with the bloody tomahawk brandished before their eyes. Mothers, brothers, sisters and children often slain and scalped or led away to lingering torments. Oh, but the men and women of those days were indeed brave, and they were no cowards who left the white man's persecution in the old land to brave the wilds and the treachery of the red men in the new country.
The Rices all had the spirit of Daniel and Abraham Rice, who were two of the six men who defended in 1782 Rice's fort on Buffalo Creek, Penn., from 100 picked warriors. The Indians surrounded and fired upon the fort, calling out to the brave little band of defenders: "Give up, give up! Too many Indians! Indian too big—no kill!" Then the fire was briskly returned and the Rices answered back defiantly: "Come on, you cowards, we are ready for you! Show us your yellow hides and we will make holes in them for you!" Thus for four long hours of hard fighting did they hold the fort until they drove off the Indians with only one of their men killed. For this great bravery and successful defence of that fort, in which were many women and children, the names of this Spartan band have been enrolled on the list of our early times.
Eleven children were horn to Peter and Rebecca, all of whom settled elsewhere, but Abraham, the youngest, who when his father died succeeded to the old homestead. Abraham married Persis Robinson, and Peter, their son, married Lavinah Howe who gave birth 1777 to Eli Rice w hom later Marlborough knew as "Deacon" and magistrate, and a much respected old gentleman. In his youth, Eli had fallen quite in lov e with the pretty schoolmarm, Lucy Brigham, daughter of Winslow Brighham, the first woman teacher ever allowed by the skool-kommittee men to teach in Marlborough, and in 1799, as we have before stated, he married her and brought her to the old homestead. A good wife and fruitful mate was this same pretty schoolmarm for she bore the Esquire thirteen children. (Apropos there was a Rice born in 18:i7 who changed his name to Royce, history says, on account of his discovery a number of years ago that the Rice family were becoming very extensive, and he thought if they should continue to increase as they had for a few years, they would soon constitute the greater portion of the United States, therefore he made a variation in the name, although with no intention to change the relationship. )
In due course of time the old Deacon Eli died and Otis and Levinah then returned to the old elm homestead. Many a night have the children sat around the old fireplace telling the tales handed down to them of the past; of the time when their great ancestral relatives were taken prisoners here by the Indians and carried into Canada where as time went on they had Indian wives and children by them. To one the Indians gave the name "Tookanowras." Another they named " Oughtsorangoughton" and he became the third of six chiefs of the Cognawaga tribe. In that capacity, he addressed a speech to Col. Burgoyne in the French War of 1775 or later. .' Oughtsorangoughton" or Timothy returned sometime later with an interpreter—for he had lost his mother tongue—and v iewed the place where he was captured, of which he had a clear remembrance, together with the circumstances under which he was taken, as he also had of several persons living then. Nothing said or done could induce him to remain. This w as a parallel case of Eunice Williams of Deerfield whose mother was tomahawked on her march, after capture, to Canada. Eunice lived to be ninety and married John De Rogers, an Indian, by whom she had three children.
Among the thirteen children of Eli Rice and Lucy Brigham were Abraham,(he married Abby, daughter of O. W. Albee, and at her death married Emily, daughter of Lambert Bigelow) and Lavina who married
Otis Russell. Otis and Lavina set up housekeeping in the house pictured above, just west of the old Elm tree Homestead on the Millham road, and Lavina, following her mother's example, bore her husband seventeen children, and all save two they tell us were born here.
"In due course of time, when the Deacon had died
And successor had gone to the west to reside:
Lavinah and Otis decided to come
And spend the remainder of life at the Home."
And thus from the old Peter Rice Homestead the boys and girls passed to their various homes, earthly and heavenly; and when Otis died the little widow was left blind from old age, but patient and in faith awaiting her summons to join the dear ones gone before. "Sing to me" she said, '' Sing to me of the ' Sweet Bye and Bye ' " and tender thoughts of the past were intermingled with those of the old song.
[graphic]
"In the sweet bye and bye, we shall meet on that glorious shore.
Information provided by FAG vo;unteer Douglas
--------------------------------------------
Correction to description: "He was captain of a train hand" should be "He was captain of a train band" According to research by the Marlborough Historical Society members (historicmarlborough.org) and printed in the society brochure "Who was Captain Peter Rice?" "Peter was active in civil affairs. At the time of Queen Ann's War, 1711, he was one of a committee who designated Garrison Houses and he was captain of the train band. Also, he was Representative to the General Court of Massachusetts in 1709-11, 14, 20, 21, 28-30."
Contributor: Anonymous (50635213)
The Rices all had the spirit of Daniel and Abraham Rice, who were two of the six men who defended in 1782 Rice's fort on Buffalo Creek, Penn., from 100 picked warriors. The Indians surrounded and fired upon the fort, calling out to the brave little band of defenders: "Give up, give up! Too many Indians! Indian too big—no kill!" Then the fire was briskly returned and the Rices answered back defiantly: "Come on, you cowards, we are ready for you! Show us your yellow hides and we will make holes in them for you!" Thus for four long hours of hard fighting did they hold the fort until they drove off the Indians with only one of their men killed. For this great bravery and successful defence of that fort, in which were many women and children, the names of this Spartan band have been enrolled on the list of our early times.
Eleven children were horn to Peter and Rebecca, all of whom settled elsewhere, but Abraham, the youngest, who when his father died succeeded to the old homestead. Abraham married Persis Robinson, and Peter, their son, married Lavinah Howe who gave birth 1777 to Eli Rice w hom later Marlborough knew as "Deacon" and magistrate, and a much respected old gentleman. In his youth, Eli had fallen quite in lov e with the pretty schoolmarm, Lucy Brigham, daughter of Winslow Brighham, the first woman teacher ever allowed by the skool-kommittee men to teach in Marlborough, and in 1799, as we have before stated, he married her and brought her to the old homestead. A good wife and fruitful mate was this same pretty schoolmarm for she bore the Esquire thirteen children. (Apropos there was a Rice born in 18:i7 who changed his name to Royce, history says, on account of his discovery a number of years ago that the Rice family were becoming very extensive, and he thought if they should continue to increase as they had for a few years, they would soon constitute the greater portion of the United States, therefore he made a variation in the name, although with no intention to change the relationship. )
In due course of time the old Deacon Eli died and Otis and Levinah then returned to the old elm homestead. Many a night have the children sat around the old fireplace telling the tales handed down to them of the past; of the time when their great ancestral relatives were taken prisoners here by the Indians and carried into Canada where as time went on they had Indian wives and children by them. To one the Indians gave the name "Tookanowras." Another they named " Oughtsorangoughton" and he became the third of six chiefs of the Cognawaga tribe. In that capacity, he addressed a speech to Col. Burgoyne in the French War of 1775 or later. .' Oughtsorangoughton" or Timothy returned sometime later with an interpreter—for he had lost his mother tongue—and v iewed the place where he was captured, of which he had a clear remembrance, together with the circumstances under which he was taken, as he also had of several persons living then. Nothing said or done could induce him to remain. This w as a parallel case of Eunice Williams of Deerfield whose mother was tomahawked on her march, after capture, to Canada. Eunice lived to be ninety and married John De Rogers, an Indian, by whom she had three children.
Among the thirteen children of Eli Rice and Lucy Brigham were Abraham,(he married Abby, daughter of O. W. Albee, and at her death married Emily, daughter of Lambert Bigelow) and Lavina who married
Otis Russell. Otis and Lavina set up housekeeping in the house pictured above, just west of the old Elm tree Homestead on the Millham road, and Lavina, following her mother's example, bore her husband seventeen children, and all save two they tell us were born here.
"In due course of time, when the Deacon had died
And successor had gone to the west to reside:
Lavinah and Otis decided to come
And spend the remainder of life at the Home."
And thus from the old Peter Rice Homestead the boys and girls passed to their various homes, earthly and heavenly; and when Otis died the little widow was left blind from old age, but patient and in faith awaiting her summons to join the dear ones gone before. "Sing to me" she said, '' Sing to me of the ' Sweet Bye and Bye ' " and tender thoughts of the past were intermingled with those of the old song.
[graphic]
"In the sweet bye and bye, we shall meet on that glorious shore.
Information provided by FAG vo;unteer Douglas
--------------------------------------------
Correction to description: "He was captain of a train hand" should be "He was captain of a train band" According to research by the Marlborough Historical Society members (historicmarlborough.org) and printed in the society brochure "Who was Captain Peter Rice?" "Peter was active in civil affairs. At the time of Queen Ann's War, 1711, he was one of a committee who designated Garrison Houses and he was captain of the train band. Also, he was Representative to the General Court of Massachusetts in 1709-11, 14, 20, 21, 28-30."
Contributor: Anonymous (50635213)
Gravesite Details
95 years 1 month 4 days
Source: Marlborough Transcriptions, Rice, 1908. Section I, Person #224
Family Members
Siblings
