History of Migration in America

Since the first new settlers arrived in America several centuries ago, people have been coming to the United States for a variety of reasons: to find land to farm, to get an education or better job, to earn money to send home, to practice their religion freely, or to escape famine or war, just to name a few. Others came by force. Whatever the cause or reasons, this immigration is what made America the melting pot that it is today.
It wasn't until the later part of the 1820's that the number of immigrants per year was over 10,000, and from that time on, the numbers kept growing. The first real bursts in immigration came in the 1840's and 1850's, when poor harvests forced people to leave Great Britain and Northern Europe. Most of them came to the United States in order to survive -- there simply wasn't enough food to support the population. So, between 1845 and 1860, more than 3.5 million people arrived in the United States in search of a better life.
In the early years, the influx of immigrants was tolerated, if not altogether welcomed. Immigrants helped populate the growing country, and a majority of them were English-speaking Protestants, so they blended in well with the rest of the population. However, as more and more Irish and European Catholics entered the United States, previous immigrant Americans began to protest. They feared both cheap labor and the possibility that a large Catholic population would increase the influence of the Pope in the United States. This fear spawned the "Know-Nothing" movement, a group of individuals who wanted stricter controls on immigration and naturalization.
By 1870, roughly one-eighth of the population was foreign-born, and the opposition to free immigration continued. In answer to the protests, the U.S. government passed laws to regulate immigration. For example, in 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act disallowed entry of all working-class Chinese. Later laws also barred people who had no money, individuals with certain diseases, anarchists, and individuals who were deemed insane.
The United States government set up quota systems with the National Origins Acts in the 1920's. These quotas heavily favored British and Northern European immigrants over those from Southern and Eastern Europe. At the time, Americans were more accepting of the British and Northern Europeans, while the cultures and cheap labor offered by Slavs, Greeks, Italians, and other Southern and Eastern Europeans seemed more threatening.
The quotas remained in effect until 1965, when the government adjusted them to allow for even more immigration from all countries into the United States. Now, even those quotas are slightly more relaxed. In the post-World War II era, the U.S. government has made exceptions to the quota rules when political situations in other countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and Cuba have made it necessary.

The earliest European settlements in the United States were concentrated on the East Coast. However, as the country and population have grown, people have slowly migrated towards the West Coast. In the beginning, people moved west because that's where some of the best and cheapest farm land was. At the time of the Revolutionary War, soldiers were offered free land as payment for their services. Then in the mid-19th century, the government offered free land to homesteaders who would live and make improvements on a piece of prairie land. The government also offered subsidies to railroad builders, who spurred the growth of towns across the United States.
Later, as the importance of agriculture died out, people moved where they could find jobs in the booming industries. Whether it was oil in Texas, cars in Detroit, or movies in California, when an industry died out, families moved to the next booming area.
One notable wave of migration began in the 1920's. As the National Origins Acts effectively reduced the number of foreign immigrants, more labor was needed in Northern factories. Thus, many African-Americans from the South took advantage of these job opportunities and began a new life in the North.
Since the 1960's the main migrations have been towards the West and the South. People have continued moving west for the climate and quality of life. The southerly movement was spawned by retirees who also prefer the more temperate climates, as well as the lower cost of living.


You must realize by now that migration for what was to become America, led from Jamestown, down to Virginia and the Carolina’s. Then when Daniel Boone built the “Wilderness Path “, in to Kentucky, and Tennessee. All of the migration to Missouri came mostly from Kentucky and Tennessee. At that time, part of Kentucky belong to Virginia, before Kentucky became a state in 1797. There are a lot of Rice's in Kentucky, who settled there before statehood. The Rice’s migrated from Virginia, I suspect after the American Revolutionary War.
Military/Pension Land Warrants were used a lot in Kentucky. These warrants were issued to soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, instead of pay they got land warrants. Some of the Land Warrants were issued by the British, to those that help them fight the war, as if they really had a right, after that war, to give land away. History will show, that the very reasons that started Wars, those problems, seem to linger long after these Wars had ended. This also led to the War of 1812, when we finally kick the British boot out. These Land Warrants could be sold or given to others, many were given to other family members. They were like cash tender. By 1825, the warrants were no good in Kentucky., and Missouri and Illinois became public-domain, where you could buy 100 acres of land for $4. Sometimes the land would be auctioned off. “Squatters” were people that settled land before a territory had become a state. After statehood, these people were offered to buy the land for $1.25 an acre up to 160 acres, and some of these folks lost their land in auctions.
Once that Daniel Boone cut the "Wilderness Path" to Otter Creek Kentucky., people came not as individuals, but as church congregations. Old family bibles have been found to contain entire list of migrations of individuals from a church group. The whole church would just get up, and move. When they settled, OLE Joe would build the school, and OLE John would build the church. All of the families had 10 to 20 kids, and a lot of these children did not live to adulthood. There were a lot of health concerns, but very little medical assistance. They were just like family, building together, and helping each other, many of these early settlers intermarried with each other’s families. Some of the same families moved with the Boone’s from Pennsylvania to Virginia, then to Kentucky, and even on to Missouri in 1799. All of those families intermarried with each other. You will see that the Boone’s, Hay’s, Collin’s, Wilcoxin’s, Word’s, Howell’s all married together. The Rice’s married into the Bailey family seventy-five times over a one hundred year period.
Folks married much older back then, the men worked the farms with their parents till they had enough money to have there own place, or inherited their parents land. Jonathan Rice was 36 years old when he married Elizabeth Porter, she was 18. Their youngest son Edwin was born in 1860. the same year Jonathan died. There wasn't any law, so they didn't take much to strangers, and handled things, of that sort, the best they knew how.
After you study Genealogy for awhile, you begin to see that every generation since the 1600’s up to the 1800’s had migrated. It was kind of like a family tradition, My father migrated, and now I must do the same thing. Whatever the reason was for migration, pioneer life was not easy.

In the News
This is a heart wrenching article "Doctors struggle to save wounded Marine". The reality of War continues to fill our news. This article proves there are heroes on and off the battlefield. "Semper Fi", Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins.

Song of the Week
John Legend has a new album out this week called "Once Again". This is my favorite "Save Room".

The New 7 Wonders of the World

The commonly known Seven Ancient Wonders of the World were all man-made monuments, selected by Philon of Byzantium in 200 B.C. Today, only the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt remain.

His selection of wonders was essentially a travel guide for fellow Athenians, and the stunning sites were all located around the Mediterranean basin, the then-known world.

The monuments he chose, to be remembered in perpetuity, were:

The Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Temple of Artemis
The Statue of Zeus
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
The Pyramids of Egypt

All had been built between 2,500 B.C. and 200 B.C.

Now, just as Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic Games in 1896 with his modern version of the competition, New7Wonders founder Bernard Weber is seeking to revive the concept of the 7 Wonders of the World with this ambitious global campaign, the New 7 Wonders of the World.
The key difference is that, this time around, they will not be chosen by one man, but rather by millions of people all over the world.

The new wonders that are selected will be the people’s choices, and they will be drawn from the earliest time that humankind walked upon the earth up through the year 2000.

It is, therefore, possible that the only survivor of the original 7 Wonders of the World, the Pyramids at Giza, could be chosen for a second time, taking them well into a third millenium of fame!

The New 7 Wonders of the World will be announced during the Official Declaration ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 07.07.07.

I have spent most of the week at this website, browsing through, and learning about all 21 structures. How interesting, we can all be a part of history, by voting on something so historical. I have almost made my final 7 decision vote, but I am still researching these structures. I have included a link on the sidebar of this blog for your convenience, and for your own vote. Have fun browsing this site!

In The News
- The whole world is watching to see how we handle the Iraq War. We have called the Generals back in for new strategies, because the first set of strategies, did not include contingency plans in case we fail. This is the most important part of the strategy process, ask any executive, with any Fortune 500 company. Maybe we need to put Donald Trump on contracted labor. If you think that Westpoint Graduates, and Generals have a monopoly on War Strategies, just look in every boardroom with American business. Let's get street smart, and invite some civilians into this strategy. If you think that inviting the "Blood" and the "Crips" to this strategy is outrageous, think again! Im tired of these people, beheading our people, in the name of Allah. Let's get some "meat" behind this next strategy.....Whatta ya say!!....I mean...if we HAVE to be there.......let's get in there, and kick there ASS!
- The "Foley Sex Scandal" has once again reached in to the Catholic Church. Foley's boyhood Priest, says they were naked in a hot bath, there was some fondling going on, but nothing abusive..............because he (Foley) seem to like it..............-------->HELLO....WAKE UP.........HE WAS 13 YEARS OLD!! Is this how the Priest...hood justifies there actions. It is a "Hood" ya know!...sick...sick....sick!
- Our bi-polar friend in North Korea apolgized this week, and has promised, no more Nuke test. China shut off their bank accounts earlier this week. Oh YES, I remember, when my mother used to pinch me in the back of my upper arm. OUCH!....................and I did exactly as I was told.
- Country music star, Keith Urban, has checked himself into Alcohol Rehab. Mr. Urban, recently married Nichole Kidman, after a short romance. My question is this, did she check herself in also? Im not stupid, this was one big party to start with, and he surely doesn't drink and party alone. This is the same thing that happen to Rene Zellweggar, and Kenny Chesney. After six months, honeymoon, and the party is over, now we have to learn to live together. That's right, no matter how much money or fame they have, they have to mature together emotionally, without drugs and alcohol, just like the rest of us. This primal process of every human relationship amazes me! Ain't life a bitch!!
- Once again we are censoring our Artist. NBC has decided they will censor Madonna's up coming concert, "Confessions". They will be censoring the part where she is strapped on a mirrored cross, complete with a thorn crown. Tonight I have included the theme song to the 007 classic movie hit "Goldfinger", by Shirley Bassey. Back then, they did not have ratings, you just went, and watched what you wanted. I guess I was twelve, when in 1964 the movie depicted a character named "Pussy Galore". According to Wikipedia, she was the head of the all Lesbian gang known as the "Cement Mixers". Yes...after watching this classic some 100 times in the last 40 years, my mind is warped with sex and drugs. The thought police are looking for me...............Just the stupidity of such censorship, to question our own intelligence about such matters. I am allowed to think what I want, when I want, quit insulting me, by trying to control the way I think, it makes you want to go make "Toilet Confessions"...........I'm puking Galore!

Songs from the Past

I thought I would include some songs tonight, some more oldies. I have a new link out on the sidebar. It is internet radio 24 hrs a day, Maurice Watts website. Maurice has been a Disc Jockey in Harlem, NY, for almost 25 years. I enjoy listening to his Love Zone station. Give it a try, I think you'll like it too!

Roger Miller - King of the Road (Original Version 1964)

Shirley Bassey - Goldfinger (James Bond 1964)

Ramsey Lewis Trio - The In Crowd (1965)

Have a wonderful week!

Biography of Seth Hays

You like my Halloween Costume? I guess you know by now that Al Gore and I started the internet!!


The story of Orville Word and his father, John Word, is exhaustive. I have spent many hours researching this family. My 3rd Great Grandmother, Eliza Wilcox Hays, who married Orville Word, had a brother name Seth Millington Hays. He is my 2nd Great Uncle. The Boone family, the Hays family, and Orville Word were owners of all the trading post up and down the Sante Fe Trail. Here is the story of Seth hays.



Biography of Seth Hays

In 1839-1844 Seth M. HAYS was living in Westport, now part of Kansas City, Missouri. In 1844-1845 Seth HAYS, about thirty?three years old, followed the Kansas River west into present day Kansas.
April 1845 Charles B. Chouteau and Seth M. HAYS were in charge of Frederick Chouteau's trading post (located on what is now Mission Creek in the westernmost part of Shawnee County, west of Topeka, about two miles from the Kansas Indian Mission that Methodist missionaries had founded in 1835).
In the spring of 1846 the Kansas signed a treaty with the government, ceding their land along the Kansas River in exchange for a new but smaller reservation located along the upper valley of the Neosho River, in what is now Morris County, Kansas. Seth HAYS, perhaps sensing that Chouteau's trading post would soon close its doors, returned to Westport.


April 1847 At Council Grove on the Santa Fe Trail, Albert G. BOONE (grandson of Daniel BOONE, and cousin of Seth HAYS. His parents were Daniel Morgan Boone, son of Daniel and Rebecca, and he married Zerilda Randall) and James G. HAMILTON, of Westport, Missouri, (by virtue of their Kansas Indian trading license) established a trading post on the Kaw reservation. Boone and Hamilton placed bachelor Seth M. HAYS in charge. Seth M. HAYS, a citizen of Westport, Missouri, having obtained a license from the Government to trade with the Indians in "Kansas."
April 1847 Seth M. HAYS was the first permanent white settler in Council Grove. When he arrived in 1847, he brought with him a Mexican teamster, who also was a handyman and interpreter, and a freed black slave (Aunt Sallie).
Seth M. HAYS built a log cabin (trading post) near the west bank of the Neosho River near where the Commercial House later stood. He lived there with Aunt Sallie, his housekeeper.
Mid May 1853 At Council Grove, there is a large, well furnished store (run by Seth M. HAYS), where a constant supply of everything required for the road is kept.
Soon after Kansas Territory was organized in 1854, the government ordered a census of the territory. When census taker James R. McClure arrived in Council Grove the following year, he reported that there were thirty?nine people living there aside from the Indians. He also noted that Seth HAYS operated a well furnished store and "kept for sale all kinds of goods needed by the constant stream of teamsters" who passed through the settlement following the Santa Fe Trail.
1857 The HAYS House, said to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River, was founded by Seth M. HAYS.
The Council Grove Town Company was organized in 1857, with Seth HAYS, Thomas Huffaker, the Chouteau brothers, and a few other residents as stockholders; and in 1858 the territorial legislature approved the incorporation of the town.
February 2, 1858 Hezekiah Brake, Mr A., Louis Boyse reached Council Grove that night, and began our arrangements for the trip to New Mexico. Seth M. HAYS kept a store and an outfitting station at Council Grove at this time. He had in keeping now six small Mexican mules, a good pony, a large wagon, and various other necessary acquisitions to our outfit. It took us four days to get the animals ready and lay in a supply of everything needful for our journey. An freed slave who worked for Mr. HAYS roasted coffee, made cakes, and gave us a keg of pickles and sauerkraut as relishes.
October 1858 The first term of the court was held, and the place of holding it was in the old log cabin built by Seth M. HAYS. The court officers were: William Weir, of Wyandotte County, was prosecuting attorney; L. McCarthy, clerk, and W. B. Harrold acted as Sheriff. The place where the jury deliberated upon their verdict was under the shade of a tree that stood in the yard.
1867 Seth Hays adopted a daughter. This is the same time frame that the Quaker Manual Labor School closed (reopened 1869?1873). His daughter was not Kaw (Morris County Historical Society).


1867 The Seth HAYS home was built of bricks from a local factory and native lumber. Hays slave, Aunt Sallie, lived in the basement and cared for the family until her death in 1872.

1868 The Missouri, Kansas, and Texas (Katy) Railroad, built through Morris County in 1868, passed through and brought citizens to Council Grove. Wagon freighting over the Santa Fe Trail began to decline. Seth HAYS sold out and started a saloon called the Brown Jug. To attract attention in the growing community, HAYS hired a man with a bagpipe to entertain customers. His business prospered, and when members of a church were without a meeting hall, HAYS let them use his saloon. When the church held services, he would remove all evidence of his business and would cover some of the walls and the bar with wagon canvas. The Brown Jug was the first school in Council Grove.
1872 Seth HAYS's housekeeper, Aunt Sallie, died. Her funeral was held in HAYS's home.
1873 Seth Hays died and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery at Council Grove, Morris County, Kansas.
SOURCES: [Ref. Barry, Louise. The Beginning of the West ? Annals of the Kansas Gateway to the American West (1540-1854). Topeka: Kansas State Historical Society, 1972. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 78172252] [Ref. Dary, David. More True Tales of Old?Time Kansas. University Press of Kansas. 1984]


Seth Hays - Oliver page 267: Unmarried ; adopted daughter: Kittie Robbins Hays



Hays House 1857
112 West Main, Council Grove
Town founder Seth Hays, a grandson of Daniel Boone, opened the Hays House in 1857. Over the years, the Hays House was a gathering place for church services, court trials, bawdy theatricals and politicians' speeches. Among its early patrons were George A. Custer and Jesse James. Today the Hays House is famous as the oldest continuously operated restaurant west of the Mississippi River and the home of fantastic fare. (Order up the marinated brisket, Beulah's Ham, the crispy chicken fried in cast iron skillets, or the fresh peach pie topped with real cream and you'll agree with the rave reviews.)
The town founder, Seth Hays, built this home in 1867. His slave, Aunt Sally, lived in the basement and cared for the family until her death in 1872. Operated as a museum by the Morris County Historical Society, the home is open in the summer on Sunday afternoons and by appointment.
A great deal of the history of Council Grove is embraced in the narrative history of the county, some of which it will be necessary to repeat in order that the history of the organization and growth of Council Grove as a city may be the better understood. The city is located on the Neosho River, and is 170 miles west of the Missouri River. The greater portion of the city, probably three?fourths of it, is situated on the west bank of the stream. The land upon which the city is built was once part of the territory embraced within the Kaw Reservation. The first white person that settled in Council Grove was Seth M. Hays, who came in 1847 to establish a trading post for the purpose of trading with the Indians. The first house built in Council Grove was by him, which was a log cabin, and which stood on the north side of the old Santa Fe Trail, and but a few rods from the west bank of the river. This cabin served the double purpose of being both a dwelling and a store.
Hays Stock Ranch, Near the mouth of Diamond Creek 1854. Established by Seth Hays who also had an Indian Trading Post at Council Grove. Same as Cottonwood Ranch or Station. (Agr. Rept. 1877?8, p. 136; Andreas, p. 1356.)
Seth Millington Hays, of Council Grove, buys the land at the mouth of Diamond creek for a ranch. By a treaty with the Osage Indians the purchase of land by settlers had been provided for. William Harris is put in charge of this ranch.Aside from the Hays ranch at the mouth of Diamond creek there was then no other settlement in the territory of what is now Chase county.
Seth M. Hays, of Council Grove, states that he came to Council Grove in 1844, and shortly after, the Neosho was dry for 18 months. When the land sales were made in 1854, he bought his farm on Osage bottoms, at the mouth of Diamond creek, because more grass grew there than in any other part of Wise county.
Source: Seth Hays-Council Grove on the Santa Fe Trail The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Stephen Chinn (Steven.Chinn@Vanderbilt.edu for providing this information

Song of the Week
This is dedicated to the Vietnam Veterans who died and left loves ones behind. Bless you!.........Dixie Chicks "Traveling Soldier".

Funky Soul and a Blast from the Past

I guess you know by now that I am a music fanatic. Yes ......I own a virtual history of music dating back to 1910. I think I have some music from about every year, and from just about every genre. When I was about 15 years old, we used to go camping at Bennett Springs State Park, in Missouri. This was a family thing, and yes we would go about every weekend. When I got older I figured out that this was my fathers way of keeping me out of trouble. But we had fun, lots of fishing, swimming, and meeting new friends, from just about anywhere. The Hawkinsons were from Tulsa, and they were frequent campers, that had kids the same age as me and my brother and sisters. Jim was my age, kind of a weird kid back then, anyway, we used to run together. He had this old phonograph, battery operated, he carried all his albums with him. Keep in mind that this was just shortly before they had boom boxes, cassette tapes, CD's were to come much later. He would walk a mile, and then we would stop under a shade tree, listen to some Jefferson Airplane, then we would walk another mile, we would find another shade tree and stop, and listen to some Cream. This was fun back in those days. We would listen to "Cant Get No Satisfaction" 100 times a day. Now Mick Jagger wants me to pay him .99 cents to download that song. I am patiently waiting for my senior citizen discount.

Somehow I think that things have gotten out of control. Now days, kids have guns for fun. They do unthinkable things, and then blame them on others. The rash of school shootings this past two weeks is unthinkable to me. Where does this hatred come from? Whatever happen to just sitting under a shade tree, listening to the old phonograph?

I thought I would put some tunes up for you tonight. There is a new album just released oct. 2, 2006, its called What it is! Funky Soul and other Grooves, you can read the review at All-Music.Com. This album has some of the oldest Funky style music that I have ever heard. Some of these songs I cant get, because they are so old that folks just dont put them up on a PP network. It is a box set with 91 songs on the set. I love funky music, I know my brother loves funky music too. If Tim and I could have, we would have had Afro haircuts back in the 70's. Some of these are the original off this album and others are remakes. I am going to put a bonus track here too. "Under the Bamboo Tree" Marie Cahill recorded in 1917. So enjoy!

Faze O "Riding High"

Paul Butterfield Band "Get out of my life Woman"

Wilson Pickett "Engine Number 9"

Have a wonderful week!

Daniel Boone was my 5th Great Grandfather

Daniel Boone was my 5th Great Grandfather. His daughter Susannah Boone who married William hays, had a son William Hays Jr.. Willam Hays Jr. married Phoebe Stevens who had a daughter Eliza Wilcox Hays. Eliza married Orville Word. Orville and Eliza are my 2nd Great Grandparents. Their son, Albert Pike Word was my great Grandfather. I must note that by this marriage of Eliza Hays and Orville Word, thier decendents will all be great grandchildren of Daniel Boone.........forever!
Here is the story of Daniel Boone. It is quite interesting that the ancestry of Rebecca Bryan has taken me back to first royalty,and then to Adam and Eve.
These readings are from my book, and this Biography was contributed by LaDonna Word Woltman, April 8, 1974.

BOONES OF PENNSYLVANIA
GEORGE BOONE (born app. 1664), a weaver from the village of CULLOMPTON, near EXETER in ENGLAND, sent his son GEORGE BOONE II, his daughter SARAH, and another son, SQUIRE, to investigate Penn. before 1713. SQUIRE worked on the ship as a cabin boy. They liked the land so GEORGE returned home to get his father. GEORGE returned immediately to Penn. and married an American girl in May, 1713. It was four years before GEORGE I, and the rest of the family came over. They sailed on Aug. 17, 1717, and arrived in Philadelphia on Oct. 10, 1717. In 1718, they moved to OLEY TOWNSHIP, now BERKS COUNTY. GEORGE'S sister, MARY BOONE, married JOHN WEBB in 1719. On July 23, 1720, SQUIRE BOONE and SARAH MORGAN were married. SARAH was the daughter of JOHN MORGAN who lived in GWYNEDD. On Dec. 3, 1728, SQUIRE bought land in NEW BRITAIN TOWNSHIP, BUCKS COUNTY. In 1730, he bought another tract of land in OLEY TOWNSHIP, now BERKS COUNTY. DANIEL BOONE was born there Nov. 2, 1734, the sixth son of SQUIRE and SARAH. HENRY MILLER was a friend of DANIEL's since youth. In 1742, DANIEL's sister was married. In 1747, his brother ISRAEL was married. BOONES and LINCOLNS have always been closely associated, and also the MORGAN BRYANS. SQUIRE and SARAH sold their land on April 11, 1750, and left Penn. HENRY MILLER settled on LINNVILLE CREEK, ROCKINGHAM, VIRGINIA. In late 1751 or early 1752, SQUIRE BOONE reached YADKIN VALLEY in NORTH CAROLINA. On Dec. 29, 1753, he bought land, Earl of Granville (now DAVIDSON COUNTY, N. CAROLINA) near SALISBURY. After fighting in the war, DANIEL was back home with his father in 1757. DANIEL's sister, MARY BOONE, married WILLIAM BRYAN. At the age of 16, REBECCA BRYAN became the bride of DANIEL BOONE on Aug. 14, 1756 (she was born approximately 1740). In 1759, DANIEL and REBECCA moved to CULPEPPER COUNTY, VIRGINIA, near FREDRICKSBURG, for a short time during the Indian uprising. This is where DANIEL met and became friends with GEORGE WASHINGTON. By Oct. 12, 1759, they were back in YADKIN COUNTY. DANIEL had bought 640 acres of land from his father in ROWAN COUNTY. While on his hunting and exploring trips DANIEL had a knack for carving on trees and etc. These are found all over the YADKIN, CLINCH, HOLSTON and WATAUGA VALLEYS east and west of the ALLEGHENIES in NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE and KENTUCKY down the Big Sandy River and etc. In 1763, in Oct., DANIEL and his brother SQUIRE left for Florida; although DANIEL bought land and a house in PENSACOLA, FLA., he disliked the climate and the hunting was poor with practically no trapping so the house was never lived in. Son JAMES began hunting at the age of eight. DANIEL took him hunting and camping in the winter of 1767. Later in 1767, BOONE hunted with BENJAMIN CUTBIRTH, husband of his niece ELIZABETH WILCOXIN, in WATAUGA COUNTY, now a part of TENNESSEE. The same year DANIEL ventured across the BLUE RIDGE, BIG SANDY, on the eastern edge of KENTUCKY, down the Ohio River until they were west of the CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS, SALT SPRINGS near PRESTONBURG in eastern KENTUCKY. JOHN FINLEY told DANIEL about the land in KENTUCKY. DANIEL and SQUIRE BOONE, brother-in-law JOHN STUART, and JOHN FINLEY, along with three camp-keepers, left May 1, 1769, for KENTUCKY (camp-keepers were JOSEPH HOLDEN, JAMES MOONEY and WILLIAM COOL or COOLEY). By June 7, they reached STATION CAMP CREEK (so called because they built their base camp here). Early in 1773, while exploring, DANIEL occupied his old cave on LITTLE HICKMAN CREEK in JESSAMINE COUNTY. They left in Sept., 1773, for KENTUCKY needing more tools and flour. JAMES BOONE and HENRY RUSSELL (Capt. WILLIAM RUSSELL's son) went back on the night of Oct. 10, 1773. On WALDEN'S CREEK the two boys and two slaves were attacked by Indians, one of the slaves being able to get away into the bushes. The Indians had a great deal of fun torturing them to death. Among the band, JAMES recognized BIG JIM, a Shawnee who often visited with his father. Shivering in terror in his pile of driftwood, the Negro heard JAMES begging his father's friend to spare his life, but the Indians were intent on torture. Again the slave heard JAMES screaming for mercy but this time the only mercy he asked for was to be toma-hawked at once and allowed to die. Again BIG JIM refused. The torture went on until at last the two boys died, their bodies slashed to ribbons, their nails torn out, their palms slashed in futile efforts to turn the blades aside with bare hands. CAPTAIN RUSSELL and a comrade found the boys and sent ahead for DANIEL. REBECCA sent with DANIEL a linen sheet to cover her son and keep the earth from his body. DANIEL also built a cabin with EVAN HINTON in HARRODSBURG, KEN. It was burned down by the Indians in 1777, and he never lived there. March 10, 1775, SQUIRE, STONER, CUTBIRTH and RICHARD CALLAWAY started WILDERNESS ROAD. Around April 19, 1775, they passed through POWELL's VALLEY, CUMBERLAND GAP and WARRIORS' PATH. Moving to HAZEL PATH, ROCKCASTLE RIVER, and on to what is today MADISON COUNTY. In late August, 1775, the BOONES, CALLAWAYS, TODDS, HARRODS, KENTONS and LOGANS came to BOONESBOROUGH. A short time later, SQUIRE and the BRYAN family joined them. In the early summer of 1776 (Sunday, July 7) JEMIMA BOONE, BETSY and FANNY CALLAWAY, went for a ride on a raft and were kidnapped by Indians. A week later, home safe, JEMIMA became engaged to FLANDERS CALLAWAY, although she was only 14. During the next few years, between hunting and scouting, DANIEL worked for the Union selling land. Between the Indian wars and so many people moving into that part of the country, DANIEL decided to move on. He had been hearing a lot about MISSOURI. Like his father and grandfather before him, he sent his sons to see the land. DANIEL MORGAN and NATHAN set out for MISSOURI. It didn't take much to convince them that they should all move. They returned in the early part of 1799. DANIEL and family, friends and neighbors were ready for the move. NATHAN BOONE left the party and went to LIMESTONE where he bought a marriage license and left for LITTLE SANDY, KENTUCKY, to marry OLIVE VAN BIBBER. They married Sept. 26, 1799, and were on their way to MISSOURI by Oct. 1. (Miss VAN BIBBER was said to be the prettiest girl north of the OHIO RIVER). They all met in ST. LOUIS and from there went west to ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI, where they all received land. DANIEL MORGAN BOONE was married on March 2, 1800, in the Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, to SARAH GRIFFIN LEWIS, daughter of JOHN BAPTIST LEWIS and ELIZABETH HARVE. In the next few years, DANIEL was getting more famous than ever. The people of KENTUCKY were stirring - they wanted their hero back. DANIEL said he would never return to KENTUCKY. His wife passed away at the age of 73. DANIEL moved in with his son NATHAN and his wife and children and spent the last few years of his life hunting when he felt like it, and teaching his grandchildren to hunt and fish and tell his stories of the old days. DANIEL passed away on Sept. 26, 1820, at the home of his son NATHAN.
This Biography contributed by LaDonna Word Woltman, April 8, 1974.

[Pioneering was a familiar experience for many of these people. Either they or their parents had already moved several times before reaching the Mississippi Valley. Mark Twain vividly described the kinds of men he had seen while growing up in Hannibal, Missouri: "Rude, uneducated, brave, suffering terrific hardships with sailor-like stoicism; heavy drinkers...heavy fighters, reckless fellows, every one, elephantinely jolly, foul witted, profane; profligal of their money...yet in the main, honest, trustworthy, faithful to promises and duty, and often picaresquely magnanimous." Daniel Rice]

Song of the Week
This song is off the new Alan Jackson album "Like Red on a Rose". This album is produced by Alison Krause who wrote most of the songs on the album. The album is very mellow, unlike Jacksons previous cuts. This tune is a great cut of an oldie written by Leon Russell, "Bluebird".......Oh Bluebird...why did you have to fly away?

Cha Cha Invitation

This is your official invite to the new "Revolutionary Seach Engine........Cha Cha". Cha Cha is a very unique search engine, as you can search by yourself, or search with a Cha Cha guide. This is really nice for folks who have some very specific searches, or for that matter, people who just don't know how to search. You will find that the Cha Cha search engine is very comprehensive. Once you do a search, it will throw you hits, and next to those hits will be a small thumbnail of the related site. You will also notice that on the far left of the page, it catergorizes your search step by step.
Cha Cha launched around September 1, 2006. Since the Cha Cha launch many of the guides have been training, including myself. Cha Cha management has been working around the clock to tweak the workings of Cha Cha, to stabalize it, so the customer can be satisfied with great results. These great results will get even better as time goes by, and we are relying on all our efforts to gather repeat customers. Being a guide for Cha Cha is very rewarding. It is almost addictive, doing searches for other people. This is a people business, and I like to call it, "Up Close and Personal". You are helping other people, that cant find things for themselves. We have at Cha Cha, what we call the Cha Cha underground. This is where all the guides hang out. The public can even access the underground, and search for their favorite guide, and look at their profile page. Here is a link to "My Page". The page shows my picture, my sponsor( my beautiful sister Debby), and my Network. Your welcome to go there and browse around.
Cha Cha is the brain storm of Scott A. Jones, Inventor, Entrepreneur, and Pioneer. In the mid-80's, he invented and patented what is known today as the voice mail system. You must go to his website, and read his biography. Take a look at his companies. Read the press releases at his website on Cha Cha. I will say this about Scott Jones. He has vision. If you work for him, then his vision becomes your vision. This leadership is what America was built on. I know he is involved in everyday operations at Cha Cha. This is what it takes to be a successful company. I see Cha Cha as a strong competitor to Yahoo and Google. I see Cha Cha as moving from not just a great search engine, but a conglomerate of several services to help people. Google started out as a science project at Stanford, and finally incorporated in a garage at their start up. I believe Cha Cha will move much faster in success than Google, because Cha Cha has good people working for them, that all share the same vision. I am proud to be one of them!

The Forty-Two Martyrs of Amorion

For those of you who have been following Pope Benedict's statements about the Muslims. It is very clear that he regrets he said what he did, but he has not apoligized. He also does not owe an apology for any statements that are true. For those that don't know, this is the statement made.
"In a broader talk rejecting any religious motivation for violence, Benedict cited the words of a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman," particularly "his command to spread by the sword the faith."
I can tell you this. This statement is only minor, compared to the many teachings of the Quarun. The Pope owes no apology, and to tell you quite frankly, its about time someone started talking about the Quarun. It teaches those who believe, to kill non-believers.
I am passing along a website called "Byzantine Catholic Culture". This website will give a little history of what exactly the Pope was talking about when he made his statement. The Byzantine Empire dates back to the year 500 AD, and their history is quite complicated. The remnents of this empire and religion, mainly Catholic, are still with us today.

Song of the Week
This is an old favorite Blues song that still sounds smooth and crisp. Gary Moore "Still Got the Blues".

Pilot Expertise

This photo was taken by a soldier in Afghanistan of a helo rescue mission. The pilot is a PA Guard guy who flies EMS choppers in civilian life. Now how many people on the planet you reckon could set the butt end of a chopper down on the roof top of a shack on a steep mountain cliff and hold it there while soldiers load wounded men in the rear??? If this does not impress you ... nothing ever will. Gives me the chills and a serious case of the vertigo ... I can't even imagine having the nerve ... much less the talent and ability ... God Bless our military!!!!!

Song of the week
It is with all the Irish blood I can muster, I send this song. To those men and women in harms way, and to those who have died along the way. "Riverdance Theme"

His name was "MUDD"

Conspiracy of Confederate Sympathizers

John Wilkes Booth, a popular actor, ended his full-time stage career in May of 1864. The Maryland native wanted to spend most of his time on his primary interest--supporting the Confederate States of America. Within months, Booth was working actively with Confederate partisans. A Plan to capture President Lincoln and exchange him for Confederate prisoners of war brought Booth into contact with Dr. Samuel Mudd, John Surratt, his mother Mary, Lewis Thorton Powell, David Herold, George Atzerodt, and others. This plan failed when on the day chosen for the capture, President Lincoln changed his plans and did not travel on the road where conspirators were waiting.
This March 17, 1865, failure was quickly followed by two major Confederate defeats. Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, was abandoned to Union troops and on Palm Sunday, April 9th, Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to General Grant. It would be only five days after this surrender, April 14, 1865, That President Lincoln was to be assassinated.
Booth had decided to assassinate President Lincoln while Powell was to kill Secretary of State Seward, and Atzerodt was to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson. With the President and Vice President dead, this would then place the Senate Pro Tempore as acting President, but it would require the Secretary of State to put a new election in motion. Booth hoped to throw the country into political chaos, and hopefully the Confederacy would rise again. Powell did injure six people while attacking Seward. Seward was injured with a knife to his cheek, but he was not dead. It seemed that Atzerodt got drunk, and did not attempt to assassinate Johnson.
Within hours of Lincoln's shooting, Booth fled Washington on horseback and met Herold on the road. Both men rode into southern Maryland. The pain from the broken small bone in his left leg (broken in the escape from the State Box at Ford's Theatre) led Booth and Herold to stop at Dr. Mudd's home for medical aid.
On April 26th, twelve days after having killed the President, Booth and Herold were surrounded while hiding in a tobacco shed in Port Royal, Virginia (Garret’s Farm). Herold surrendered to the Union troops, but Booth held out and was shot, by a young soldier, Boston Corbett, while the shed burned down around him.
The other conspirators were soon arrested. Atzerodt, Herold, Powell, and Mrs. Surratt were all found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. Mary Surratt, became the first woman to be executed under federal orders. The hangings took place in what is now Fort McNair. Dr. Mudd and two others involved in the original capture attempt were sentenced to life in prison. Edman Spangler, who held Booth's horse during the assassination, was sentenced to six years hard labor. In 1869, President Andrew Johnson pardoned the surviving conspirators.
This whole episode I find interesting. There were many Maryland natives who were sympathetic to the Confederacy. Lincoln was afraid that Maryland was to secede to the Confederacy and he, somewhat, declared Martial Law upon that state. The natives became even more outraged at Lincoln.
Dr Mudd, after setting and bandaging Booth's injured limb, let him and the friend accompanying him stay in his home overnight. It was only on the following morning that Dr Mudd heard of the assassination and, his suspicions aroused, immediately informed the authorities of what had occurred. Nonetheless, he was arrested, subsequently to be tried by a military court. All Mudd had done was an innocent act of mercy and his duty as a doctor. But in the eyes of a vengeful prosecution and of a grieving nation, embittered to the point of hysteria, he was an accomplice in the conspiracy. In their minds, he had committed treason. He was sentenced to a life of hard labour and, in chains, taken to Fort Jefferson, the country's most notorious prison. Overnight "his name is Mudd" became a contemptuous charge. There is no doubt that this tragic incident made the phrase known worldwide. However, with the passing of years, its origin was forgotten and Mudd's name changed into mere "mud."
The conspiracy trials were held by military court. Under the law at that time, military trials could be used for civilian matters when there was no civil courts available. There was civil court’s available in Washington D.C. This was, by all definition, a lynching by the government during this time. There were a great many sympathizers for the conspirators, from around the world. The day the hangings took place. Over a thousand people attended. Afterwards, cake and lemonade was to be served in celebration. The four conspirators were buried in shallow graves next to the gallows, and in later years released back to their families. Although the conspirators acknowledged they acted alone without the Confederate governments consent. I believe, the Confederate government did know of their actions. The kidnapping plot of the President was to release Confederate troops. That doesn’t sound like demands of mere outraged Maryland natives, it sounds like the demand of a government. Besides, most of the conspirators admitted to being Confederate agents. If the conspirators had implicated the Confederates knowing of the assassination plot, maybe Robert E. Lee, himself would have stood trial.
The government also took control of the Ford Theater, closed it down. It would not have been proper for a place of entertainment to remain open after such a great President was assassinated there. The government later used the building for war records. It was renovated, and brought back to life, as an historic National site in 1968.

Much has been written about Lincoln, the Civil War, and those turbulent times. If the North had not won the war, where would this country be today? Lincoln, through his wisdom, made the right decisions at the right time. For his Lincoln’s successor, Andrew Johnson, it would also be a long road to making this country whole again. Andrew Johnson, a Tennessee senator, would later be accused of being too sympathetic to the southerners. That is a whole other story.

Song of the Week
Lee Ritenour, with Chris Botti, and Lisa Fischer, bring us a Twist of Motown with a rendition of "Papa was a Rolling Stone".

Gone, But Not Forgotten Artist

Fats Waller was the son of a preacher and learned to play the organ in church with his mother. In 1918 he won a talent contest playing James P. Johnson's Carolina Shout which he learned from watching a pianola play the song. He would later take piano lessons from Johnson. Fats began his recording career in 1922 and made a living playing rent parties, as an organist at movie theatres and as an accompanist for various vaudeville acts. In 1927 he co-wrote a couple of tunes with his old piano teacher James P. Johnson for his show "Keep Shufflin'". Two years later Waller wrote the score for the Broadway hit "Hot Chocolates" with lyrics supplied by his friend Andy Razaf. Fats' most famous song, "Ain't Misbehavin" was introduced in this show which featured Louis Armstrong. Fats Waller's big break occurred at a party given by George Gershwin in 1934, where he delighted the crowd with his piano playing and singing. An executive of Victor Records, who was at the party was so impressed that he arranged for Fats to record with the company. This arrangement would continue until Waller's death in 1943. Most of the records he made were released under the name of Fats Waller and his Rhythm. The group consisted of around half a dozen musicians who worked with him regularly, including Zutty Singleton. Throughout the 1930s and early 1940s Fats was a star of radio and nightclubs, and toured Europe. He unexpectedtly died on board a train near Kansas City, Missouri of pneumonia in 1943.
There is a wonderful website dedicated to "Fats" at the " Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University".
I probably have all of his music, but my favorite song is "I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter". Recorded in 1935.

In other news....
- I guess you heard that NASA has lost the original video footage of the 1969 Moon Landing. They have been looking for the footage for almost a year now. They have been following the paper trail(e-mail) back to where they last saw the footage. These are suppose to be our brightest, and most brilliant people that work at NASA. I will tell you what your Supervisor----- can not. "Turn your computer off, and take your fat ass down to archives, and start looking for it". Yes you will get dirty and have to sweat, yes you will be lifting boxes, and your back will be sore, if your lucky you will get a paper cut that doesn't go away easily. But don't report back to me until you-------------- FIND IT!!! All further launches have been cancelled until further notice!
- I heard from my sister Abigail today, she lives in New Orleans. With the current situation "Ernesto", it could be heading for NO, she has made her plans now. She sent a wonderful link for watching these hurricanes "CrownWeather". This is a great site, they have every image imaginable. Since when did we start giving hurricanes one of those hispanic names? I missed that!
- ChaCha.com will be launching Sept. 1. ChaCha is a revolutionary new search engine that is "up close and personel". You can search by yourself, or you can search with a guide. This is very unique, and will set ChaCha way ahead of all the other search engines. My sister Debby is "Director of Quailty Assurance". Bless her heart, she has worked hard to get this site up and running. We love you!! I will be a part time guide for ChaCha. I can assure you that there is not anything on the internet that I can not find!
Have a wonderful week!

P.S. I have been corrected by Bestbud. The hurricane names can be English, French, and Spanish. Because those are the major lanquages that border the Atlantic Ocean where the storms occur. I will go sit in my corner now!!

Reuben and Caroline Rice

I recieved yesterday an old garden tool, handmade by Reuben Rice. It is probably post Civil War era. Thank you Jonnie.

This is the story of Reuben and Caroline Rice. Reuben was a Rice slave, which I assume he and his Daddy made the trip with Jonathan Rice, around 1835 to Polk County, Mo. In those days, it was customary for slaves to take on their master's surname. Reuben was born in 1825, KY, and his wife, Caroline, was born in 1845, KY. I have no record of when they were married, but in the 1880 Census, they list both of their parents born in Kentucky.

Gladys Rice McMehen wrote:
Slaves were very much a big part of life on a big farm. Both Jonathan and Elizabeth brought many slaves from Kentucky. From all accounts Jonathan was a very kind, indulgent master, some thought to a fault (as stated in his obituary). There was one young black male name Reuben, who had been a constant source of trouble for many years. Rather than physically punish Reuben, it became apparent the only solution was to sell him. A transfer was made with a Mr. Mckinley. who owned a large home just North of Walnut Grove, Mo.(known as the Wright place now, the old house, two story brick, slave made on the west end of the place, was torn down in about 1976.)

Mr. McKinley had quite a reputation of being a very brutal, mean master. (It has been said that slave footprints were on the front step, indented with heat--beatings were frequent. Another story, a slave was beaten unmercifully, his back open from the whippings and McKinley poured salt on the wounds. The pain was so intense and the beating so severe that the slave crawled to the front porch and died. McKinley was later killed by a slave who had taken all the brutality a man can. He killed McKinley, with an axe, as he sat upon his horse.) Reuben slipped away under the cover of night, and went to Jonathon Rice to plead his case. He promised if Rice would buy him back he would never again cause a problem. Mr. Rice went the next day and bought Reuben back from McKinley.

The large farm was in need of a blacksmith, so Reuben was apprenticed to learn the trade. Reuben made a fine blacksmith and a loyal servant. (Mother has a baking oven she used to water chickens, fireplace tongs, and a flatiron that were handmade by Reuben.)

(After the slaves were freed, Reuben and his wife, Caroline, continued to stay with the Rice family. Reuben and Caroline Rice--customary for slaves to take master names--are buried at Buckley Cemetary, close to their earthly master and friend.)

Jonnie wrote today:
You got it!
Hand made by Reuben!
After receiving the pieces and parts of the flax wheel - we decided you needed a piece of family history that did not require so much work.
I'm so happy to share with you - that is a piece I had intended to share with the Walnut Grove Historical Society in the future.
Reuben was one of the slaves that JR Rice agreed to sell - he was big and unruly, down right mean, as the story goes - he was sold to a very mean man by the name of McKinley. (who was killed by the slaves as he sat on his horse) - anyway, Reuben got word back to JR Rice - if he would buy him back, he would be a faithful servant. JR did buy him back - and, Reuben and his wife, Caroline continued to stay with the Rice's after the Civil War. Reuben became the family blacksmith. He died on the property, and is buried as close as possible to JR. Evidently, the Rice burial plot had a stone fence around it - Reuben is buried outside the wall but as close to JR as possible.
After Elizabeth and JR died, my grandfather/mother continued to live and raise their family at the home place - which included the slave cabins. My Mother remembers Reuben and Caroline, coming to the house for meals. They were fed along with the family in their final years.

In other news this week.....
- John Mark Karr is a Kook! who looks like Lee Harvey Oswald! Unless they find his DNA at the crime scene, he is just a Kook, wanting 15 minutes of fame.
- Israel continues bombings, enforcing the UN agreement that Hezzbolah can not re-arm themselves. But Iran and Syria continue
to give them weapons. So the War goes on!
- They are revamping our Solar System. Pluto is not a planet anymore. There are now more important planets they have found. I grew up with the old SS, I'll stick with that one. I liked
Pluto.....lol!
- Remember the story about Mahammed who was found to have 1000 Tracphones, later to be used as detonating devices. He told the FBI he was reselling them to put his brother through college. They
believed him, and they set him free. Geeeeezzzz!

Song of the Week
It's an old song from "Tears for Fears" called "Raoul and the King of Spain". I just love the way he sings RAAAAOOOOLLLLL!

Close Encounter

A rare and spectacular nacreous cloud (top) appears high in the stratosphere some 20km above Australia's Mawson station in Antartica, July 2006. Australian scientists have said they were studying what rare iridescent clouds over Antarctica can reveal about global climate change.


Close Encounter
I have a story to tell you about when my younger sister, Abigail, was born in Springfield, Mo., St. Johns Hospital, in 1962. There was a man name Max Rice, from Boliver, Mo., that ran into Dad at the hospital, they talked about this and that. They both said "yep...we are probably related". I think Dad knew that yes there were Rice's, around Boliver, but really did not put two and two together. I later found out that Max Rice was the son of Jonathan(Jack)Rice, our Boone Rice brother. My Dad and Max were first cousins. Last week I received a picture of a 1939 Rice reunion picture held at Jerd and Tressa Pybas house in Oklahoma City. There, in this picture is Max Rice, and his wife, then sitting down in front is my father at 16 years old. From this encounter in Springfield, they did not know they had met before. If, during there conversation one of them had said "Do you know Jerd and Tressa Pybas?", things probably would have clicked. But that did not happen. How bizarre, to first know of this story that happened 45 years ago. Then to see a picture with both of them there, at the same place, some 65 years ago. That is a close encounter of the real thing!


High Alert
Yes, we Americans were put on High Alert this week. My brother told me they were searching cars in the parking lot, looking for liquids I suppose, at the Tulsa Airport. I read they had some mothers taste testing baby food before they could board with the food. Yuk!!! Today Democrats have accused Bush of using the crisis for political gain in a election year. This is an ugly accusation, this would imply, they are a bunch of liar's, which we already know they are. Let's face it, this administration is not believable. I frankly, don't believe anything they say. They are minipulating Americans by only telling you what they want you to know.
Would it not be more sensible to put all international flights coming into the US on both the East and West Coast. Make those airports in Seattle and San Diego on the west coast, the only International Airports, and make New York and Miami on the East coast the only International Airports. Only foriegners would be allowed to enter the United States through these airports. That would mean the rest of us could fly around our own country without all the hassle. Oh yes, they would not be strip searching 80 year old ladies either.
I compare this cat and mouse game with the terrorist as that of shoplifting. They will hit you when you least expect it, and when you are not looking. It is enevitable we will be hit again. Would it not be nice that all the haters lived on one side of earth, and the rest of us lived on the other. I hate it when I stub my toe, or spill my coffee, or run out of gas on my way to work. I don't "hate people" because of there color or religion. I guess, I could hate them because they are so stupid, but then they have a right to believe what they want. But they can't hate me, because I don't believe what they believe.

"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off."....Gloria Steinem

Song of the Week
Many of you don't remember the Disco era of music, it was a fun time, and alot of artist came on the scene. The Gap Band has done many, many great songs over the years, but "Double Dutch Bus", was one of the favorites. Get Grandma and the kids out on the patio, and start dancin!

My Fathers name was "Pete"

Although my fathers name was Kenneth W. Rice. Everyone called him Pete. We have all wondered where he got this name. It obviously started with his immediate family. But it was this week, it became very clear. This week, I recieved this book of writings on the Rice and McMehen families. It is extensive, about 80 pages. Thank you Jonnie McMehen Wells. Here is an excerpt:
Felicia (Pus, a customary nickname for the oldest daughter of a Southern Family) was raised by a black mammy. It has been said that she was pampered and spoiled by the entire family and could not comb her hair or dress herself completely at the age of seventeen without the help of her black mammy. She was invited to a Gala Ball in Bolivar and it took four people and four horses to transport her to the party in grand fashion, not to mention the preparation prior to the journey.
Boone Chastain (Pete, a customary nickname for the oldest son of a Southern family) was raised in the grand tradition of the old south. It was customary to educate the oldest son to the finest fashion, to make certain he was well schooled in proper manners and etiqette and to prepare him for the responsibilty of his inheritance. (Aunt Nell Perry McMehen said Pete could preside at the table as a very capable host and gentleman, regardless of what was being served.)

So there you have it. My fathers Grandfather, Boone Rice, was named "Pete", and the name was then passed to my Father. Knowing my Pappy, he wanted to throw the old Southern tradition a curve, and named his youngest son "Pete", instead of the oldest son.

Employees Unionize at Chinese Wal-Mart

How does this work, Trade Unions in a Communist country. This process would leave many questions. Does the government tell Walmart what benefits the employee's get, or do the employees really get to vote on the benefits. I thought voting was not allowed. Do the employee's know how to vote? From a management point of view, one way to break the Union, would be to allow one of those communist forbidden benefits. What do the employees or Government do then? Maybe paid vacation is forbidden. I didn't know Chinese people get vacations.
You heard that Walmart sold all their Europeon stores. They, the Europeons, didn't like greeter's at the door, and did not like the smiles, and cashiers chanting "come back and shop walmart, have a good day". This culture, in all of Europe, is why there has been no modernation since World War II. They have never caught on to the phrase, "earlybird gets the worm".

Mel Smell's
Poor Mel Gibson said the wrong thing at the wrong time. He makes a statement about "all War's being started by Jew's", which we know is partially right. Even so, If he had not been drunk, and have not used the "F" word, he may have been ok. If he would have said this in a workplace, he would have been crucified. Yes, this is America, freedom of speech........well almost.....be careful what you say, or pay the consequences. I always found it easier to talk slow, so you can think about what your saying. So you don't say the wrong thing to offend others.............well except after a few Jim Beam's!!!

Castro
Fidel Castro is a man to be respected, especially now, he is in poor health, and may be close to his death. He has outlived eight U.S. Presidents. He brought the most powerful country, and the most powerful men in the world, to their knees in 1962. Cuba ranks third in the world to the most Doctors per capita, 530 doctors to every 100,000 people. Cuba has the finest cigars in the world. Castro has fought for over fifty years to keep the Cuban culture to which he grew up as a young man. After becoming a Lawyer, he put together a small Army to overthrow the old Batista Regime, and kick the old American Mafia and Casinos out of Cuba. I read in the news, like a bunch of rabid dogs, our Government is chomping at the bit to get back in there with our own culture and influence, and of course American Casino's.....ViVa Fidel!!!

The changing face of travel to Cuba

Eight wonders of Cuba

Reality Shows
I am sick of the reality shows. Not the concept, but the content. All of the shows are either singing or dancing. How bout: So you think your a fisherman? I might qualify. How bout: So you think you can cook a hamburger?. The one's with the meat, of course. Bridge Player Bonanza: The Brink's play Bridge.....let's get the camera out and see who win's. How bout singing in the shower, or Road Rage starring Mel Gibson as Mad Max. So you think you can manage a Dollar General Store? It is somewhat like Chess, thinking 10 moves ahead. There is alot of talent out there that is not being recognized. I for one am a pretty good singer in the shower.

Song of the Week
Listen to this going to work, and when you get there, you will be standing on your tiptoes ready for "High Fives".
New Radicals, "You Get What You Give".

Americam Muslims

General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing Viet Cong Captain Nguyen Van Lem: Eddie Adams' Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph.


From the desk of Tim Rice

Israel has been fighting hezbollah for 3 weeks. Hezbollah is still throwing 75 to 100 missiles a day at Israel. Where are they getting them? Bush says Syria and Iran. Surely they've used all the missles that they had stored up. Now Chavez has joined up with Iran. They've got some deep pockets on the world market.
Bush doesn't want a "cease fire". He says he wants a lasting peace. They've had cease fires before that don't last.
An American Muslim emptied his gun at 6 jewish old ladies in Seattle. He said he hates Jews. Yeah, I heard the news this morning that he was bi-polar and not on his meds, but I'm not stupid, somebody taught him hatred. He didn't read it in a magazine, he didn't read it on the internet at Yahoo, he didn't see it on CNN. It was taught to him at his local mosque by other Muslims that he listened to. This American Muslim's are for peace is............BULLSHIT.
When will the world and your President admit that this war on terror is a war on Muslims? In Iran they protested the Israeli attacks on Lebannon. There were protest signs against the USA. I wasn't aware that we were fighting alongside the Israeli's. The Muslims must think we are. Obviously we can't win the war on terror in Iraq. We must do something about the rest of the Muslim's. Even the one's here. Isn't the President sworn to provide protection for American citizens? Then outlaw muslim's, NOW. Round 'em up, put 'em in the camps, remove them from our society. Guess you didn't realise that there are muslims in Wichita that hate jews and might mistake you for one even if your not. You are at risk of a muslim attach. If you think this sounds outlandish, the FBI sent out a warning to all of Seattle and surrounding areas to put Jewish gathering places on alert.
Back to Israel, they are in the position we were in at Fallujah. They are going to have to go house to house in each village to clean them out. If they don't, the fighting won't stop. Even if they do, the fighting won't stop if the muslims rally behind Hezbollah and come in from other countries like Syria and Iran.
I don't see a good ending to all this for quite sometime. We have all of our Military in Iraq with the best equipment we can provide and we can't control Baghdad. The "elected" president of Iraq, Maliki, came over here last week and met with Bush and chewed him out for his lack of support. Bush came out of the meeting and announced he was sending another 5000 troops to Baghdad. Sounds like we're losing. On hardball, Chris Matthews said that he remembers during Vietnam we had 500,000 troops there when the VC started the TET Offensive. They attacked all of the provincial capitols at once. After it was over, Westmooreland said he wanted another 250,000 troops. Yes, we were losing. Yes we are losing in Iraq.
At least we don't have battle of the networks over the spelling of Hezbollah. Remember when Fox called the lead terrorist Usama Bim Ladin instead of Osama. Rumsfeld settled that one day in a press conference when he said he got a "UBL" report every day.
I just don't see a good ending to all this.

My comments,
The audacity of General Westmoreland to ask for another 250,000 troops after the Tet offensive. Here are the numbers, doesn't look like a lose to me. We had 8000 dead, they had 25,000-45,000 dead. We had 30,000 wounded, they had 30,000 to 50,000 wounded. Another political move by a General, that eventually persuaded the American people we were losing that War. This also led to Lyndon Johnson announcing he would not run again. He kept telling America we were winning, when, in fact we were losing. Why? Because for every 50,000 or 100,000 we killed, the very next day, there were just as many replacements marching down the Ho Chinh Minh trail from China.
Concerning the old Jewish ladies killed in Seattle Yesterday. Today, the FBI called this a hate crime. This is the definitive, and most civil way of saying that it is terrorism, plain and simple. I am sure that all American Muslim Mosque are being scrutinized as we speak. Oh darn, I forgot Homeland Security is out of money, full of corruption, and nobody knows what they do anyway. Another political disaster. Watch your back!!!!!
Daniel

Boone Chastain Rice was my Great Grandfather

(Boone C. Rice, second row, second from the left)

As I had stated before, I have spent many hours researching Boone Rice. The four short paragraphs I attached with the picture this week, barely touches the surface. The real story of Boone Chastain Rice is to follow.

To tell the story of Boone we must first go back to my 4th Great Grandfather, James Rice. James was born in 1736, Halifax,VA and he married Alice Hix, she was born 1742. Alice had a brother John Hix who married James Rice sister Sibeller Lydia Rice. This is the way they did things back then, families intermarried. The Rice's married into the Bailey family over seventy-five times over a period of one hundred years. There were alot of Rice names that came from the Hix side of the family, Joshua, Lydia, Sabra, Hiram, Morris, and other's. Myself and many other descendents of James Rice do not know who James Rice descends from exactly. Who his Daddy is.

But we do know, and my DNA proves, that he is a descendent of Thomas Rice and Ann Marcey Hews, who, at age eleven, came to this country in 1656 aboard the ship"Bristol". Yes, the ship named after the famous Port of Bristol, England. Which was the largest import and export of emmigrants and slaves of that period. Thomas was indentured to the Captain of this ship and did serve out his indenturement and was awarded land for his servitude. Although Thomas was from Wales, he did have other family in England. Thomas had gone back to England to accept a large inheritance, and on his travel back aboard ship, he was killed in 1711. (From my notes............Thomas was born in England of Welsh extraction. The Wales family had a coat of arms with the motto, "Fides non Timet" (Loyalty, not fearing). The Welsh spelling for the surname was Rhys. After settling in Hanover Co., VA and having 12 children, he received notice of an inheritance in England. He never arrived there and is believed to have been assassinated at sea. No will in England mentioning him has as yet been located...............and more notes............"A record in Gloucester, Virginia, home of the early Gwynns,indicates that a Thomas Rice owned 30 plus acres in that county. [Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 32, pg 259.] p. 46 . . . "The Hanover Rices claim a coat of arms said to be the same as that of the Rice and Thomas families which stem from Sir Rhys ap Thomas, a natural son of George Plantagenet. This line had a peerage granted by Bloody Mary in 1555. Earlier figures of interest in the lines are Sir Griffith Rice, Catherine Howard, who descended from William, the Conqueror, and Vryan Reged, lord, of South Wales. [Coat-of-arms data; for genealogy of Welsh Rice family, see A History of Wales by Sir John Edward Lloyd, condensed in Rice and McGhee Families History.]") The Rhys family of Wales can be searched on the internet. You will find they had many Castles and fought many Wars to protect their territories, the Rhys name dates back to around 1100 A.D........more notes..........The Welsh Rices of Dynevor Castle - from Shelby Rice Sutton of St. Georges, Delaware This goes back to the 11th century to give the background of those ancient Welsh princes whose given name was Rhys (Rice). There were times in the pre-Norman period when the Deheubarth kings were unable to maintain their hold on all parts of the kingdom. Rhys ap Tewdwr, the last independent Deheubarth king to rule the whole kingdom, was killed in a 1093 skirmish with Normah forces. His death marked the end of an era. By the early years of the 12th Century The three provinces of Deheubarth became part of a territory of lordships ruled by Normans who enjoyed a power derived by conquest from the Welsh kings they displaced. Rhys ap Tewdr left a son, Gruffudd ap Rhys, brought up in exile in Ireland, Gruffudd returned to try and regain his father's kingdom. He managed to secure a foothold in Ystrad Tywi from which he launched a powerful Welsh campaign after the 1135 death of Henry I. Gruffudd fell during early stages of the struggle and his three elder sons were in due course eliminated. A fourth son, Rhys ap Gruffudd, survived. By 1171 he had secured control not only of the greater part of Ystrad Tywi, but the whole of Credigion and parts of Dyfed. The same year Henry II, anxious to secure settlement of the Welsh problem, recognized the position Rhys had won for himself. Rhys, from his chief castle at Dinefwr, ruled a Deheubarth which - though less extensive than the pre-Norman kingdom was still a major political entity. The earliest surviving redaction of Welsh law emanates from Deheubarth and is very probably to be attributed to the years of Rhys' supremacy. …At this gathering - proclaimed the previous year throughout Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland - Rhys set two contests, one for the poetry and another for "the harpers and the crowders and the pipers and various classes of music" and chairs were awarded to the winner of each contest. It was after the 1189 death of Henry II and Rhys's failure to secure rapport with Richard I that major conflict broke out. Rhys turned first to those lordships on the perimeter of his principality and then to the frontier central sections, but the ageing warrior's vigorous campaigns did not solve these issues. Before Rhys ap Gruffudd's 1197 death, Deheubarth itself was rent by the conflict which arose between his sons. It seems likely Rhys intended his eldest son, Gruffudd, should succeed him as ruler of the entire kingdom, which he had ruled from Dinefwr, but within a few weeks of the Lord Rhys's death Gruffudd's position was challenged by three of his brothers, Maelgwyn, Rhys Gryg and Maredudd. Maredudd and Rhys Gryg were the first to gain possession of Dinefwr, but on July 2, 1201, Maredudd was killed fighting against the Normans. Rhys Gryg managed to hold on to Dinefwr, but Gruffudd seized Cantref Bychan and its main castle at Llandovery. Then on July 21 Gruffudd died at Trate Florida, leaving two young sons, Rhys Ieunac and Owain. IN spite of their youth, the two sons continued the struggle against their uncles to hold on to at least some of their father's territory. During the next few years Dinefwr changed hands often but Rhys Gryg gradually asserted a hold on Ystrad Tywi. There were no surnames in the days of the Welsh "Rice" princes. The name "Rhys ap Tewdwr" means Rice, son of Tewdwr, with Rhys (or Rice) and Tewdwr both being first names. Thus Gruffudd ap Rhys is Gruffudd, son of Rhys, and his son, in turn, is Rhys ap Gruffudd. All their descendants could just as legitimately claim as a surname Tudor (Tedwdwr) or Griffith (Gruffudd), instead of Rice (Rhys). Later, when surnames became obligatory, some descendants adopted the Rice surname...........more notes......In the later part of his life, he owned a small plantation in the lower part of what is now called Hanover County, Virginia. He received this land from King George II by deed, dated April 29, 1693, for 1, 200 acres of land in Hanover County, on both sides of Cub Creek and Dirty Swamp, bounded by the lands of Col. Davis Meriwether, James Goodall and Richard Brooks. Tragedy overtook Thomas Rice when he let his wife, with nine sons and three daughters, and went to England to receive a considerable estate which had been left to him. He did not return. The sailors reported that he died at sea. It is supposed that he was assassinated. Nothing was ever heard regarding the inherited English estate. "His family was left destitute in a strange land....." "The family being left without an earthly father, were distressed, but they were, in the good providence of 'God, provided for." Memoirs of the Reverend David Rice, published by Thomas T. Skillman, Lexington, Kentucky. 1824, pg. 420. (B.R. 55K 46, rare Book Division, Congressional Library, Washington, D,C

James Rice had a brother Jonathan, and sisters Nancy and Sibeller Lydia. James and Alice had eight children, Nancy, James Jr., Frances, Hiram, Martha "Patsy", Sabra, and of course my 3rd Great Grandfather Jonathan. Jonathan, I call him Senior, was born 1760. He married his first cousin Rebecca Hix, daughter of John Hix and Sibeller Lydia Rice. This was not unusual for family to marry family, especially cousins. He may have grown up with her, and may have been the only woman within 100 miles that he liked. My Pappy, Lloyd Rice wrote "I married the girl that lived down the road". He married her because they grew up together, and live so close. They were married 62 years, not counting the years they grew up together. (From my notes.......Jonathan was the wealthy member of the family. Many were named after him for 3 generations. Inventory of property held 2-17- 1825. His will is in Will Book C Pg 160, Their home was in Logan Co Ky near the Robertson Co Tn State line. Several of his children died in infancy The children of Jonathan and Rebecca had fair intellects especially Jonathan Jr. Jonathan moved to Logan Co Ky in the late 1790's. Jonathan Jr. moved to Polk County, Mo. around 1835.) Jonathan was in the Mill business in Logan County, KY. Because of his wealth, he was left out of his father, James Rice, will. James Rice first settled in Robertson County, TN, and later moved to logan County, KY. We had family that lived on both sides of the River, as the river was the dividing line. James Rice is listed with the D.A.R. as America Revolutinary soldier, and I assume his venture to TN, was his miltary land grant tenured after the War. ( More Notes....You must realize by now that migration for what was to become America, led from Jamestown, down to Virginia and the Carolina’s. Then when Daniel Boone built the “Wilderness Path “, in to Kentucky, and Tennessee. All of the migration to Missouri came mostly from Kentucky and Tennessee. At that time, part of Kentucky belong to Virginia, before Kentucky became a state in 1797. There are a lot of Rice's in Kentucky, who settled there before statehood. The Rice’s migrated from Virginia, I suspect after the American Revolutionary War. Military/Pension Land Warrants were used a lot in Kentucky. These warrants were issued to soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, instead of pay they got land warrants. Some of the Land Warrants were issued by the British, to those that help them fight the war, as if they really had a right, after that war, to give land away. History will show, that the very reasons that started Wars, those problems, seem to linger long after these Wars had ended. This also led to the War of 1812, when we finally kick the British boot out. These Land Warrants could be sold or given to others, many were given to other family members. They were like cash tender. By 1825, the warrants were no good in Kentucky., and Missouri and Illinois became public-domain, where you could buy 100 acres of land for $4. This was part of the Louisiana Purchase, 1803. Sometimes the land would be auctioned off. “Squatters” were people that settled land before a territory had become a state. After statehood, these people were offered to buy the land for $1.25 an acre up to 160 acres, and some of these folks lost their land in auctions.)
Jonathan Sr. and Rebecca had five children, Elizabeth "Betsy", Lydia, Nancy, Joshua Morris, and of course my 2nd Great Grandfather Jonathan. Jonathan Sr. died in 1825. Young Jonathan, born 1801, would have been twenty- four years old. I'm sure he accrued his fathers wealth and learned the trade of running a Mill. It was then in 1835 that Jonathan migrated to Polk County, Mo. According to my Uncle Jacks notes, Jonathan and his friend James Albert "Boone" Chastain and Boone's wife Elizabeth Porter Chastain made the trip, followed by several slaves. Both Jonathan and Boone were early settlers of that county. I assume that Jonathan and his friend Boone started a sawmill business. Boone was killed in a sawmill accident around 1838, and he is buried next to where the old sawmill once stood.
Let's get a visual on this whole situation. Elizabeth has her house, Jonathan has his house. Elizabeth has her slaves, and Jonathan has his. Elizabeth is now half owner of the Sawmill, and she is eighteen years old. Jonathan is twenty years older than Elizabeth. According to records three years pass before Jonathan marries Elizabeth, in 1841. I'm sure he took care of her during those years. But first they were friends, then business partners, and then husband and wife. What a story! They named there first born, my Great Grandfather Boone. Why? Because Boone was a dear friend, husband? Who knows, but the story of Boone Chastain is interesting. He was full French. I suspect that Elizabeth was full French also. That is why my DNA reflects so much French blood. Boone Chastain had a Great Grandfather by the name Pierre "Peter" Chastain who married Susanne Soblet.......(My notes.........Pierre and Susanne had 5 children when they fled from Charost across the Jura Mountains to Vevey, Canton Vaud, Switzerland to escape religious persecution. After September 1698, the family departed Vevey for The Hague in the Netherlands. From there they moved to London, England. Pierre became active in gathering a group of French Huguenot refugees for colonization in Virginia. They arrived with a group of 207 passengers from Gravesend, England on 19 April 1700 aboard the ship Mary and Ann of London, to the James River on 12 July 1700 and settled in Manakin,Goochland, Virginia about 20 miles up the James River. The group was given a 10,000 acre tract of land. Susanne died in February of 1701.) You can search the French Huguenot story on the internet. It's interesting! There was alot of French Huguenots that came to America, but Boone Chastain's family was first.

You already have the rest of Boone's story......well almost!

Lloyd Rice tells this story
"Shadows Over My Shoulders"
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Boone Chastine Rice b Dec 15 1844 in Ky., d 6 May 1913 Rogers Mill county, Ok. married Dec 5 1880 Barbara Amelia McMehen born Canada-Irish July 1857 d Dec 1 1925 Walnut Grove, Mo.

Children:

James Boone, born May 12, 1882, said to have been killed in a gunfight.



Mary Barbara (Mabel) b Jan 30 1884 married Charles Harless, had two sons. When the Rice family first migrated to Roger Mills County, Mabel was only 15 years old and she taught the school there at Clabber Hill.

twin Lloyd M b June 1885, my Grandfather, married Ira Belle Word. Ira Belle's Grandfather Orville Word, married Eliza Wilcox Hays. Eliza was one of the Great Grandaughter's of Daniel Boone.

twin Leslie M b June 1885, married Susie Noble, children: Barbara, Eddie, Bob,and Joe.

Robert M (Bobby) b June 1888 d 12/21/1921 died during WWI
==================
Biography of Boone C. Rice

Boone C. RICE was born in Polk County, MO, December 15, 1844. His father, Jonathan RICE, was a native of Logan County, KY, and came to Polk County, MO, in about 1830. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his native county, and at an early age, began farming. In 1863, he enlisted in Company L, 15th Missouri Cavalry, under Col. John Allen and was on Price's last raid through Missouri and participated in the battle of Big Blue, and other engagements. After the war, he returned to Polk County and went to farming on the old homestead, and also engaged in buying mules for the Southern market. Mr. RICE came to Walnut Grove in 1878, and worked for B.Y. ACUFF and J. BROWN till August 1880, when he opened up a drug store for himself, the firm being RICE & KING. The firm was dissolved by mutual consent in October 1882, and Mr. RICE made a trip to Texas, returning in December following. Mr. RICE was married December 5, 1880, to Miss Barbara McMEHEN, daughter of James McMEHEN, one of the most prominent citizens of the northwest part of Greene County. Mr. and Mrs. RICE have one child, a boy names James B., born May 12, 1882. Mr. RICE is a Freemason in good standing, and his wife belongs to the M.E. Church South. They have many warm friends, and are highly esteemed by all who know them. Mr. RICE has been quite successful in business and retains the confidence of people among whom his business career has been known.
Source: "History of Greene County, 1883", R. I Holcomb, Editing Historian, Biographies.

Daniel Rice comments: I have corrected this Biography, originally written by Goodspeed publishing and then transcribed again by R.I. Holcombe.. It says that Boone was with the 15th Missouri Calvary, CSA , this is not true. There was a 15th Missouri Calvary Army of the Northern Sub-District of Arkansas, Surrendered 11 May 1865 by M. Jeff Thompson to MG G. M. Dodge, commanding the Department of Missouri. Paroled at Jacksonport, Ark, 5 Jun 1865. The 15th fought many battles in Missouri. But by 1863, the Union Troops were in control of Missouri. There were no more CSA units in Missouri. Boone Rice enlisted on Nov. 1, 1863 in Co. L, 15th Regiment., Missouri Vol. Cavalry. Discharged on July 1, 1865.This is reflected on Boone’s discharge of which I have in my possession. Boone was seventeen years old when he entered service and nineteen years old when discharged. Boone may have been in the “Battle of Price’s Last Raid”, but not as a Confederate. It was General Sterling Price's last attempt to take Missouri back from the occupying Union Army in the fall of 1864. Price marched out of Arkansas with eight ragged brigades totaling about 12,000 men, led by some of his most competent generals, including Jo Shelby, James S. Fagan, John S. Marmaduke and the “Swamp Fox,” Jeff Thompson. He hoped many more Missouri boys would join him as he marched through the State, but this hoped for support (part of which he imagined to be members of a shadowy Confederate underground sometimes known as the “Knights of the Golden Circle”) never really materialized.

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Daniel Rice comments: There were some prominent stock men (cattlemen) in Walnut Grove township. I believe B.C. Rice , in this biography, made the trip to Texas to sell cattle or mules, selling to the Southern Market. Then eventually, I believe is why he settled in Roger Mills County, Ok. To homestead a cattle ranch. By 1880, there were no more cattle drives to be found. Moving cattle was now in the hands of the great railroad system. The Railroad had bypassed the town of Orleans, close to where Boone lived. Eventually Orleans became non-existent. Boone is now forty-five years old, but he needed to move on. Boone brought his cattle with him to Oklahoma in 1889. They lived in tents for almost two years, in the Arbuckle Indian Territory, close to Purcell, Ok., and then participated in the “Oklahoma Run”, in 1892. During this time he leased land to grow feed for his cattle. Lloyd M. Rice wrote " In a few minutes he (Boone) came back to the second wagon, pulled by four horses and driven by my twin brother. The wheel horse was saddled and one of us rode it while the other drove. Sometimes one rode a horse and herded the cattle following behind the wagons", "The Land is again a cattle ranch. However, there are no small boys chasing coyotes to their dens in this modern age". To put this in perspective, Lloyd and Leslie were only five or six years old when they made this trip. Here was one twin boy on a horse, and the other twin pulling at the reins of a covered wagon. Even though the “Run” had been announced in 1889, due to government bureaucracy, the run did not take place till 1892. There were problems getting some of the Indians off the land, and some of the Indians got first choice of properties, which had to be formalized. The land also had to be surveyed, which took a substantial amount of time. Maybe Boone thought it was going to happen quickly, which it didn’t, but at any rate, they lived there in limbo for some time. I have been told by reliable sources, that almost twenty-five thousand settlers lined on the Texas side of the territory, and they ran south to north. The U.S, Calvary was there, and fired the gun to start the “Run”, and yes, there were those who jumped the gun, now called “Sooner’s”. It would be almost another fifteen years before any roads were built around Roger Mills County. When Boone settled on the land, they made a “dugout” to live in until they built the house. When, my brother Tim, and my father visited there in the mid-seventies, the old dugout was still visible, the windmill was still standing. It must have taken months getting the lumber to the land to build the home. The lumber was hauled one hundred and fifty miles from the end of the railroad. It is overwhelming for me to think of this land with no roads, no fences, wild prairie grass growing to shoulder length while on horseback. Daniel Rice and notes from Uncle Jack

Prior to the passage of the Organic Act of 1890, an Indian Commission of three men were appointed to work with the Indians and persuade them to take their lands by allotment. The surplus would then be opened for settlement. The Indian Commission worked with the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes at Fort Sill for several years, and finally the Jerome Agreement was signed. The Tribes were allotted their homesteads, and the remainder of the rest of the area would be available for settlement by others. The lands of the Cheyenne - Arapaho country were to be decided by a "land run", a race for claims in the reservation. This run was held April 19, 1892. Daniel Rice

When driving between Lone Wolf in Kiowa County and Granite in Greer County, on Highway 9, or west out of Sentinel on Highway 55, even the natives of the area has trouble imagining six million Texas Longhorn cattle with hundreds of trail bosses, chuckwagons, and remudas of 40 to 50 horses ambling through and grazing contentedly in the lush, green grass during the period from 1866 until 1885. In addition to the many enormous drives, cattle herds also traveled in fewer numbers until 1892 when homesteaders located and began fencing Oklahoma Territory. Local lore and history tells about the Great Western Trail traversing this area with it's origin at Bandera, Texas, just to the NW of San Antonio, about 450 miles south of the Red River, and it's destination of Dodge City, Kansas, about 45 miles north of Indian Territory. Some historians called the trail the old Doan Trail, because it crossed the Red River at Doan's crossing. Others called it the Old Dodge City Trail, because it ended at Dodge City. Some even confused it with the Chisholm or Chisum Trail, which actually lay further east near El Reno. Oklahoma State Highway Department called it the Old Texas Trail on their map published in 1933.
The Great Western cattle Trail was only a few miles west of Elk City, and the Rice Homestead. After the land had been settled in 1892, there were others who used the old trail. Lloyd M. Rice wrote: Father had a windmill on the place, which furnished an everlasting stream of pure, cold water. So, all the freighters, all the hunters of homes, all the outlaws, all the people who were running from "you guess what" came by our Homestead...at different times we met Frank and Jesse James, Temple Houston and others who were nameless. They stopped, drank our water, watered their horses and slept in my fathers house, ate his bread and went on their way. Daniel Rice

==========================


Boone C. Rice Register of Land Office at Mangum, OK
Homestead Certificate #4320 and application #17623
Legal Description is
SE1/4NW1/4, NE1/4SW1/4 AND the Lots numbered 2 and 3 of Section 18-12-21.
containing 152 and 56/100 acres.

==========================


Original Civil War Discharge By Daniel Rice
Boone C. Rice served with:

15th REGIMENT MO CAVALRY.

Organized November 1, 1863, from 7th Regiment Enrolled Militia. Attached to District of Southwest Missouri, Dept. Missouri, to April, 1865. District of North Missouri, Dept. Missouri, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.--Scout and patrol duty in District of Southwest Missouri till April, 1865, and in North Missouri till July, 1865. Actions at Mt. Vernon September 30, 1864; Moreau Bottom, Jefferson City, October 7; Booneville October 9-12; Big Blue or State Line October 22. Engagement at the Marmiton, or Battle of Charlot, October 25. Mine Creek, Little Osage River, Marias des Cygnes, October 25. Newtonia October 28. Affair near James Creek April 27, 1865 (Co. "C"). Mustered out July 1, 1865.
Lost during service 1 Officer and 6 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 35 Enlisted men by disease. Total 43.
Source of Data: "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, V.III" by Frederick H. Dyer, c1908, p.1311
Daniel Rice Comments: His Military record indicates he showed up the first day with the clothes on his back, a good horse and saddle. He was also sick for a two week period in 1864.

========================

Census Information

1900 Roger Mills County Census Elk Township in Household 472 was
B.C. Rice, head, born Dec 1844, 54 years old married 20 years, born MO, dad born in KY, mom born in KY, farmer and can read and write
Barbara, wife, born July 1857, 42 years, married 20 years bore 5 kids, 5 kids living, born in Canada-Irish.
Lloyd M, son, born June 1885, 14 years born MO twin
Leslie M, born June 1885, 14 years born MO twin
Robert M born June 1888, 11 years, born MO


1910 Census Roger Mills County, Kiowa Township, Household 39, E.D. (Enumeration District 241, Moad is census taker in April 1910 and sheet 2-B
Boon C. Rice 63 years m. 28 years
Barbara is 49 and married 28 years, had 5 kids, 5 living
Robert M 21 years
Lloyd M and 22 years old married 1 year
Ira daughter-in-law 18 years married 1 year
James B son 5/12 1882

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Tidbit's
100 years ago

Cheyenne Sunbeam Newspaper 9-5-1902

The county commissioners appointed B.C. RICE as Justice of the Peace for Kiowa Township, Ok. Sept. 5, 1902
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Early History, Walnut Grove Township, Greene County, Missouri From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western Historical Company, 1883.

"The first death was that of Boone Chastine, of Kentucky, who died in 1838, and was buried at the present site of a saw mill."
=========================

Obituaries

BOONE C RICE
Born 15DEC1844
Married 5 DEC 1880
Died 6 MAY 1913
Buried Grandview Cemetery
Beckham County, OK
Husband of Barbara A. McMehen
B.C. Rice, an old and highly respected citizen who lived 12 miles north of town, died in Elk City Tuesday. Mr. Rice had been sick for several weeks a short time ago his condition became so serious that he was brought to town so he could be under the constant care of the physician. His condition became more serious Tuesday and an operation was performed but without relief and he grew weaker until death relieved his sufferings.
Funeral services were held at the residence on east Third Street Wednesday afternoon conducted by the Masonic Lodge of which e was an honored member. Burial at the Grandview Cemetery. He leaves a wife and five children all grown. Mrs. C.E. Harless, a daughter from Kansas City was here to attend the funeral.
8 May 1913 Elk City Newspaper



It appears that on Boone C. Rice's grave there is a military stone. There are no dates on the stone but this info says that the stone says.
TRL 15 MO Cav.- TRL means Troop or Company L

Barbara McMehen Rice
Born July 1857
Died 1 DEC1925
Buried Grandview Cemetery
Wife of Boone C Rice
Daughter of James and Harriett Rebecca McConnell

Mrs. M. Reger received a sad message last Tuesday afternoon stating that her sister, Mrs. Rice had died suddenly at Walnut Grove, Missouri, that day. Mrs. Regers left Wednesday for Missouri and returned Saturday night with the corpse and relatives.
Mrs. Barbara Rice died Dec 1, 1925 at Walnut Grove, Missouri. Her remains were shipped to Elk City Saturday night and her funeral was preached by Rev. Webb of Elk City at the Grandview School house Sunday. She was laid to rest in the Grandview Cemetery Sunday afternoon. A large crowd of relatives and friends from Cheyenne, Sandstone, Bella Vista, Elk City and Grandview attended the services. She leaves to mourn her passing a mother of Walnut Grove, Missouri; a sister, Mrs. Regers of Grandview; a brother, two sons, Lloyd and Leslie Rice of Oklahoma and daughter Mrs. Harliss of Texas and many other relatives and friends.
December 10, 1925 Elk City News

(These family members buried at Grandview Cemetery, Elk City, Ok.)

Rice Barbara A. (McMehen) 12/01/1925 W/O Boone C. D/O James & Harriett Rebecca (McConnell)

Rice Boone C. H/O Barbara (McMehen)

Robert M. 12/21/1921 S/O Boone C.& Barbara (McMehen)
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Now that I have laid down some History of Boone Rice. Let's speculate on him making the biggest decision of his life. Concerning the Civil War. Boone C. Rice had to make a decision. Would he join the North or the South in the Civil War. This was probably the most important decision in his life. It was, by all accounts, a decision of life or death. His father, Jonathan, was not around in 1863, to give him any kind of guidance. His mother Elizabeth, when Boone was to go to war, would be left home with Margaret age 13 being the oldest, and young Logan Joshua at age 11, the oldest boy. Jonathan’s father, Jonathan, in Kentucky, had many slaves. Jonathan and Elizabeth also were large slave holders in Polk County, Mo. The Civil War events that unfolded leading up to 1863, leads me to believe his decision to join the Union Army was two-fold. Even if he was a Southern sympathizer, Missouri was now controlled by the Union troops. Also, the Emancipation Proclamation was written in 1862. Quite simply, slavery was to be abolished. Polk County was his home, and the home of his mother and father before him. If these were the laws of his home, he had to adhere to them, no matter what his belief was. This was a difficult time for Boone and others, who had to make these decisions. Hatred was rampant from both sides of this issue. By the end of the war in 1865, people were sick of the feuding, and the dying. Upon surrendering, General Robert E. Lee said “ I can not stand to see one more of our young boy’s die, as so many have”. I seldom think about Boone. What he thought, and how he felt leaving his mother with his younger brothers and sisters. Would he make it back, to help her, and be healthy? When he returned from the war, he stayed with his mother till she died some 15 years later, and did not marry until after her death. It seems that Boone became a pillar for his mother, and then later for his brothers and sisters, and even later for his own family when they moved to Oklahoma. He was a man respected by his family and by his community.

Boone’s story is unique, and a big part of history. I am so proud of what he accomplished in his lifetime, and proud to be his Great Grandson. God Bless Him!

Please Enjoy these remnants of Boone, as I have over the years collecting this history. I hope you know him alot better, and please pass this to your children.....and their children.

Daniel

P.S. There is this song that reminds me of Boone. They played the song alot after 911, and our troops went off to War. Five for Fighting "Superman". Maybe I'll do the WORD family next week...:)