James Franklin Rice was born on June 26, 1851 to Benjamin Ajax Rice, Sr. and Manervia Baker in what is now Bell County. He lived with his mother, grandmother, Jane Baker, and half-brother, Larkin Groves Baker on Clear Creek. On November 9, 1871, he married Susan Ward, a daughter of John Murphy Ward and Nancy Warren of Peach Blossom on the right fork of Straight Creek. JF Rice and Susan Ward lived and raised their family in the town of Pineville where James served a term as city clerk. Later, they moved to Wasioto near where BA Rice, Sr. once operated a mill on the Cumberland River. They owned a general store on Harbell Lane in the area that was formerly known as Partin Town at Wasioto. James was small in stature and wore a heavy, dark mustache, while Susan wore long, print dresses that reached her ankles and appeared as neat as a pin at all times. Both are buried in the Rice family cemetery at Wasioto.

JF Rice wrote the majority of the following information in his large, 828 page, leather-bound Family Parallel Bible that remains in the family.

Marriages

 James F Rice and Susan Ward were married November 9, 1871.

Benjamin A. Rice and Mirtie (Minnie) Wilson were married July 24, 1894.

Robert G. Rice and Ella Smith were married September 9, 1896.

Births

Benjamin A. Rice was born December 31, 1872.

Robert Groves Rice was born November 14, 1875.

Rufus Murphy Rice was born August 25, 1879.

James Blaine Rice was born September 16, 1881.

Mary Elisa Rice was born December 15, 1883.

Nancy Rice was born July 23, 1886.

George Finley Rice was born July 31, 1888.

Sudie Rice was born May 13, 1890.

Manervia Evelyn Rice was born May 5, 1892.

(These are the children born to James F Rice and Susan Ward).

James Calvin Rice was born April 20, 1900.

Ella Myrtle Rice was born September 22, 1903. (Daughter of Rufus Murphy Rice).

Beulah Howard was born May 20, 1911. (Daughter of Ed Howard and Manervia Rice).

James Ward Howard was born March 12, 1913. (Son of Ed Howard and Manervia Rice).

Deaths

JC Rice, infant son of Robert G and Ella F Rice, died July 7, 1900.

Robert Groves Rice died October 16, 1904.

Ella Myrtle Rice, infant daughter of Rufus M. and Lucricia Rice, died April 11, 1904.

James F Rice died March 23, 1926.

Susan Ward Rice died March 4, 1932.

Sudie Rice Jones died April 9, 1937.

Manervia Rice Howard died February 6, 1939.

Benjamin A Rice died December 1, 1939.

Rufus Murphy Rice died July 1, 1952.

Mary Elisa Rice Phipps died November 1, 1943.

James Blaine Rice died April 20, 1963.

Memoranda                                                                    Family Temperance Pledge

James Franklin Rice was born June 26, 1851.                              This signed February 12, 1889

Susan Ward Rice was born March 13, 1853.                               James F Rice, Susan Rice, BA Rice, Jr.