ULYSSES ASHFORD RICE, M. D.

 

 

     Ulysses Ashford Rice, M.D., b January 2, 1829 in Barnwell District, South Carolina, d April 9, 1898 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery - was the sixth child of Jesse Rice (1793- 1867) and his wife, Sarah (Wooten) Rice (1797-1842), and a grandson of Aaron Rice, b 1758 in Virginia, d 1820 in South Carolina - a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, in which he served with the South Carolina Militia, and under General Francis Marion.

     Ulysses Ashford Rice was educated in Charleston, South Carolina, where he graduated from an old, historic military academy, The Citadel, and then studied medicine in the medical school in Charleston, South Carolina, where he received his degree November 22, 1849.

     On June 4, 1850 in Allendale, South Carolina, Ulysses was married to Mary Josephine Buckner, b November 8, 1825 in Coosawhatchie, Beaufort District, South Carolina, d 1857, shortly after May, at the family's large sugar, rice, and cotton plantation, "Woodlawn," which was located just out of Robertville, Beaufort District, South Carolina- a daughter of Benjamin Heap and Margaret Jane (Morrison) Buckner.

     Dr. and Mrs. Ulysses A. Rice moved, after their marriage, to Georgia, where he established his medical practice - returning to the Buckner plantation for the birth of their first child, and subsequently again settling in Clinch County, Georgia, where two other children were born:

     Benjamin Herbert Rice, b December 6, 1854 in Beaufort District, South Carolina, d November 15, 1918 in Austin, Travis County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Falls County, Texas- married April 6, 1887 in Marlin to Mary Bowles Carter, b June 8, 1865 in Cameron, Milam County, Texas, d February 20, 1959 in Austin, Texas and also buried in Calvary Cemetery - a daughter of Captain Henry Gray and Mary Cleo (Williams) Carter.

     Selwyn Percival Rice, M.D., b November 13, 1854 in Clinch County, Georgia, d September 22, 1929 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas - cremated, and on September 25, 1929, his ashes were laid to rest in the Cal- vary Cemetery with Masonic rites. On November 27, 1879, married Martha John Anderson (called "Mattie"), b September 2, 1856, d September 22, 1940 and buried by her husband's grave site in Calvary Cemetery - a daughter of William and Deborah (Barton) Anderson - natives Georgia, who settled in Port Sullivan, Milam County, Texas, where "Mattie" was born.

     Mary Josephine Rice, b October 1, 1856, d July 31, 1946 - married Louis Trezevant Fuller, and they moved to Houston, Texas - having nine children.

     After the death of Mary Josephine (Buckner) Rice, Dr. Ulysses A. Rice married second to a Miss Faulk,  but she died six months after the marriage. On June 13, 1863 in Jeffersonville, Twiggs County, Georgia, where he had relocated, Dr. Rice was married third to Henrietta Eleanor Hughes, and four of their ten children were born there. Only eight of their ten children survived infancy, and they were:

     Jesse L. Rice, Annie Rice, Mattie Rice who married Ernest T. Beard, Florence Rice, Ulysses Ashford Rice, Jr.; Willie E. Rice, b December 19, 1881, d December 18, 1960 and buried in Calvary Cemetery by his parents - was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army in World War I; Eula Rice who married C. P. Jones – a Calvert merchant; and Haywood F. Rice who lived most of his life in Fort Worth, Texas, then for a shor1 time in Calvert with his sister, Mrs. Jones, and married second in September 1962 to Mrs. Olive (Sheppard) Pierce of Chilton - moved to her in Chilton, Falls County, Texas, and died and was buried there.

     Dr. Ulysses Ashford Rice enlisted in the Confederate States Army as a member of Company G. 48tt Georgia Infantry, and became Captain of his Company His regiment was attached to the Army of Northern Virginia. Among the most memorable of the engagements in which he participated, was the Peninsula Campaign in Virginia, where his Regiment were par1 of the forces commanded by General Jubal A. Early He has been credited with forming the "Sloppy Guards" of Georgia, serving as Surgeon. A monumen1 has been erected in honor of Dr. Rice as founder of the group. It is said that when his commanding officer was killed in a battle in Georgia, Dr. Rice picked up the standard and led the men to victory - and thus, the erection of the monument in later years, in his honor.

     In the Autumn of 1871, Dr. Ulysses Ashford Rice and his second wife and children by both marriages, moved to Texas - settling first in Colorado County. In 1872, he purchased a farm near the present site of Temple, Texas - then moved to Calvert in Robertson County, Texas and opened a drug store. He subsequently bought Dr. Ghent's medical practice and home, and moved to Port Sullivan in Milam County, Texas. In 1881, the Rices moved back to Calvert; but by 1887, he moved his family to Durango in Falls County, and practiced there and in Cedar Springs. In 1892, Dr. Rice was residing in Marlin, Texas, where he practiced medicine and helped in the drug store of a grandson, Anderson Rice, until his death.

 

 

 Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 386 column 1 and 2 and page 387 column 1.  
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.