JAMES MONROE RICE
THREE GENERATIONS OF HAMILTONIANS
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James
M. Rice was born in Hamilton county, Tennessee in 1826, and came to
Milam county, Texas in 1847, and was married to Elizabeth Standefer.
He was a 49'er in California.
James
Rice moved to Hamilton county in 1855 from Hogg Creek country of
McLennan county and brought the first wagon from that section into
Hamilton county and settled on the Headright of Isaac Standifer on the
Leon about 12 miles east of Hamilton. The trail that he made into Hamilton
county became the old Hamilton-Waco road, running south of the Leon, south
of Mt. View school house and down Hogg Creek.
He took a leading part in the creation of Hamilton
county and became the first Chief
Justice (County Judge) in 1858.
He selected and negotiated for the land that the county
seat now occupies, and with Henry Standefer, a brother-in-law, opened the
town’s first store.
He was captain of the Hamilton county Company for
frontier defense during the Civil War, and with a portion of his company
was at the Battle of Dove Creek southwest of San Angelo.
In early days he drove cattle to Abilene, Kansas,
Oklahoma, and eastern markets and drove one heard as far east as
Vicksburg, Miss.
He died at Galveston where he had gone on a business
trip and was there buried in October, 1872.
The Hamilton County News, Vol. IV, Number
11--Section One
Historical and Trading Expansion Issue
W. F. Billingslea, Editor-Publisher
Subscription Price ONE YEAR ..$1.00
June 29, 1934
