Everyone knew him as 'Bill Rice'. His nick name as a child was Willie. He was named William Fredrick, but he later reversed his first & middle names when he filled out the registration card to join the Army.
"North Carolina / PVT US ARMY / World War I"
Son of Hiram & Rebecca(Whittemore)Rice, both buried in Big Ivy (Rice & Whittemore family)Cemetery, Barnardsville, NC.
Fred's first wife was Stella Gibbs, married 1 Sept 1919 in Yancey County, NC. They had two daughters, Virginia, born 1923, & Margaret, born 1925. Records show Fred & Stella still married in 1930, but she & the girls were living with her parents. (No one knew where they were until about 1990s. Family rumor has it that it was a conflict between their fathers that caused them to separate. His father was a Union soldier and her father was a Conferderate Soldier during the Civil War. But he was also labeled a "Ladies Man" which may have been an issue.)
Fred's second wife was Ruth Berry. they had five children together. Ben, Brown, Frankie(my mother), Eunice & Lily. He was a very loving and protective father. A very tall man.
Ruth had two daughters from a prev marriage, Ida & Thelma, Bill helped raise. Ruth died in 1944 & is buried in the Berry Family cemetery, Carter Co., TN. She wanted to be close to her father who had passed a couple of months before her.
Bill married at least two more times;
A L Valsame, 26 April 1960
As of 9/2012, Ida & Brown are the last surviving children.
(He was my grandfather)
"North Carolina / PVT US ARMY / World War I"
Son of Hiram & Rebecca(Whittemore)Rice, both buried in Big Ivy (Rice & Whittemore family)Cemetery, Barnardsville, NC.
Fred's first wife was Stella Gibbs, married 1 Sept 1919 in Yancey County, NC. They had two daughters, Virginia, born 1923, & Margaret, born 1925. Records show Fred & Stella still married in 1930, but she & the girls were living with her parents. (No one knew where they were until about 1990s. Family rumor has it that it was a conflict between their fathers that caused them to separate. His father was a Union soldier and her father was a Conferderate Soldier during the Civil War. But he was also labeled a "Ladies Man" which may have been an issue.)
Fred's second wife was Ruth Berry. they had five children together. Ben, Brown, Frankie(my mother), Eunice & Lily. He was a very loving and protective father. A very tall man.
Ruth had two daughters from a prev marriage, Ida & Thelma, Bill helped raise. Ruth died in 1944 & is buried in the Berry Family cemetery, Carter Co., TN. She wanted to be close to her father who had passed a couple of months before her.
Bill married at least two more times;
A L Valsame, 26 April 1960
As of 9/2012, Ida & Brown are the last surviving children.
(He was my grandfather)
Everyone knew him as 'Bill Rice'. His nick name as a child was Willie. He was named William Fredrick, but he later reversed his first & middle names when he filled out the registration card to join the Army.
"North Carolina / PVT US ARMY / World War I"
Son of Hiram & Rebecca(Whittemore)Rice, both buried in Big Ivy (Rice & Whittemore family)Cemetery, Barnardsville, NC.
Fred's first wife was Stella Gibbs, married 1 Sept 1919 in Yancey County, NC. They had two daughters, Virginia, born 1923, & Margaret, born 1925. Records show Fred & Stella still married in 1930, but she & the girls were living with her parents. (No one knew where they were until about 1990s. Family rumor has it that it was a conflict between their fathers that caused them to separate. His father was a Union soldier and her father was a Conferderate Soldier during the Civil War. But he was also labeled a "Ladies Man" which may have been an issue.)
Fred's second wife was Ruth Berry. they had five children together. Ben, Brown, Frankie(my mother), Eunice & Lily. He was a very loving and protective father. A very tall man.
Ruth had two daughters from a prev marriage, Ida & Thelma, Bill helped raise. Ruth died in 1944 & is buried in the Berry Family cemetery, Carter Co., TN. She wanted to be close to her father who had passed a couple of months before her.
Bill married at least two more times;
A L Valsame, 26 April 1960
As of 9/2012, Ida & Brown are the last surviving children.
(He was my grandfather)
"North Carolina / PVT US ARMY / World War I"
Son of Hiram & Rebecca(Whittemore)Rice, both buried in Big Ivy (Rice & Whittemore family)Cemetery, Barnardsville, NC.
Fred's first wife was Stella Gibbs, married 1 Sept 1919 in Yancey County, NC. They had two daughters, Virginia, born 1923, & Margaret, born 1925. Records show Fred & Stella still married in 1930, but she & the girls were living with her parents. (No one knew where they were until about 1990s. Family rumor has it that it was a conflict between their fathers that caused them to separate. His father was a Union soldier and her father was a Conferderate Soldier during the Civil War. But he was also labeled a "Ladies Man" which may have been an issue.)
Fred's second wife was Ruth Berry. they had five children together. Ben, Brown, Frankie(my mother), Eunice & Lily. He was a very loving and protective father. A very tall man.
Ruth had two daughters from a prev marriage, Ida & Thelma, Bill helped raise. Ruth died in 1944 & is buried in the Berry Family cemetery, Carter Co., TN. She wanted to be close to her father who had passed a couple of months before her.
Bill married at least two more times;
A L Valsame, 26 April 1960
As of 9/2012, Ida & Brown are the last surviving children.
(He was my grandfather)
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
