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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Rice Family Papaers, 1892-1995 (Bulk 1917-1962), Ms2022-021, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Rice Family Papers were purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in March 2022.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Rice Family Papers was completed in April 2023.

Biographical Note

Fletcher Roland Rice, Sr. (1866-1966) married Georgianna "Anna/Annie" Jones (1881-1928) on December 29, 1892. After Anna's death, Fletcher married Gracie Baldwin (1897-1979) on February 19, 1931. Fletcher and Gracie divorced in 1951. Fletcher then married a woman named Beatrice. Fletcher Sr. and Anna lived in Roanoke, Virginia and had nine children: Fletcher Jr. (1893-1973), Nannie Mae (1895-2000), Laura B. (1897-1958), Lillie May (1899-1956), Elizabeth "Lizzy" (c.1903-1938), Idella (1910-1963), Virginia (1912-1973), Naymon Eddieray Sr. (1914-1955), and James Cornelius (1916-1963). Fletcher Sr. worked for the Norfolk & Western Railroad as a laborer and, by 1943, he owned and rented out property on Walker Ave., N.E. in Roanoke.

Nannie Mae (Rice) Banks (1895-2000) was a central figure within the family, remaining in Roanoke while her siblings traveled to other parts of the world. Nannie exchanged romantic letters with a soldier serving in Europe during World War I (Solomon Payne) and with other suitors during the early part of the 20th century. She eventually married (William) Andrew Banks (1903-1945). They had no children together, but Nannie took in her sister Lizzy's son, James "Jimmy" Rogers, as her foster son after Lizzy's death. Her husband, Andrew, died in June 1945. In October of 1945, her foster son Jimmy was killed in Germany, a casualty of World War II. Nannie lived until the year 2000, reaching the age of 104.

Laura B. (Rice) Watts (1897-1958) married Wyatt Jones (c.1884-) in 1915. Later, she married Patrick Henry Watts (1900-1980). Laura and Patrick had at least one child, Vivian Gretchen (c.1926-) who married Samuel James Thompson (c.1921-).

Lillie May (Rice) Board (1899-1956) married Charles W. Jones (1896-1924) sometime in the 1910s, then Richard Payne on September 8, 1937 and, finally Robert Board (1900-1960) on March 16, 1953. Lillie and Robert had at least one son, Robert Jr. In some of the letters, Lillie calls herself "Mary."

Elizabeth "Lizzy" (Rice) Rogers (c.1903-1938) bore an "illegitimate" son, James "Jimmy," in 1920. She later married Charlton Beal Rogers (c.1892-) on April 30, 1931. She died in 1938.

Idella (Rice) Day (1910-1963) married Jack Babe Housier (1901-1972) sometime before 1930, showing up in the 1930 census with him and their daughters, Olivia Lucille (1924-) and Dorothy Mae (1927-c.1999). They divorced at some point and she married Major Cook Day (1892-1953). Idella sometimes appears in documents as "Della" or "Idelia."

Virginia (Rice) Booker (1912-1973) married Floyd Booker on October 25, 1938. By 1950, they had moved to Washington, District of Columbia, where she was employed as a maid and he as a restaurant cook. Floyd was a World War II veteran, achieving the rank of Private in the United States Army. No record of them having children has been found.

Naymon Eddieray Rice (1914-1955) left Roanoke just before the Great Depression. He began the 1930s staying in Camden, New Jersey with cousin Bertha Pate (c.1883-). He wrote home frequently, describing his difficulty finding work and asking for the family to send money. During World War II, he served stateside in the U.S. Army. his discharge certificate lists his rank as Private First Class with the "Supply Detachment Supply Division Section Two". He married Rebecca Kirkland sometime around 1942 but the marriage didn't last and by 1944 he had married Gladys Virginia Watts (1925-1979). Naymon and Gladys had at least one child: Naymon Jr. (1947-) who married Patricia E. Thomas (1947-).

James Cornelius Rice (1916-1963) served in the U.S. Army 156th Transportation Company in the Pacific during World War II. He survived the war and never married.

James "Jimmy" Lester Rogers (1920-1945) was the "illegitimate" son of Lizzie Rice. Bearing the name James Edward Rice at birth, he adopted the last name Rogers after his mother married Charlton Rogers in the 1930s. Jimmy became the foster son of his aunt Nannie when his mother died in 1938. He joined the Army in 1942 and served in England, France, and Germany as part of Company A and then Company B, 829th Engineer Aviation Battalion. He died in Frankfurt am Main, Germany in October 1945 and was buried in Lorraine American Military Cemetery near Avold, France.

Georgianna Maria (Thompson) Wilson (1943-1987) was the daughter of Vivian and Samuel Thompson and the granddaughter of Laura and Patrick Watts. Georgianna married James Thomas Wilson (1938-1993) and they had at least five children: Janet, Angela?, Dino Nieves (1963-), Ortiz, and Supade?.

Olivia Lucille (Housier) Matthews (1924-) was the daughter of Idella and Jack Housier. She married Edward "Zep" Gyle Matthews (1919-1986) and later married Ollie "Pat" Thompson, Jr. (1923-2004). Olivia and Pat had at least one child: Patricia.

Patricia (Thompson) Wilson (1940-1996) was the daughter of Olivia and Samuel Thompson and the granddaughter of Idella and Jack Housier. She married Edward Wilson (c.1943-).

Laura Bell (Cooper) Baldwin (1947-2020) was the daughter of Dorothy and James Cooper. and the granddaughter of Idella and Jack Housier. She married James Aguila McMickle, Sr. and then later married Douglas Baldwin.

Naymon Eddieray Rice, Jr. (1947-) was the son of Naymon and Gladys Rice. He married Patricia E. Thomas (1947-) on July 3, 1973. They later divorced on May 1, 2000.

Solomon Gomarh Payne (1895-1962) was born in Reid Island, Virginia. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I as part of Company D, 505th Engineers, holding the rank of Private First Class. His wife's name was Mary and they lived in Washington, D.C. in 1940 where he worked as a laborer for the Post Office.

Scope and Content

The Rice Family Papers include decades of letters to and from four generations of the decendents of Jerry Rice of Campbell County, Virginia. The majority of the letters were sent to Nannie Mae (Rice) Banks but there are also letters addressed to her father, Fletcher, her mother, Georgianna, and other members of the family. The letters document the experience of this Black family from Southwest Virginia as they lived through, fought, and died in, World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into seventeen series by correspondent. Some series have subseries as described below. Within each series or subseries, the items are arranged in chronological order.

Fletcher Roland Rice, Sr. Papers includes two subseries: Personal Correspondence Business Papers : Many of the business papers are related to the homes he owned and rented out on Walker Ave., N.E. in Roanoke Georgianna "Anna/Annie" (Jennings) Rice Papers includes letters with her aunt Nannie Gills, cousin William W. Rice, mother Maria Jennings, and a ticket to ride the train for Anna and her daughter Virginia. Gracie G. (Baldwin) Rice Correspondence includes letters from Gracie to Nannie Mae and Fletcher. Nannie Mae (Rice) Banks Papers contains the bulk of the material in the collection. This series incluces decades of correspondence with family, friends, and businesses. There are two subseries: Personal Correspondence is divided into twenty-seven subseries by primary correspondent: Solomon Gomarh Payne Correspondence is a series of letters between Nannie and Private First Class Payne while he was serving in Europe during World War I. Owen Burton Correspondence consists of two courtship letters from 1918. Andrew Banks Papers includes letters and papers involving Nannie's husband Andrew. Banks Family Papers includes letters and papers involving Andrew's extended family. Harvey Family Correspondence contains correspondence between Nannie and the famliy and descendants of her cousin Valda R. (Jones) Harvey. Miss Frances Papers includes correspondence and financial records involving Nannie's friend Frances Elizabeth Bush. Janet Kednocker Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Molly Janet (Bush) Kednocker and her family. Bush Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Howard Muse and Fannie Elizabeth Bush, Howard Lunsford and Juanita Mae Bush, and Howard Lunsford Bush's carer Kathleen Zollman. Evans Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and George Washington Evans, Geneva Mary (Patterson) Evans, and their daughter Evelyn Ann Evans Patterson Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Mary Geneva (Evans) Patterson and her children Margaret, Stanley, and Tony. Mary B. Miller Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Mary B. (Preston) Miller. Glaze Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and the Glaze family: Voyce, Sudye, Sudye Jr. "Pixie", Patricia, Louise, Francis, and Pallie. Sigmon Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Dell and Hester Sigmon. Saunders Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and the Saunders family: James, Ruth, Carolyn, Lisa, and Toney. Barley Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and the family of Margie Barley. Driscoll Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and the Driscoll family: Jim, Mabel, and Edith. Lena McDermett Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Lena McDermett who identifies herself as both "aunt" and "cousin" in letters. Kidd Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and the family of Franklin and Minnie Kidd. J.R. and Florence Board Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and J.R. and Florence Board. William McKinley and Hattie Rice Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and William McKinley and Hattie Rice. Pate Family Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Wilbert Thadius and Bertha Pate. Doris W. Broadbent Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Doris W. Broadbent. Margaret Lucas Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Margaret Lucas. Amanda Belle McCaskell Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Amanda Belle McCaskell. Zona Stevens Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Zona Margaret (Jamison) Stevens Blanche Scott Correspondence includes correspondence between Nannie and Blanche Scott. Other Correspondants includes correspondence between Nannie and many correspondants who are represented in the collection by a single letter or greeting card. Business Papers includes various receipts and two documents from the Owls Social Club of Roanoke, Virginia. Laura B. (Rice) Watts Correspondence includes letters and cards involving Laura's family. Lillie Mary (Rice) Board Papers includes letters, cards, and documents involving Lillie's family. Idella (Rice) Day Papers includes letters, cards, and documents involving Idella's family. Naymon Eddieray Rice, Sr., Pfc., Correspondence includes three subseries: Great Depression Era Correspondence includes correspondence from 1929-1939, primarily letters from Naymon to his sister Nannie. He uses the aliases "Bobbie Pate" and "CC," and the nickname "Ray" for many of the letters. There is also one letter from Bertha Pate to Nannie about Naymon who was staying with Bertha in New Jersey during this time period. World War II Era Correspondence includes correspondence from 1940-1944. Most of the correspondence is from Naymon to his sister Nannie but there are some letters to other family members. There are some letters from Naymon's first wife, Rebecca F. Kirkland, to Nannie during 1941-1942 and a couple of items from Naymon's second wife Gladys Virginia Watts to Nannie toward the end of 1944. Postwar Correspondence includes correspondence from September 1945-1958. This series includes letters and cards from Naymon and Gladys primarily to Nannie. James Cornelius Rice, Pvt., Correspondence includes letters between James and his sister Nannie during World War II. Georgianna Maria Wilson Correspondence includes letters and cards involving the family of Georgianna Wilson: Georgianna, Tito, Janet, Dino, and Ortiz. James "Jimmy" Lester Rogers, Pvt., Papers includes correspondence between Nannie and her foster son Jimmy during World War II. There are also letters, envelopes, and documents related to Nannie's inquiries about Jimmy after his death while serving in Europe. Matthews Family Correspondence includes correspondence with the family of Olivia Lucille (Housier) Matthews. Wilson Family Correspondence includes correspondence with the family of Patricia E. Wilson. Laura Bell Baldwin Correspondence includes a Christmas card and an invitation to a bridal shower. Naymon Jr. and Patricia Rice Correspondence includes correspondence with Naymon Jr.'s family. Photographs includes two photographs and one negative. Miscellaneous includes a coupon for Colgate Octagon Soap, a decoration made from a postcard, an unsigned note on a scrap of paper a recipe for rhubarb pie, an undated copy of the "Little Blue Book" and two business envelopes.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• African Americans -- History
• Depressions -- 1929
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Rice family (Jerry Lee Rice, ca.1831-1854)
• Roanoke (Va.)
• World War, 1914-1918
• World War, 1939-1945

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Rice Family Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).