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Location DB > United States > Texas > Rice > The Rice Gin > In Their Own Words

Story Info
Sun, Mar 2nd, 2008
posted by Explorer Zero
In Their Own Words

Old timers are often the only records that exist about some locations. I'll take time to talk to them if they seem willing and not too scared of me. The following excerpts are posted on a Texas history public forum. In their own words.



Subject: Another Lost Limb in Rice, Texas
I found [the story] quite interesting about the man who got his arm cut off in the cotton gin at Rice, Texas. My grandmother, Rosa Mae Fisher, also had her left arm cut off above her elbow at the same cotton gin. She was 5 years old at the time and since she was born in 1907, that would be right about 1912. She and her parents and siblings lived in Palmer at the time. - Lillian Williams (No town name provided), November 22, 2006

Subject: Information about Rice Texas
> I ran across your website that had some information on Rice TX and I read the article from Robert Erisman IV about a man who got his arm cut off in the cotton gin. Yes that did happen, it was my grandfather ,his name was Jack Leach, he ran the cotton gin for brothers J.B & James Fortson for over 40 years. He lived in the house on the same property. When I was a child we would play in the cotton seed barn until we would get in trouble, then back again as soon as we could. It was so much fun growing up there. You could ride your bikes or horses anytime or anywhere and didn’t have to worry about anything.

The stories about Bonnie & Clyde I am not sure about robbing the bank but I do know they stayed at the hotel that used to be downtown, there was pictures at one time in the Pioneer Village in Corsicana of them there.

My mother is 72 and lived in Rice her entire life and I still have family there. I was in the last class to graduate from the old school 8th grade before they tore it down back in the 70’s. It had a fire slide that would go up to the 3rd floor we used to climb out on the ledge walk around it & slide down it was a blast, yes we would get in trouble from teachers & parents but it was worth it. Thanks. - Sharon K. Vaclavik, August 14, 2006


> Subject: I am a resident of Rice, Tx. I read your article about your visit to Rice,Tx. in 2000. I really enjoyed reading it. I am sad to inform that the Rice City Grill is no longer in business, but I was wanting to write and let you know about my mothers business that she has recently opened here. Rice finally has a flower and gift shop and she really is doing well. My mothers name is Irene Lopez and it has always been her dream to have a flower shop in Rice, as this is where I grew up. The shops name is LeFleur Floral & Gifts. This is a nice addition to such a small town.

The building where she is located was once the Rice Bank many, many years ago. It is also rumored that the Bank was once robbed by Bonnie and Clyde, (would like to know the truth to that one).

Rice also now has a newsletter, which is also located in the historic Bank building. Just thought i would write with an update on our wonderful little town. :) Monica Slade, July 23, 2004



> Subject: My name is Robert Erisman IV and I live in Chatfield next to Rice and I have a little information about Rice History. A woman who goes to my church, who is very old, told me [about] that the old Cotton Gin that mean kids mess around in and destroy things in. Well, [she said] that some man who she knew who was the owner back in 1915 or something like that was working in there and the machine stopped and so he tried to fix it and it started back up and killed him or cut his arm off. I'll try and find out more information about that accident.

Also in Chatfield there is a very old house that the generals would sometimes stay in during the Civil War and the pasture next to it is where a battle was fought that had to do with the civil war. Some of the Civil War took place there you could say. And next to my house there is another house but not quite as old as the other one and there is a reenactment of the Civil War every year... Thank you for your time. - Robert Erisman IV



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