Jabez Rice

Ezra Beaman was one of West Boylston’s town founders. A veteran of the Revolutionary War and a fierce advocate for West Boylston’s independence, Ezra Beaman became a local hero. Below are photographs of Ezra Beaman’s grandson and his wife.

Jabez Rice (1793-1867) was Ezra’s grandson through his daughter Betsey Beaman and her husband, Luther Rice. Jabez’s wife was Mary (Pierce) Rice who lived 1794-1882. They lived in the West Boylston area until their deaths. Jabez and Mary’s son, George Calvin Rice, donated a sum of money and a patch of land to the town in 1911. The town used this money to build the Beaman Memorial Public Library, so named to honor George Calvin Rice’s great-grandfather. His parents’ photographs are a reminder of the family that gave this town its beloved library.