Willam Edward Rice, Sr.
1913-1999
Married: Mamie L. Smith (1937)
Children: William E. Jr . & James D.
5 Grandchildren
William Edward Rice, Jr.
May 29, 1938
Married: Ginger Crockett (1960)
Children: Vickie Pelfrey, William "Bill" III, & Virginia "Ginny" Dabbs
3 Grandchildren, 1 Great Grandchild
Ed Rice, Sr. was born in 1913, to William & Mary Rice, the eldest of 8 brothers and sisters. Ed Sr. grew up on a farm on North Greenhill Rd and later on a farm on South Green Hill Road in Mt. Juliet. After graduating from Mt. Juliet High School, he went to work for his Uncle Edd Hunter in his country store on Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet. The store was built in 1886, and stands today as the retail outlet for Rice's Country Hams. He purchased the store from his Uncle in 1935. He married Mamie Smith in 1937.
In 1949 and 1950, the country grocery business began to slow down. In looking for a way to support his family, his brother-in-law Buford Smith suggested he cure some country hams. Not knowing anything about curing country hams, Ed Sr. went to the Agricultural Extension Service in Lebanon and got a booklet written by Dr. Curtis Melton, The first year he cured 18 hams. All but one of these hams were stolen. It took two years before he could afford to buy hams again. Before retiring in 1981 Ed, Sr. was curing over seven hundred hams each year, many of which were served to Presidents, country music stars and other celebrities.
William Edward Rice, Jr. was the eldest child of Ed Rice, Sr. Ed, Jr. and his brother Jim grew up working in the country store and helping their father cure country hams. Ed, Jr. spent his life learning and mastering the art of curing country hams from his father in their backyard smokehouse.
Ed, Jr. also attended Mt. Juliet Schools. He was a member of the FFA, and Vice President of his senior class. In 1958 Ed Jr. won the Safe Teenage Driving Championship for the State of Tennessee. He won a college scholarship and represented the State of Tennessee in the National Contest in Washington D.C. He attended Tennessee Tech on his scholarship.. He was active in the community and was a pioneer in starting the Mt. Juliet Little League. He was a member of the Lions Club.
In May, 1960 Ed, Jr. married Ginger Crockett and began working forGlass Plant in June,1960. He retired in 1991. In 1981 Ed, Jr. took over the Country Ham Business. Ed and his wife Ginger worked side by side, to transform the business from a small family concern into a large direct-shipping and retail operation that is renowned throughout the nation. Ed, Jr. has been featured on several television shows, including Tennessee Crossroads, Nick Beres' Morning Line, The Martha Stewart Show, The Larry Brinton Show, Talk of the Town and Living Green Tennessee.
The Rice Family have been winning awards at State and County Fairs for over forty years for their country hams. The family has lost count as to how many awards they have won but, know that they have had forty-three Grand Champion Hams since 1971.
Ed, Jr. retired for the second time in 2004. At that time he was curing over forty-five hundred country hams each year. The country ham business contitonues thive throughthe leadership of his daughter and son-in-law Ginny and Scott Dabbs. It is the oldest retail business still in operation in Mt. Juliet.
Once again in 2013 a Rice's Country Ham won the Grand Champion at the Tennessee State Fair. Dr. Curtis Melton, the author of the original manual Ed Rice, Sr. used to learn how to cure country hams was the judge.
