The RICE-TELLEZ House

In 1924, S.O. Callahan, Jr. and George A. Rice began dealing with this property which was part of a larger parcel. In 1925 George A. (1888-1969) Rice and his wife Leilia (McCluer)(1893-1976) built the house and used it as a rental house for income. Mr. Rice opened a Jewelry store in 1917 in Olney after he and Leilia had married in 1915 in a home ceremony in the bride’s parents’ home in the Loving Community.

The Rices had only one child Maurine (1916-1987)— and she stayed with her parents while her husband, George Jenner Clark, Jr., was in the service in World War II and taught in OHS during the time; this was the best rental house in Olney, and with it being next to the Rice residence it was always in good shape. In 1941, when Tad Carter purchased Morgan Chevrolet, He needed a decent house for his family—Odell Grimshaw, his wife and her two children, Dorothy and Bob. In 1951 with the children now independent, Odell had her eye on the house on the other side of the street—the McCracken Funeral Home, which they added to and made a captivating colonial house.

After Mr. Rice died in 1969, Maurine Clark deeded her interest to her mother, who in 1972 sold the house to Emma West (1903-1982), the widow of Lester West (1886-1954). After Emma’s death, her heirs sold the house in 1983 to Jaydean Magee, who defaulted on the mortgage at Amwest Savings, and in 1999, Amwest Savings acquired the property.

In 1992, Michael Moscoso and his wife Jennifer became the owners, with Mike assuming the role of band director for OHS. In 1995, the Moscos s’s sold to Chance B. Cornet and his wife Kendra, who, in 1999, sold to Bradley Kent Jackson, the athletic director for OHS. In 2001 Kent and Elizabeth Joy Jackson sold to Damon and Tina Rodgers, with Damon coaching and teaching English at OHS

In 2009, Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers sold to Terry W. Sandlin and Jeremiah E. Sandlin, who entered into a survivorship agreement. After Terry passed, Jeremiah sold the house to Robert Keller in 2014. In April of this year, Keller sold to its current owners, Nicholas Tellez and Michelle Welsh.