Thomas Rice Warren's family bible recorded that he was born 24 November 1827 in Henderson County, Tennessee to Levi Warren and Lillinda (Boswell) Warren. The background of Levi Warren is a mystery. He may have come with the Boswell family from Caswell or Orange County, North Carolina, where there was a large Warren family. In Levi's day, the census records only gave the name of the head of household, and everyone else was a statistic. In 1820, Levi would have been a child listed as a statistic in the household of his parents or guardians. By 1830, when Levi would have first been head of his own household, he was apparently dead. He has not been found in any other records.

Lillinda Boswell was born 04 January 1810 in Orange County, North Carolina. Her father, Thomas Boswell, had been born 27 September 1779 in Prince William County, Virginia. Thomas was one of at least eleven children Edward Boswell, who moved the family from Virginia to North Carolina. The name of Edward Boswell's wife is not known. Lillinda's mother was Mary Sims, the daughter of George Sims and Zebia (Rice) Sims. Thomas Rice Warren was perhaps named for Zebia's father, Thomas Rice. Mary Sims was born 09 February 1787 in Caswell County, North Carolina. She and Thomas Boswell were married 10 December 1802 in Caswell County. About 1817, the Boswell family migrated to Henderson County, Kentucky. A couple of years later, Thomas Boswell led most of the family south to Henderson County, Tennessee, settling near a community called Independence.

When Levi Warren apparently died, Thomas Rice Warren was very young, and Levi's wife Lillinda was a teenage widow. About 1830, she married Nazareth Jones in Henderson County. Lillinda herself died 11 September 1831 about one day after giving birth to a son named William A. Jones. The baby died a few days later on 16 September. Lillinda was only 21 years old when she died. Before the age of four, Thomas Rice Warren had lost both parents, and is believe to have been raised by his mother's mother, the widow Mary (Sims) Boswell.

Thomas Rice Warren married Rebecca Ann Gattis 20 December 1848 in Madison County, Tennessee. Rebecca was the daughter of George Gattis and Frances (Brandon) Gattis. Rebecca's oldest brother, William Lawson Gattis, would be a life-long friend of Thomas Rice Warren.

Thomas bought land near Medon, Madison County, Tennessee from his brother-in-law William Gattis in 1855. Rebecca Gattis Warren died soon after giving birth to their fifth child Charles Dixon Warren in July 1860. Of their five children, only George Thomas Warren survived to adulthood.

On 10 September 1860. Thomas Rice Warren married Sarah Elizabeth Kerr, the daughter of David and Elizabeth Kerr. Sarah would be able to help Thomas raise his son George Thomas Warren, who was just almost three years old. The marriage ceremony was performed by William L. Gattis.

Back Row: Leroy Edgar Warren, Hansard Kanollys Warren, George Thomas Warren, Albert Keffin Warren

Front Row Adults: Thomas Rice Warren, Sarah Elizabeth (Kerr) Warren, Louisa Jane (Butler) Warren

Children: Probably several of the children of George Thomas Warren and Louisa Jane (Butler) Warren. The boy is probably Thomas M. Warren. The girl is probably Alice Warren. The baby is probably William Carl Warren.