The Rice Families of Knox County, Ohio

CLINTON M. RICE.

An enumeration of the enterprising men of Knox county, Ohio, who have won recognition and success for themselves and at the same time have conferred honor upon the community, would be incomplete were there failure to make mention of the popular gentleman whose name initiated this review. Clinton M. Rice, of Danville, holds worthy prestige in business circles and has always been distinctively a man of affairs and fields a wide influence among those with whom his lot has been cast, having won definite success and shown what a man of lofty principles, honesty of purpose and determination can win if properly controlled, as his have evidently been, and because of his industry, integrity and courtesy he has always stood high in the estimation of the people and merits in every way their esteem.

Mr. Rice was born on November 6, 1857, on a farm in Brown township, this county. He is the son of Ephraim and Mary M. (Porter) Rice. The father was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and the mother in Knox county, Ohio. The father came to Knox county with his parents, Isaac and Cordelia (Longsworth) Rice, in 1826 and settled on a farm in Union township where they remained two years, and in 1828 they moved to Jefferson township in which they spent the remainder of their lives engaged in agricultural pursuits. The father was a progressive, public-spirited man of affairs and he became a large land owner in Brown township. In connection with general farming he raised horses of excellent breeds. Politically, he was a Democrat and active in public affairs, and he filled various offices in his township. He was a member of the Methodist church. His death occurred in April, 1888; his widow, a woman of many estimable attributes, still survives, being now advanced in years.

Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim Rice, namely: Clinton M., of this sketch; Tamzen J. married Solomon Ross, of Jelloway, this county; Emma F. married Peter Wise, of Brown township; Harriet E. married Eugene Loney, of Brown township; Sol B. lives in Danville; William B. lives on the home farm in Brown township; Jay J. C. died in May, 1908.

Clinton M. Rice was reared on the home farm and he was educated in the country district schools, and the Central Normal School at Danville, also spent part of one year at Kenyon College. Thus well equipped for. life's work, he began teaching, which he followed with marked success for a period of ten years in the district schools of Knox county. In 1886 he engaged in the banking business with Albert I. Wolfe as the Danville Bank for ten years, Mr. Rice being cashier, from which position he retired in 1895, but still retained a financial interest. While teaching, Mr. Rice read law with Judge J. B. Waight, of Mt. Vernon, and after giving up teaching he went to Fayettsville, Arkansas, for the practice of law, but his health failing there, he remained less than a year. He was admitted to the bar in that state. Upon his return to Danville, Ohio, he opened a law and real estate office in 1898, which he still maintains in Danville, and he has built up a large business in each. In recent years he has been actively engaged in the gas development of this section of Ohio, being identified with the Mohegan Oil & Gas Company. He has settled a large number of states, having a large business in the probate court, and is a very active and busy man. He has various business interests, owning several farms in this county, also owns land elsewhere. He is a man of sound judgment, keen discernment and wise foresight, and his integrity is unquestioned so that he has ever enjoyed the good will and confidence of the people with whom he has dealings.

Mr. Rice was married on November 4, 1886, to Ocena M. Gilmore, a lady of culture and refinement, the daughter of Francis and Mary (Loney) Gilmore, a prominent family of Pike township, this county. This union has been graced by the birth of one daughter, Mary C., who lives at home.

Politically, Mr. Rice is a Democrat and he has been active and influential

6of> in public affairs. He was a member of the Danville board of education for seventeen years consecutively. He was a member of the board when the high school, one of the best in the county, was established. He is a member of the Democratic county central committee, and has been a frequent delegate to county, district and state conventions, and he has made his influence felt for the good of his community and the party. As a public servant be has been most diligent and conscientious and won the approval of all. irrespective of party alignment. He is a member of the Methodist church and has been active in church and Sunday school work and is a class leader and liberal supporter of the church. He is a man of liberal ideas, broad-minded, progressive in all that the term implies, obliging, genial and ever vigilant of the best interests of his town and county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Oscar Rice, who follows farming on section II, Brown township, Knox county, was born in Jefferson township, near the village of Greensville, on the 28th of July, 185 1, a son of Frederick Rice, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1822. The latter's father, Isaac Rice, claimed Maryland as the state of his nativity. Soon after his marriage he removed to the Keystone state, and in 1 829 he took up his above in Knox county, Ohio, entering a farm in Jefferson township, where he spent his remaining days, passing away at the age of fifty-five years. On that place his son Frederick was reared from the age of seven years, and he was there married to Nancy Jane WithrO'W, a daughter of the Hon. James Withrow, who came to this locality from Carroll county, Ohio. During the year 1840 he represented his district in the legislature and was a very prominent and influential citizen. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rice passed away in Jefferson township, the father dying in 1875, and the mother survived until 1879. Thky were the parents of eight children, four of whom are now living, namely: Oscar, the subject of this review; C. F., whose sketch will be found on another page of this volume; and Charles P. and Byron L., who are engaged in the implement business at Greensville, Ohio.

Oscar Rice was reared and educated in the place of his nativity, and after attaining his eighteenth year he began the profession of teaching, following that occupation until 1895, during which time he taught in both Indiana and Ohio. However, he followed his profession principally in Jefferson township, and in the task of instructing the young along lines of metal advancement his efforts proved very effective. Since abandoning the teacher's profession Mr. Rice has devoted his time and attention to his farming and stock-raising interests, in which he is meeting with an equally high degree of success.

In 1887 he was united in marriage to Sarah Young, a native of Knox county, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Mary Yoiing. Mr. Rice gives his political support to the Democracv, and on its ticket he was elected to the position of assessor of Brown township. He is kind and benevolent, charitable in his opinions of others, _\-et firm and positive in his convictions, and in the locality in which he has so long made his home he has a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

C. F. RICE.

C. F. Rice, who for more than six year-, filled the office of county commissioner with marked ability and to the satisfaction of all concerned, is a successful and extensive farmer of Knox county, living in Jefferson township. He was born in this township, December lo, 1854, a son of Frederick and Nancy J. Rice. His childhood and youth were passed in a manner common to boys of that period, and in the district schools he acquired a fair knowledge of those common English branches of learning which are of such practical value in the active affairs of life.

Mr. Rice remained at home and assisted his father in the cultivation of the home farm, and after his father's death assumed the management of the place, which he operated for his mother until she, too, was called away. He is to-day the owner of four hundred acres of good land in Jefferson, Brown and Union townships, and his farm work is carried on along progressive lines. Everything about the place is kept in good repair, rotation of crops is practiced and each year the well tilled fields yield to him desirable harvests. In connection with agricultural pursuits he is also buying and selling timber, annually shipping many carloads. This enterprise also adds materially to his income. In May, 1880, Mr. Rice was married to Miss Eliza E. McKee, a native of Union township and a daughter of Charles and Sarah McKee, who were early settlers of this locality. Mr. and Mrs. Rice began their domestic life upon the farm which is still their home, and the union has been blessed with one son. Earl C. They are worthy people who have many friends. In 1892, entirely unsolicited on his part, there came to him the nomination for county commissioner on the Democratic ticket. He was elected, and after three years" service in that office he was re-elected. He was also appointed to fill a vacancy of seven months, so that his incumbency in the position continued for seven months in addition to his six years' term. He has filled all the local offices, and in these, as in the county service, he won the commendation of the public by reason of his devotion to the general good. When twenty-one years of age he became a member of the Masonic fraternity and has since attained to the degree of a Knight Templar, in Clinton Commandery, No. 5, K. T. He likewise belongs to Bartholomew Lodge, I. O. O. F., at Democracy; to the Modern Woodmen Camp at Danville, and to the Knights of the Maccabees of Buckeye City. He is a worthy exponent of the teachings of those fraternities and is a representative farmer and valued citizen, true to every trust whether of a public or private nature.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.