The Rice Family of Montgomery County, Ohio

BLEMING RICE, a retired farmer, living in Van Buren township, Montgomery county, Ohio, was born in Frederick county, Md., September 26, 1822. He is a son of James and Rebecca (Drill) Rice, both natives of the last named county and state. They were parents of six children, five sons and one daughter, five of the six still surviving, as follows: Fleming,

James A.; Louisa, wife of John Waltz, of Muscatine, Iowa; John W., and Milton.

James Rice, the father of these children, was a miller in his early manhood. About 1826, he came to Ohio and located in Lancaster, removing thence to Chillicothe in a few years. He then moved to a point about four miles north of Dayton, and about five years afterward removed south of Dayton to Dayton township, now Van Buren township. The family was then too poor to purchase land, so rented a farm. There James Rice died in September, 1842, at the age of fifty-five years, his wife having died about five years before. Both were members of the Protestant Episcopal church, and though poor, were upright, honest and reliable people.

The paternal grandfather of Fleming Rice lived in Maryland until his death, which occurred in middle age. He and his wife reared a family of two sons and five daughters. The maternal grandfather also died in Maryland.

Fleming Rice was ten years old when brought by his parents to Montgomery county. Here he grew to manhood, receiving his education in the district schools. When his parents died he and his next younger brother took care of the other members of the family, giving them the best education the country then afforded. In 1843 Fleming married Miss Catherine Fenstmacher, by whom he had four children, as follows: Hester Jane, John W.,

Mary and Franklin. Hester Jane married Daniel Peters, of Preble county; John W., married Clara Bellman, and has three children. Mary married Jacob Sheets, and has one child. She and her husband live two miles south of the soldiers’ home, on the Germantown pike. Franklin, who married Victoria Dryden, has three children, and resides in Dayion.

Mrs. Catherine Rice died in January, 1864, a member of the German Reformed church.

Mr. Rice married, in 1867, Miss Mary E. Miller, daughter of John and Mary E. Miller, To this marriage there were born three children: Annie E., Charles D., and Olive

Leora. Annie E. married Sherebiah Bradford, and has one child. Charles D. married Elsie Gebhart, and Olive Leora lives at home. Mrs. Rice is a member of the German Reformed church. Politically Mr. Rice is a democrat, and as such has held several township offices. He has been quite successful in the accumulation of property, having four fine farms, one containing 160 acres; another 105 acres; one north of Dayton, 122 acres, and the home farm, 103 acres. His home farm lies between three and four miles south of Dayton. Having lived in Montgomery county sixty-four years he has seen much of the wonderful development of this rich valley. He is well known throughout the county as one of its most substantial, reliable and progressive farmers. He has always worked hard, and, beginning with nothing but his hands and a determination to accomplish something, has become independent, and now enjoys the respect of all both for what he has done and for what he is still capable of doing. Kindhearted, hospitable and generous, Mr. Rice has many friends among all classes of people. He is one of the public-spirited men of the county, always ready to aid worthy enterprises, modest in his bearing, and genial in disposition.

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

JAMES A. RICE, one of the most experienced farmers of Carrollton Station, Jefferson township, Montgomery county, Ohio (the post-office being named West Carrollton), was born in Frederick county, Md., May 24, 1825, and is a son of James and Rebecca (Drill) Rice, both natives of Maryland, and, respectively, of English and German descent.

James Rice came from Maryland to Ohio in 1835, and, with his small family, located in Harrison township, Montgomery county, but afterward removed to Van Buren township, following farming as an occupation, although he had been reared a miller. Mrs. Rebecca Rice died before the family moved to Van Buren township, but the father survived for some years and died in Van Buren township on the farm on which his children were reared.

James A. Rice, from the age of ten years, lived in Montgomery county, was educated in the common schools, and has all his life been a farmer. He began on his own account by renting a place in Van Buren township, on which he lived for twenty-five years, when he came to Jefferson township, in 1861, and purchased the farm of eighty-eight acres, on which he has since resided, and on which he has made most of the improvements. His farm is a model one, is unsurpassed in fertility, and been brought to its present state of perfection through the exertions and skill of Mr. Rice himself, aided by his elder children. Mr. Rice’s marriage took place September 16, 1847, to Miss Hannah Updyke, daughter of Albert and Rebecca (Reeder). Updyke, of Van Buren township, and the result of the union has been the birth of nine children, viz: Charles, Albert, Oliver, Newton, Wilson, Willie, Elmer, Emma and Olive. In politics Mr. Rice is a democrat, but has always been devoid of ambition as an office seeker, contenting himself with the exercise of his franchise. He has been industrious and is now enjoying the reward of that industry, while his high standing in the community in which he lives is well deserved.

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

NEWTON H. RICE, manager and bookkeeper for W. S. Hawthorn, coal and wood dealer, of Dayton, was born in Van Buren township, Montgomery county, Ohio, May 6, 1857, and is a son of James A. and Hannah (Opdyke) Rice.

James A. Rice, a native of Frederick county, Md., was born May 24, 1824, and is now residing on a farm in Jefferson township, Montgomery county, Ohio, where the parental home has been since 1861; Mrs. Hannah (Opdyke) Rice was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, August 1 8, 1 826. To their marriage have been born eleven children, nine of whom are still living. Ten names of the eleven, in order of birth, are as follows: James Milton, who died at the age of two years; Charles W., who is a farmer in Miami county, Ohio; Albert C., who is a bookkeeper in Dayton; Oliver H., an engineer, went west in 1876, and has not returned; Newton H. is the subject of this memoir; a daughter died in infancy, unnamed; Wilson, who was a school-teacher, is now engaged in the coal business in Germantown, Ohio; Willie P. is a traveling salesman for the Wellston & Jackson Fuel company, of Jackson, Ohio; Edgar E. is a bookkeeper for a coal company at Glenroy, Ohio; Emma M. and Lillie O. are unmarried and at home with their parents.

Newton H. Rice was educated primarily in the public schools, and this education was supplemented by courses in the Euphemia normal school and the normal school at Valparaiso, Ind. He was prepared for teaching, and followed this as a profession, from the age of twenty-one years, for eight years, in Preble and Montgomery counties. He was then assessor of Miami township, in the latter county, for two years, and in 1889 entered upon his vocation as bookkeeper, for the first four years with Mr. McClure, and since that time with Mr. Hawthorn. He is possessed of fine business abilities, is especially expert as an accountant, and is faithful and painstaking in the discharge of every detail of his duty.

Mr. Rice was united in marriage in West Carrollton, Ohio, in 1883, with Miss Carrie M. Pease, a native of that place — her parents having been among the early settlers. She received an excellent education in the public schools of Carrollton and Miamisburg, and to her marriage with Mr. Rice there has been born one daughter — Lulu Ethel — now eleven years of age. Mrs. Rice is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Rice is a free contributor to all religious and charitable institutions. In politics Mr. Rice, like his father, is a democrat and is very popular with his party and with the public in general, having been elected assessor of Miami township by the almost unanimous vote of all parties.

Fraternally Mr. Rice is prominent in various societies, being a member of Miamisburg lodge, No. 44, Knights of Pythias, and a charter member of uniform rank, Hope division, No. 32; a past grand of Wayne lodge, No. 10, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and member of Dayton encampment, No. 2, of which he is past chief patriarch; also a member of canton Earl, No. 16, patriarchs militant, and of court Cooper, No. 1567, Independent Order of Foresters, of which he has served as treasurer. He was also a charter member of the Fraternal Censers, Gem City council, No. 1, and is likewise a charter member of camp No. 3526, Master Workmen of America.

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

ELWOOD E. RICE.

There are men whose place of residence is but a feature of their life records, while the place of their business activity does not even localize them. They are men of the world in the broadest sense of the term in that their interests have constituted important elements in the world’s work and progress. A splendid example of the spirit of the times is found in Elwood E. Rice, alert and enterprising, recognizing every opportunity and with marked initiative force, which he has displayed by the development of the business interests which he manager in the office of president of the Rice Electric Display Company and the R. R. Sign Company. He was born October 11, 1879, in Montgomery county, a son of Franklin and Mary Victoria (Dryden) Rice.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM PIERCE RICE.

William Pierce Rice, well known as a coal operator of Dayton, was born in this county, August 17, 1863. His youthful days were spent in the usual manner of farm lads, for he was reared upon the old homestead to the age of twenty-three years, his time being busily employed during the summer months in the work of the fields while in the winter seasons he attended the country schools to the age of twenty years. Lie afterward devoted his entire time to farming for three years and then, thinking to find other pursuits more congenial and remunerative, he turned his attention to commercial interests, entering the coal office of S. J. Patterson. A year later, in 1888, Mr. Patterson sent him to Jackson county, Ohio, to take charge of his mines. It was a difficult experience for during the two and a half years in which he remained there several very serious strikes occurred. The fact that Mr. Patterson sent Mr. Rice to the mines so soon after he had entered Mr. Patterson’s employ speaks volumes concerning the confidence which the latter had in him and his ability. During a strike which occurred Mr. Rice was in daily peril several times and only his courage saved him but he was ever loyal to the trust reposed in him, faithful in looking after the interests of his employer and at the same time doing everything possible to quell the laborers’ disturbances.

After two and a half years spent in control of the mines in Jackson county Mr. Rice traveled for Mr. Patterson for a year and a half and then embarked in business for himself in 1893, forming a partnership with C. K. Davis, of Detroit. They engaged in the operation of mines near Wellston, Ohio, and from the beginning their efforts were successful. Mr. Rice is now well known as a coal operator and his business has reached large proportions bringing him a very substantial financial return.

On the 8th of November, 1883, near Dayton, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Rice and Miss Martha Patterson, a daughter of W. J. Patterson. They have become the parents of three sons: James, Corwin and Harry Dwight. Mr. Rice belongs to Gem City Council, No. 3, U. C. T., and affiliates with the Reformed church. Pie isa democrat in politics but is not an active partisan. Throughout his active connection with the business world his time has been given in almost undivided manner to the duties that have devolved upon him in connection with his business affairs and his forcefulness and enterprise in this connection have brought him a creditable and gratifying measure of success.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.