Fleming Rice

As printed in 1897

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 Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.